Exeter 0
Crewe 2 (Cliss, Waller)

Exeter City: Wood, Kirkup. Viney. O'Shea, Marker, McNichol, Ling, Pratt, Morgan, N. Smith, Harrower. Sub McClure (on for Smith).

Crewe: Parkin, Pullar, Aldridge, Farrell, Scott, Hart, Blissett, Crabbe, Waller, Allatt, Cliss. Sub King (on for Aldridge).

Attendance: 2,413.

Match Report By Trina Lake

Exeter City's tendency to freeze in front of their own supporters cost them another three valuable league points on Saturday when they slid to fifth from bottom of the Fourth Division. Not even the arrival of three new faces on the St ames's Park scene Trevor Morgan, Nigel Smith, and Doug McClure could spark-off a revival in City's home form. It may have been only their second league defeat at home this season- their fate sealed by a first half goal from Tony Cliss and a Dave Waller strike after the break but they haven't. won in front of their own fans since September 8th. And what must be equally worrying for manager Jim Iley is that they have now. played more than five hours football without scoring a goal. He pinpointed the problem City have. Players shirk their responsibilities. Too many of them are afraid to risk making a mistake, but perhaps they should remember the old saying: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Crewe's fairly comfortable win was a great disappointment to a healthy pre-Christmas crowd but the City faithful should draw some encouragement from the debut performances of Morgan, in particular, and Smith. Morgan, a good old fashioned target man who loves to be in the thick of the action, added a new hard and determined edge to City's forward line. He doesn't mince his tackles and distributes the ball well. Sadly he and his new striking partner, Ray Pratt, were not an instant hit and ironically Morgan looks just the type of player who I would have combined best with Steve Neville, the striker who made the oppo- site journey to Bristol City to replace him. Smith, signed month's loan from Ashton on Gate, slotted in well on the left side of midfield and was prepared to do what so many of his new team-mates fight shy of he was not frightened to shoot on sight and was unlucky on a couple of occasions. Saturday was his first game in three weeks and he gradually ran out of steam. McClure replaced him in the 76th minute but hardly had time to make any impression at all. Iley will take a closer look at the former QPR youngster in training this week and if he can arrange a friendly for this free weekend, McClure will get the chance to prove himself in full match action before City's next league game at home to Peterborough on December 15. He and the other two newcomers form part of a mas- sive rebuilding programme by Iley who must have had high hopes of it paying early dividends when City started so brightly on Saturday. Morgan made his presence felt early on and was reminiscent of John Sims at his best in the way he set attacking moves flowing with intelligent distribution. He brought Martin Ling into the game repeatedly by sweeping the ball quickly out to the right and the teenager responded with one of his most encouraging displays of the season. Ling showed renewed attacking drive and whipped in several dangerous crosses, but Crewe's defence were never under enough pressure around the key near post area to be unduly worried. Ling has always been a little shot-shy, but set up a good scoring chance when he did decide to have a crack. His drive was well blocked by Bob Scott and Pratt toe-poked the rebound inches past the post. Crewe goalkeeper Brian Parkin made fine saves to deny Smith and Morgan and Keith Viney, powering back to his best, surged through from defence to create another good opening that called for a good stop from Parkin. Crewe weathered the early pressure, breaking out threateningly enough to prevent complacency creeping into City's defence. Their threat became sick- ening reality in the 31st minute when lively winger Cliss gave them the lead from a well-worked move on the right. Former City favourite Dave Pullar, discarded by Exeter 18 months ago, enjoyed the part he played in plotting his old club's down- fall. Pullar's perfectly flighted cross was headed on by Gary Blissett and with Graeme Kirkup appealing for offside instead of marking his man, Cliss gratefully accepted the called for a good stop from Parkin. Crewe weathered the early pressure, breaking out threateningly enough to prevent complacency creeping into City's defence. Their threat became sick- ening reality in the 31st minute when lively winger Cliss gave them the lead from a well-worked move on the right. Former City favourite Dave Pullar, discarded by Exeter 18 months ago, enjoyed the part he played in plotting his old club's down- fall. Pullar's perfectly flighted cross was headed on by Gary Blissett and with Graeme Kirkup appealing for offside instead of marking his man, Cliss gratefully accepted the Crewe kept the pressure- on and as ideas and aggres- sion dried up at the other end, their three points never looked in danger. Morgan's over enthusiasm to make an instant impact on his debut probably robbed City of their best chance to get back in the game. Pratt had made a good opening for himself, but before he could get in his shot the new man whipped the ball off his toe and blasted sky high over the crossbar from six yards.