TUESDAY 16th FEBRUARY 1971.

(a rearranged fixture)

CITY HAD THEIR CHANCES.

EXETER CITY 0
Wilson; Crawford, Blain; Parker, Newman, Balson; Rowan, Banks, Gadston, Binney, Mitten.

WORKINGTON 1
Burridge; Wilson, Ogilvie; Geidmintis, Spencer, Wood; Tyrer, Spratt, Massie, Goodfellow, Martin,

Scorers
Workington:- Martin,

Attendance 4,609

Fortune, they say, favours the brave, and if that is so, Workington cannot be short of courage. Because in a furious, but, as far as Exeter was concerned, frustrating, second half spell in this game Lady Luck positively showered her favours on a besieged Workington defence. Probably the most spectacular and incredible series of escapes Workington had came when Exeter, desperately trying to get back into the game, split that normally tight defence and had it wide open. Fred Binney lashed his shot against the upright, but storming in to pick up the rebound was Joe Gadston. His first- time effort crashed against the crossbar. Still, the goal was in dire danger. Alan Banks came racing in and tried to steer a header into the net as the ball came off the crossbar, but his effort was whipped off the line in the nick of time. This was not the only time when Exeter came so very close to equalising, but, on reflection, to attribute Workington's away win merely to some Soccer caprice is not enough. In the first half Workington looked much the better drilled and more methodical combina- tion. Certainly throughout the game they had nowhere near the attacking play of Exeter and far from as many chances. But they defended with a systematic thoroughness that was mighty hard to breach. and they moved with far more control and Exeter. purpose than In the first half Exeter's attacking power seemed to consist of thrusts down the middle, but they were lunges against pretty stout armour. Workington did not do much in the attacking vein, but in the 10th minute they broke away with such effect that they got what turned out to be the winner. The Exeter defence was caught in a real muddle when wing-half Brian Woods's long ball found an unmarked left-winger John Martin and he shot confidently and accurately into the net. After that, by and large, it was a matter of whether Workington's fine defence could with-stand the spirited, if not over- imaginative attacking of Exeter. Fred Binney had some luck when John Ogilvie kicked his header off the line. Graham Parker suddenly forced his way through from the half-back line to try blistering a long shot which flashed past a post. And cheeky interception a by Banks led to him setting up a near perfect chance for John Mitten, but his shot went straight at John Burridge.

In the second half the story remained the same of Exeter continuing to peg away trying to find a chink in that Workington armour. But the combination of missed chances and bad luck robbed them of the equaliser they deserved through their effort and persistency. Binney had a great opportunity but failed to connect with his shot Again it was a patchy display by Exeter. At times their passing was bad and their approach work lacked the fluency of neatly strung passing movements. But nobody can deny their work and effort which should have been enough in the end to have given them a share of the points.


SHEARING JOINS ROVERS,

Peter Shearing, Exeter City's goalkeeper today joined Bristol Rovers, After talks at Eastville he agreed to join the Rovers on loan until the end of the season,

THURSDAY 18th FEBRUARY 1971.

SHEARING IS NOT ON LOAN.

Peter Shearing is no longer an Exeter City player. The City goalkeeper has signed on a permanent transfer for Bristol Rovers and is not on loan until the end of the season. No fee is involved but if Rovers win promotion there will be a cash adjustment for Exeter, Meanwhile Exeter City player manager John Newman has signed the St Lukes Collge goalkeeper Phil Hewlett on amateur forms as cover for Bob Wilson