Dreadnought Tactics Paid Off

City Could Not Break The Pompey Line

Saturday September 24th 1977.

St James's Park, attendance 6,000.

Exeter City 0 Portsmouth 1.

Despite plenty of pressure, Exeter City failed to break down the line of Portsmouth defenders strung across St James's Park this afternoon, and as a result lost their first home League match since December.

Portsmouth grabbed a first half goal when they beat Exeter's offside trap, and the City could not get the vital break-through which was needed against a side playing a purely defensive role, with just two men in attack.

Portsmouth, who arrived late at the ground following a traffic hold-up near Honiton, included in their team Bobby Stokes, who scored the deciding goal for Southampton when they won the F.A.Cup two years ago against Manchester United at Wembley Stadium.

It was a somewhat nostalgic occasion for Nicky Jennings, who had nine seasons with Portsmouth and scored over forty goals for them in 200 Second Division appearances.

The crowd of nearly six thousand including some from Portsmouth was a good attendance considering the terrible weather conditions, pouring with rain without a break from morning to night. Falmouth beat Exeter City Reserves by 5-1 at Falmouth.

Portsmouth: Middleton; Roberts and Wilson; Piper, Foster, and Denyer; Gilchrist, Kemp, Stokes, Mellows, and Barnard.

Exeter City: Key; Templeman and Hore; Bowker, Saxton, and Hatch; Hodge, Kellow, Randell, Holman, and Jennings.