Hartlepools v City

SATURDAY 24th SEPTEMBER 1966.

A NINETY SECOND STUNNER.

HARTLEPOOLS UNITED 3
Simpkins; Bircumshaw, Drysdale; Sheridan, Gill, Fogarty; McGovern, Wright, Phythian, Mulvaney, Somers,

EXETER CITY 1,
Jones; Embery, Ley; Wilkinson, HarfordThompson; Godfrey, Keeley, Elliott, Smith, Blain,

Scorers:
Hartlepool: Phythian 2, Mulvaney,
Exeter Smith.

Attendance; 4,227.

Exeter City are still seeking their first win, Hartlepool twice beaten at home this season ended their poor run with a victory over the City, They started off in temendous style with a goal in 90 seconds, Mulvaney's square pass was whipped into the net by Phythian, City were thrown hard on the defnesive as more attacks piled in and could have conceded a second but for George Ley's timely intervention on the goalline, Towards the interval City began to make a real bid to pull level, but were still showing signs of their old finishing weakness, Hartlepool again put City under pressure at the start of the second half, but it was their turn to miss a couple of good chances. In the 70th minute City equalised, Ray Harford put over a cross for Roger Smith, on his debut, to head in from six yards, It was a big shock for Hartlepool who had been well on top. But six minutes later they were back in front, when Phythian beat Ken Jones with a strong shot. In the 81st minute Hartlepool extended their lead through Mulvaney and by now City's defence was repeatedly in action as Hartlepool were having their own way mostly,
Exeter City, still seeking their first win in the League, included Ray Elliott and Roger Smith in their attack and George Ley returned at full-back for Smyth, who is injured.

Match Summary 

Exeter had a shock when Phythian scored for the Northerners with the game less than 90 seconds old. Blain moved in from the wing to fire a long range shot just wide, but the City could have coneeded a second goal when a bouncing ball was hooked away from Mulvaney by Ley with Jones out of his geal. Harford used his height to direct a powerful header goalwards but Simpkins had the ball covered. In the 70th minute the City's hopes were raised when they managed to draw level. Harford lobbed the ball over and Smith headed a nice goal. But this was short-lived, for within six minutes Phythian had scored again for Hartlepools, and five minutes later Mulvaney registered the third.

WESTERN LEAGUE.
City Reserves 3 Frome Town 1.

Following last week's defeat by Port Vale Evans and McLean lost their places in the first team and turned out for the City Reserves today at St James's Park. The opposition here was Frome, who took the lead before the interval, but the Reserves hit back with goals by McLean, Mustard, and Evans.

Barney Singleton, who was an Exeter City player before some of the younger members of the present team were even born, kept goal for Frome, and as a point of interest Graham Mustard, who got the City's second goal, is the son of Billy Mustard, who was with Singleton at St James's Park just after the war.

EXETER CITY 3,
Smout; Taylor, Goad; Mustard, Balson, Buckingham; West, McNeil, McLean, Evans, Richardson, (Baglow?)

FROME TOWN 1
Singleton; Margary, Chedgy; Simpson, Doughty, Bartlett; Simmons, Baker, Clare, Lucas, Brain,

Scorers:
Exeter : Mustard, McLean, Evans,
Frome : Clare

After allowing Frome to take a 12th minute lead against the run of play through Clare, and surviving two other close calls when the visitors hit the woodwork, City got to grips with the situation and went on to confirm their superiority with a better second half display in which Graham Mustard shot an equaliser, and John Evans put Exeter ahead a minute later, George McLean completed the scoring in the closing minutes.