Port Vale v Exeter City

SATURDAY 21st JANUARY 1967.

VALE ADAPT THEMSELVES BETTER TO THE CONDITIONS.

PORT VALE 2
Sharratt; Ritchie, Sproson; Boulton, Alcock, Miles; Donald, Hill, Mahon, CullertonWilson,

EXETER CITY 0
Smout; Blain, Ley; Wilkinson, Harvey, Thompson; Keeley, Kennedy, Ryan, McNeil, Godfrey.

Scorers:
Port Vale Cullerton, Mahon,
Attendance: 3,450,

The mud was ankle deep for City's away match at Port Vale and it was the Vale who adapted themselves better to the ground conditionsCity was given the run around and they did not get anywhere in the mud. The more the game went on, the more Vale tore Exeter apart and the City defence were often baffled by this convincing display, City's midfield was weak and the attack rarely took the weight off the defence and except for a ten minute spell just after the interval they never really seriously threatened, City were slow and hesitant. Once Vale went ahead in the 26th minute from the penalty spot through Cullerton, they had the beating of Exeter who slithered about, Mahon added a second for Vale after 70 minutes and weaknesses began to appear in the City defence, John Smout was courageous at times stopping attacks from the home side Ernie Wilkinson again worked hard, but in general the workrate of the whole side was not high enough and the City paid for it. Certainly on this showing the midfield must be strengthened especially when it is such heavy going,

Match Summary 

They were much the better and the stronger side in the conditions, which were terrible, and quite unfit for football. Except for a few brief periods at the start of the second half the City spent most of their time defending.

• The Western League match at St James's Park between Exeter City Reserves and Weymouth was cancelled, ground unfit, and more like a swamp than a football pitch.

TUESDAY 24th JANUARY 1967.

GEORGE LEY IS ON THE TRANSFER LIST.

George Ley, Exeter City's talented young full back has been placed on the transfer list at his own requestExminster born Ley who will be 21 in April was successfully converted from outside left to left back last season, He joined City from Hitchin Town where he was an amatuer, having previously had a trial with Arsenal. Ley says that to further his career he feels he has to move on although he has nothing but praise for Exeter City. There are now five players on Exeter's transfer list - George Ley, George McLean, Colin Buckingham, Ray Harford, and Cecil Smyth.

FRIDAY 27th JANUARY 1967.
CITY'S FLAG AT WEMBLEY.

Exeter City's club flag will be flying at Wembley on March 4th at the final of the Football League Cup. The last 32 clubs left in the cup, and Exeter was one of them, has been asked by the Football League to have their flag flown at the match,

WHITFIELD TO LEAVE.

Alan Whitfield, the last apprentice to join Exeter City is leaving the club, His contract has been terminated and this has been agreed by the board of directors and Whitfield's parents, Alan joined City last Easter and now hopes to take up a trade