SATURDAY 9th APRIL 1977

HARD EARNED WIN FOR CITY

Fourth Division

Exeter City 1 Newport County 0

Exeter City team: Baugh, Templeman, Hore, Weeks, Saxton, Hatch, Hodge, Kellow, Robertson, Beer, Jennings.

Newport County team: Plumley, Derrett, Bell, Emanuel, Walker, Jones, Preece, Woods, Clark (White), Relish, Byrne. Scorer: Exeter: Hodge.

Attendance: 5,249.

Exeter City kept their promotion hopes on track with there second victory during the Easter programme of fixtures. It was, however, tough going for the Grecians against a Newport County side who are far from as bad as their lowly position in the Fourth Division suggests.

It needed a piece of individual skill by Bobby Hodge to break the deadlock in the 65th minute, against a stubborn and hard working visiting team. Hodge raced on to a long clearance out of the City defence, and showing tremendous determination and application, scored with a strong, low shot.