Exeter City v Barnsley

Exeter City 0 Barnsley 3.


WEDNESDAY 16th NOVEMBER 1966. THIS WAS PATHETIC CITY !

EXETER CITY 0,
Smout; Embery, Smyth; Wilkinson, Harford, Blain; Elliott, Keeley, Ley, McLean, McNeil,
BARNSLEY 3
Ironside; Parker, Brookes; Bettany, Winstanley, Howitt; Earnshaw, Evans, Thomas, Barton, Hamstead,

Scorers:
Barnsley: Thomas 2, Hamstead, Attendance: 2,753,

There was no one more relieved at St James park than the supporters were when the 90 minutes was over, For this was another shabby and poor display by Exeter City as they lost again, City were absolutely woefulmany supporters walked out long before the end, City were slow and hesitant. Something has got to be done quickly, for the team is struggling and are getting worse.

Exeter were two goals down after only 12 minutes. There was often no method to their play. Barnsley were not a great side but they produced the basic essentials of the game. Thomas scored for them after 7 minutes, and again 5 minutes later, After this City did come more into the game but except for a George McLean shot being cleared off the line they never really looked like scoring. In the second half City had chances and missed them, Instead Barnsley scored again when Hamstead hooked the ball past John Smout from a narrow angle. The move of playing George Ley up front did not come off. Ley did not have a good game, but one man did come out of the match with some credit - Jimmy Blain - who worked hard throughout,

Comment 

After another shabby, poor, and lifeless display by the City it must have come as a relief to the crowd of 2,753 spectators when the ninety minutes of football, or so-called football, was over. This time Exeter allowed Barnsley, second from bottom in the Fourth Division, to go away with the two points, won by the convincing score of 3-0. So many of the spectators left after Barnsley had scored their third goal with more than twenty minutes to go that the terraces and parts of the grandstand looked almost bare at the finish. These people cannot be blamed, for some of Exeter's play was just terrible. They were slow and hesitant and gave up without a fight. Something has got to be done at St James's Park and done quickly. At the moment the side is struggling, and struggling badly, and they are being beaten by teams at home that should never be allowed to get a point, never mind two. Barnsley, although not a great side, were made to appear one in this match. They were two goals up after twelve minutes, and from then on the game was as good as won and lost. Barnsley's best player was the centre-forward, Barrie Thomas, who scored the first two goals. The one man in the Exeter side who came out of the game with credit was Jimmy Blain. He worked hard throughout, but there was not much support for him, and Exeter paid the penalty.