Exeter City v Hull City 

September 23rd 1978

Exeter City 3 Hull City 1 at St James's Park.

The City on a warm and sunny afternoon played some of their best football of the season to secure their first home win against Hull City, who are third in the League table. A crowd of 3,733 saw Exeter score their opening goal in the 16th minute when Kellow nodded the ball into the net following a corner taken by Holman and a headed pass by Giles, and nine minutes later another brilliant header, this time by Delve from Templeman's centre, put the City two goals to the good. After this a spell of attacking by Hull brought the best out of O'Keefe, who made several clever saves. He was beaten, however, in the 35th minute when Bannister, the ex-Plymouth Argyle forward, wriggled free on the right and crossed a good ball into the penalty area, Edwards thus being given the opportunity to beat O'Keefe, which he did, but only at the second attempt. Exeter, now leading 2-1, were still not satisfied however, and in the very next minute they restored their two goals advantage when a pass from Delve founded Bowker unmarked inside the penalty area. Without a moment's hesitation the City's "number nine" swivelled round and hammered an unstoppable drive into the bottom corner of the goal.

City: O'Keefe; Templeman, Giles, Roberts, Hore; Delve, Randell, Hatch; Bowker, Kellow, Holman.

Hull:- Wealands; Nisbet, Croft, Haigh, Devries; Hood, Horswill, Farley; Lord, Edwards, Bannister.

Referee:- Mr S.G.Bates of Bristol.

Exeter after the interval failed to produce their form of the first half, and O'Keefe again showed his ability with two good saves from Horswill and Lord in quick succession.

The City are only five places up from the bottom of the League table, but if they can produce regularly the sort of form they showed in the first half of this match they should attain a higher position.

• Exeter City Reserves got back to winning ways at Weston-super-Mare, where Ingham's goal gave them victory by 1-0. They are second in the League table to Bideford with the same number of points.