22nd October 1973

Darlington 1-0 Exeter City 

Struggling sides are not always easy to overcome, as high-riding Exeter City discovered last night in a shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of bottom-of-the-table Darlington.

Darlington clinched it with a 35th minute penalty by Alan Sproates after Mike Balson had brought down Don Burlureaux. Goal- keeper Bob wilson got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out.

City made all the running after this but Fred Binney -10 goals in the bag this season - was for once out of luck. To add to City's misery, they had Balson and Graham Parker booked.