LINCOLN GET A SHARP LESSON Exeter City in Top Gear at St James's Park

Saturday March 11th 1978.

St James's Park, attendance 4,280. EXETER CITY 3 LINCOLN CITY 0

In a dazzling first half performance the City scored twice through Bowker in minutes and Holman in 42, and but for the outstanding work of Grotier there could have been several more goals. Holman two minutes from the end advanced the score to 3-0.

The City, who played fast and powerful football, have now gained the maximum points from two home games in four days, and with 12 matches to play are in a safe position in the 3rd Division League table.

Exeter City:- Key; Templeman and Hore; Delve, Giles, and Roberts; Hodge, Kellow, Randell, Bowker, and Holman.

Lincoln City:- Grotier; Guest and Leigh; Neale, Wigginton, and Cooper; Jones, Hubbard, Hoult, D.Smith, and Harding.

Referee:- Mr D.Smith of Hornchurch. Linesmen:- Messrs B.R.Banwell and B.S.Lock.

Exeter opened in whirlwind fashion and nearly went ahead right from the kick off. Giles took a long free kick into the Lincoln penalty area and Bowker went in with a header that was brilliantly stopped on the goal-line by Grotier. The City maintained the pressure and there was an appeal for a penalty from their players when Kellow went down on the 18 yards line but the referee took no notice. There was not a single weakness in the Exeter team, who played almost throughout the match in "top gear."

Match Report 2.
By DAVE WHARTON
Exeter 3 Lincoln 0

EXETER are on their way back. That was confirmed after a dazzling first-half set up this welcome win. Lincoln gave up midfield -almost the game in those first furious 45 minutes as Randell, Bowker, Kellow and Hodge ripped them to pieces. Then Harding came alive. Young Hoult, on loan from Leicester, and Hubbard followed suit and before Exeter knew where they were, Lincoln were in with a fighting chance despite being two goals down.

But bad finishing by Hoult and Jones killed their hopes and left Exeter to romp home. They deserved it. That first-half show ranks with their best this season. Grotier, Lincoln's man of the match, saved his side with the game only seconds old when he jumped to tip away a Kellow header. But Exeter scored a few minutes later. It came with bewildering speed- Bowker to Templeman, to Kellow, back to Bowker. and on to Bennett, who found the net with a terrific left-foot shot. Neale, Smith and Harding, Lincoln's midfield trio, seemed there only to make up the numbers as Randell and Hodge took over. Delve, signed in the week from Plymouth, also rocked Lincoln with his steam-hammer tackling. Holman skinned right- back Guest time and again, then switched flanks to repeat the process against Leigh. He even slid unnoticed into the middle to latch on to a Bowker pass and crash home the second goal. Giles and Roberts saw off the Lincoln revival with a little luck and a lot of determination, and Holman underlined that Exeter are back in business with his second goal near the end.

EXETER:
Key 7-Templeman 7, Giles 7, Roberts 7. Hore 6- Hodge 7. *RANDELL 8, Delve 6 -Kellow 7. Bowker 7. Holman 7.

LINCOLN:
*GROTIER 8-Guest 6. Cooper 5, Wigginton 7. Leigh 5-Neale 5. Smith 5. Harding 6 Jones 5. Hubbard 6. Hoult 6.

Referee D. Smith (Hornchurch). 7.