Saturday 10th October 1981

EXETER CITY 3 BRENTFORD 1

ATTENDANCE: 3,689

It must have been quite a motivational task for Exeter City manager Brian Godfrey to lift his team just three days after they had lost 5-0 at Liverpool in the Football League Cup, first round, first leg. It was quite a contrast ot be playing in front of the Anfield crowd although only 11,478 were present - to come back to the more familiar and homely surroundings of St James' Park to play a Third Division fixture against Brentford.

The game proved to be one of drama as City lost their goalkeeper through injury, but overcame that handicap to win 3-1. Up until that game against Brentford, the Grecians' league season had been fairly mediocre, with three wins in their opening eight matches and just one draw. The previous home game had been a real goal feast as City defeated Millwall 5-4, and was typical of the manager's style of attacking football. As long as you scored one more goal than the opposition!

Exeter 'lost' their goalkeeper, len Bond, with concussion, went a goal down, missed a penalty and had two players booked in this action packed encounter with Brentford.

Yet the Grecians' still wound up winning in a game of pure theatre, with most of it high drama. City had to do without Bond after just 15 minutes, and Steve Davey took over in goal, a position that he had filled before in a pre-season friendly at Wimbledon.
The Grecians suffered two further setbacks when Dave Crown (later to play for Exeter) fired brentford into the lead ten minutes later.

Then the usually reliable Tony Kellow missed a penalty, his shot hitting the upright, after Whitehead had handled.

City went in at half-time still a goal in arrears, but suddenly they pieced together their game in in a performance that was best described as a stirring team effort, in which everyone played his sterling part.

Kellow redeemed himself by equalising after 52 minutes with a shot that went under keeper McKellar's body.

Exeter struck again on the hour when Joe Cooke powered home a header from a free-kick taken by John Sparrow.

The best goal was reserved until last in the 66th minute. Kellow supplied a perfect cross for Peter Rogers to head goalwards. The ball was palmed out, but Frank Prince, who was a king in midfield, was on the spot to net the rebound.

Frankie Prince and John Delve scared Brentford to death in midfield and effectively won the match for City. 

Davey took his emergency goalkeeping role brilliantly, but it was unfair to pick out individuals, for this had been a wholehearted team performance, against the odds.

After the game Davey, regarded as the most adaptable player on City's books, revealed: "I played in goal a couple of times when I was at Hereford United, once in the League and once in the Cup.

"I also went in goal for about 20 minutes of a match when was at Plymouth Argyle. Nobody else in the City team put their hand up when Bond went off, so I suppose it had to be me!"

Bond was passed fit to take his place back in the City goal for the following game against Burnley at Turf Moor, as Davey played in his more accustomed outfield role.

EXETER TEAM:

Bond, Davey, Sparrow, Lester, Cooke, L. Roberts, Prince. P. Rogers, Kellow, Delve, Pullar (M. Rogers).

BRENTFORD TEAM:

McKellar, Tucker, Hill, Salman, Whitehead, Hurlock, Booker, Bowen, G. Johnson, Roberts, Crown.

SCORERS: Exeter: Kellow, Cooke, Prince. Brentford: Crown