26th December 1964

EXETER CITY 2 (Banks, Thorne)

READING 2 (Webb, Walker penalty) 

Boxing Day at St James's Park.

Exeter City:- Shearing; Smyth, MacDonald; Mitchell, Harvey, Anderson;
Welsh, Banks, Curtis, Ley, Thorne.

Reading:- Wilkie; Walker, Meldrum; Norton, Spiers, Kerr; Knight, Shreeves, Allen, Webb, Travers.

Referee:- Mr J.Lowry of Luton.

Linesmen:- Messrs Stevens and Webster.

Reading seemed determined to promote the Christmas spirit in their Boxing Day match with Exeter City at St James's Park, for their generosity amounted to handing over the points "on a plate" as it were. In the 13th minute with their defence at sixes and sevens and their goalkeeper out of position Meldrum passed to Banks, who thumped the ball into the empty net from six yards.

In the 30th minute Wilkie injured his thumb and changed positions with Allen, who had little idea of goalkeeping. And once Allen went into goal there was only one policy for the City, shoot from almost anywhere at almost any time.

Thorne saw this. His first shot was a goal and his second ought to have been, but hit the underside of the bar and came out again. But the City couldn't take advantage of these gifts, and suddenly their defence made a series of blunders which allowed Webb to get the equaliser to that first gift goal. 

In the second half Reading made a tremendous fight of it, defending and attacking as a ten man unit, and in the end were well worthy of the point that Walker's 80th minute penalty gave them after Webb was pulled down by Mitchell.

Western League 
Bristol C. Res. v Exeter C. Res. 

Drury Gets Winner Off An Upright

Bristol City Reserves 2-1 Exeter City Reserves

Defences were in command on a treacherous pitch at Ashton Gate on Boxing Day afternoon. An 85th-minute goal from left-half Drury who popped up in the inside-right position gave Bristol City Reserves victory. Both sets of forwards appeared reluctant to try their luck with shots. Macey was brought into action during the first half when keeping out a stinging shot by Exeter inside left Hancock.

With Drury putting through some pin point passes, there were a number of opportunities for Bristol but they were not slick enough to counteract the quick-tackling tactics of centre-half Higgins. Peter Hooper gave Bristol the lead in the 8th minute, but just before the interval Redwood hooked 10 an equaliser. Five minutes from the end the Exeter defence was slow to clear and Drury was able to score with a close range shot which entered the net just inside an upright.