Exeter City 0-1 Newport County 

8th December 1973

EXETER CITY'S dismal run of bad results continues. But this afternoon when they were beaten 1-0 by Newport in a Division 4 game at St. James's Park they let the Welshmen off the hook because they missed too many chances.

One of these opportunities included a missed penalty by Fred Binney, and tonight John Newman must be feeling an extremely frustrated and angry manager. There cannot be any excuses for the opportunities missed in the later stages of the game, even allowing for the fact that Exeter had previously twice had the ball in the net without it counting. Scott was included in the Exeter side. and Ken Wallace was substitute.

I understand that Plymouth Argyle were represented at the match and my guess is that they were watching Jimmy Giles, who earlier this week his w asked for a transfer. I also believe that Swindon again had representatives at the game, and this was surely to make yet another check on Exeter's striker, Binney. 

Exeter quickly moved forward, and when Scott crossed there was an appeal for a penalty for hands. But the referee immediately waved aside the appeals. At the other end, a Newport corner was cleared, and Exeter moved forward with a good move that fizzled out. When Joy played a long ball down the left for Binney, the striker was offside. Following a Newport free-kick, Wilson had to react quickly to go down and smother the ball, and at the other end a snap-shot from Binney was easily taken by Macey. Exeter could have developed a better move when Binney, waiting for Crawford's overlap, pushed the ball to Crawford. But the full-back's cross went behind.

Then Scott curled a free-kick which Parker hit first-time. It was a good effort and the ball was not too far wide. A Scott corner was well taken by Macey under pressure and when Newport broke Jarman'a cross was cleared for a corner. A fine crossfield ball by Plumb to Scott threatened Newport. They cleared the menace, but within seconds Macey did well to go full length to cut out the ball as Plumb moved in. Up went Wingate, who was playing alongside Giles, for a free-kick. He headed the ball on, but the danger was cleared. In a quick break, Newport probed down the left, and Wilson had to go down quickly at his near post to save from a Jones flick. A deep free-kick by Aizlewood was played off to Hooper, and his low shot was pushed behind for a corner by the diving Wilson. The goalkeeper went down again, this time to cover Godfrey shot. 

Wingate needed treatment after chasing back. He was fouled, and from the free-kick Exeter moved forward well. But after good work by Parker and Binney, Plumb wasted his cross. At the other end, Joy briliantly cleared up," and then Exeter moved forward and had he ball in the net. Parker volleyed a high ball nto the Newport area, and Plumb went up with defenders and Macey to head the ball in, but the referee did not allow a goal because of what I assume was an infringement on Macey. But it looked to me to be a somewat harsh decision.

Half-time:-
Exeter City 0, Newport County 0.

Exeter had a shock two minutes after the start of the second half when Newport went ahead. It was in the 47th minute. Jarman crossed a corner, and from an angle at about 12 yards GODFREY scored with a terrific header. At half-time, many supporters were wondering why Plumb's goal" was disallowed. I thought it was good enough. But it did not count, and with Newport having gone ahead, Exeter now had it all to do. In the 55th minute, Binney was booked for what appeared to be ungentlemanly conduct following incidents involving himself and Macey. Following the Binney booking, the game erupted somewhat in the next five minutes. First Hooper had his name taken for a tackle on Scott. Then, following an Exeter free-kick Binney laid the ball off to or a Scott whose shot was cleared off the line. Minutes later Parker crossed a deep ball from the right and Scott moved in to "score "with a diving header, but for some reason the referee would not allow it. Presumably he said "no" because the ball had gone out of play before the cross was put in. The crowd were not at all happy with the referee, to say the least, but Newport came back with two successive corners from the right.From the second, Exeter cleared for a third corner, this time from the left, but on this occasion the cross went into the side netting. The City supporters were disputing virtually every tackle that Newport were making at this stage. Exeter had a chance of equalising in the 74th minute when Crawford, making ground down the right, crossed to give Binney an opportunity. But the striker dragged his shot wide from a good position. With 15 minutes to go, substitute Wallace was warming up along the track and the change seemed imminent. In fact, the switch came almost immediately and the man to come off for Exeter was Gibson in the 77th minute. In the 79th minute Exeter were awarded a penalty when Parker was brought down by Godfrey. However, Newman could not have looked for any excuses because the City missed the penalty.  And the man guilty of failing to take this opportunity was Binney, whose kick was saved by Macey, who dived low to his right to cut out the ball. In the 80th minute, Jarman was replaced in the Newport side by Screen. Two minutes later Exeter had another chance to equalise-on two occasions. But they let Newport off the hook when first Binney and then Wallace missed out in the same move.

Exeter's defeat was the first time they had lost to Newport a home in 16 visits by the Welsh Club.

Result :--
EXETER CITY 0 NEWPORT COUNTY 1
Attendance: 3,476.