MONDAY 3rd JANUARY 1977

DISAPPOINTING GRECIANS SHOULD HAVE DONE BETTER

Fourth Division

Southport 1 Exeter City 1

Southport team: Coates, Hughes, Snookes, O'Neill, Higham, Taylor, Sibbald, Wilkinson, Galley, Willson, Dewsnip Exeter City team: Key, Templeman, Hore, Weeks, Saxton, Clapham, Hodge, Kellow, Robertson, Beer, Jennings Scorers: Southport: Sibbald. Exeter: Jennings

Exeter City could and should have won this match at Haig Avenue, with Southport totally out of form. City slowly but surely took control of the match, only to waste their many chances of the second half when they were well on top

Southport could thank their keeper, Coates, for a series of several fine saves which kept his side alive at time when City put them under a vast amount of pressure. Equally however, Exeter should have made more of their clear cut opening and not really have given Southport a chance of a point.

City survived a shaky opening which saw both sides struggling to keep their feet on a slippery pitch. Southport went ahead after 13 minutes when Wilson turned past a City defender and chipped the ball against the bar with Richard Key beaten. Sibbald pushed home the rebound.

Southport's lead lasted just three minutes. Alan Beer sent over a hard, low cross and Nicky Jennings ran in at the far por to touch the ball into the net. From then on it was really Exeter's game for the taking, especially in the second half when it all cost Exeter City dearly, and denied them what should have been another win for them.