Saturday 27th March 1976

Division Four

Exeter City 4 Huddersfield Town 1

Attendance: 3,925

The standing ovation summed it up, for it is doubtful whether any team would have survived on the day against Exeter City.

They played outstandingly to hammer Huddersfield Town, to show all is not lost in the promotion battle. Even Huddersfield's number one supporter, then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, would have admitted that Exeter were far too good for his team.

Exeter were three goals in front in the opening 30 minutes. The finishing was magnificent to round off what was a superb display. The first half will be long remembered, for City's approach work was deadly and incisive. Alan Beer scored twice for the Grecians and there was one goal each for Lammie Robertson and Keith Bowker. When Huddersfield pulled a goal back through Sidebottom immediately after the break to make it 3-1, there were a few flutters for City during a ten minute spell.

Exeter, however, overcame that period to go at Huddersfield again. But for goalkeeper Richard Taylor, the visitors would have suffered an even bigger defeat in what was their first ever game at St James' Park.

City team:
Richard Key, John Templeman, John Hore (Alan Hooker), Tony Morrin, Bobby Saxton, Peter Hatch, John Wingate. Keith Bowker, Lammie Robertson, Alan Beer, Nicky Jennings.

Huddersfield team:
Taylor, Sweeney, Hart, Smith, Baines, Sidebottom, Maitland, O'Neil, Goldthorpe, Butler, Dolan.