EXETER NO MATCH FOR FOR DOMINANT CHESTER

By RALPH HOULDEY
Chester Chronicle 

CHESTER 3-1 EXETER CITY

Seeing Exeter perform at Sealand Road, it was difficult to imagine how they had managed to knock in six goals against Crewe Alexandra the week before. The difference then, of course. was that the Grecians were operating before their own fans, while at Chester they had to carry the burden of the away bogey, which has prevented a win away from St.James's Park for almost 12 months. Apart from that, they met a Chester side full of confidence after a cracking show against Norwich City. Indeed the whole of their work since the start of this season has done nothing to induce the semblance of an inferiority complex Yet in every game ! ave seen, there has been no sign of that cockyness that proved fatal more than once last term. The lads have kept at it, all out whether from in front or behind. Against Exeter on Saturday. there was only one team in the hunt and player manager John Newman must have offered up than for the fact that he had a 'keeper as good as Bob Wilson as the last line of defence. Concerned about the lack of away necess-carried over into the new season with two defeats -Newman clearly came to the Stadium to do his best to get at least a point Playing at left half his was to be the sweeper up role

PACKED GOAL
For most of the first half the packed goal area was enough to foil the home forwards. And to that extent I suppose the tacties succeeded. but against an attack whose whole idea was to come forward it made for a very one sided zame with the Exeter for wards having to rely upon spas modic breaks by attackers who had to forage for themselves. Only once was the Chester de fence caught unprepared That was when Exeter snatched their goal after 83 minutes. It brought back a glimmer of hope for the Devonshire men, but the home rearguard were not to be faulted again. The only hope Exeter had had was in the overeagerness of the Chester defenders to get into the forward push, push which often found both full back enjoying themselves in or near the opposing penalty area. It was good to see. Emphasising as it did all round superiority with speed of recovery on the few times the need arose. As I have indicated, Chester might easily have had a bagful of goals. And had it not been for the courageous work of goalkeeper Bob Wilson, (photo) the score might easily have been doubled. I say courageous because it was re- vealed after the game that he sus- tained a suspected fracture of a bone in the hand, and was to have an x-ray when the team got to Southport, where they were engaged on Monday night. Teams:

CHESTER: Carling: Cheetham, Birks: Bradbury. Turner, Pountney: Woodall, Tarbuck, Hawkins, Draper and Groves. Sub: Webber.

EXETER CITY: Wilson; Crawford, Balson; Morris, Sharples, Newman; Rowan, Banks, Gad- ston, Parker and Giles. Sub: Wingate.

Referee: Mr. R. Armstrong, of Ilkley.

Attendance: 4,337.
Receipts: £1,018.

Throughout the 90 minutes Exeter had to work overtime to Lol the stream of Chester attacks and prevent an avalanche. And a lot of the credit for the added sting that Saturday's for- ward line seemed to carry must go to Denis Hawkins, who took over at centre- forward from Keith Webber. He gave a splendid display on his debut as leader, doing well in the air and being a worry to Exeter all through the match. Hawkins capped his worthy efforts with a goal in the dying minutes of the match-a goal that took Chester into the three goal bracket for the first time this season. But say what you will about any of the players. I have to give the accolade of the man of the match to Derek Draper. There can be no doubt that it is Draper that makes this for- ward line tick. Without him it would be a lot of disconnected units which, at times, it still becomes despite anything Derek can do. Always probing here, and applying a touch there, Draper is the complete schemer for Chester, and there are also to be reckoned those deft head flicks which spell so much danger in the penalty area. It was Draper who broke the deadlock in the first-half when Chester seemed not to have the answer to the Grecian's packed defence. It must be said that the way Chester stormed forward left Exeter little choice except to pack their goal. But from the Chester angle they often did not leave them- selves enough room to manoeuver. Alan Groves strong darting attacks made Campbell Craw- ford look shabby at times. It was a Groves shot on the turn that brought another good save from Wilson, but the goalkeeper was helpless with DRAPER'S opener after 40 minutes. Cheetham and Terry Bradbury linked-up for Bradbury to feed Woodall. The right-winger's cross was coolly controlled by Draper, who drove a low shot home. Terry Carling had to save just one shot of any merit in the first half. That was after 10 minutes when left-back Mike Balson drove in a fizzer which Carling turned over. The pattern of the game was unchanged after the interval, except that I thought the for wards moved with more method than previously. In 70 minutes he left the defence beaten with a fierce low shot which would clearly have gone right across the goal, but WOODALL, seeing the oppor- tunity made a spectacular low dive to head home a great goal. For a brief spell Exeter got back into the game after Alan BANKS had headed in Barry Rowan's cross, but it was all sewn up in 88 minutes when Groves came into the picture again with another centre which HAWKINS drove in without any fuss. 

WEDNESDAY 16th SEPTEMEBER 1970.

OFFICIAL FUND RAISER FOR CITY.

John Hillier, 30, has been appointed as the full time fund raising officer for Exeter City, His official title will be Commercial Manager, and his target for his first year is to raise £15,000 for the club, Hillier is employed by the Devon County Council at present and takes up his new appointment on 12th October, At a meeting called last night by the board of directors to introduce Hillier to various committee's of the new supporters organisation, Mr Fred Dart, City's acting Chairman said that the club are also negotiating for a property in Blackboy Road to be used as a shop and the headquarters of the supporters club from which Hillier will work