Watford v Exeter City
October 28th 1978 

The Programme can be read here. 

Exeter City's recent successful run of games only two defeats out of the last nine played) had pushed them up to tenth place in the League table, but they slipped up in the match against Watford at Vicarage-road, where they lost by 1-0, and worse still for them they had their skipper, John Hore, sent off by the referee for twice fouling Pollard.

Watford:- Rankin; Stirk, Booth, Bolton, Harrison; Pollard, Garner, Downes; Blissett, Jenkins, Joslyn.

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

This match was in the nature of a "dress rehearsal" for the eagerly awaited meeting of these clubs in the fourth round of the League Cup at St James's Park on November 8th. Watford's goal came after play had been in progress for only three minutes and was credited to the six feet tall forward, Blissett, who is a West Indian. Blissett and O'Keefe jumped for the ball together and it was the Watford player's head that connected with the ball, but many referees would not have allowed the score to stand on the assumption that the goalkeeper had been fouled. Mr Lloyd, however, did have a word with his linesman before pointing to the centre.

Watford are top of the League and they will not be easily beaten at Exeter in the forthcoming cup-tie. The club is riding high on a wave of enthusiasm in the Hertfordshire town, and the crowd at the game with Exeter numbered almost fifteen thousand.

• With the pitch at St James's Park in poor condition following heavy rain the Western League match between the City Reserves and Shepton Mallet was cancelled.