Exeter City 3-2 Peterborough U 
4th September 1971 

Exeter City won their first match of the 1971-72 season, after drawing two, and losing two of their previ- ous four games. they defeated unbeaten Peterborough United 3-2 at St James Park in a Fourth Division fixture watched by a crowd of 4,125. Indeed this victory proved to be one of only two in the first two months of the season. John Wingate netted his second double of the season, with the third City goal coming from Graham Parker. The Grecians included winger Barry Rowan in their side for is first game of the season. Peter Price scored both the Peterborough goals.

Exeter City: Bob Wilson, Campbell, Crawford, Steve Stacey, Graham Parker, John Newman, Mike Balson, Barry Rowan, Alan Banks, Fred Binney, John Wingate, Tony Morrin.

Peterborough United:
Mike Drewery, Frank Noble, John Duncliffe, Dennis Oakes, Eric Brookes, Jack Carmichael, Bob Moss, Peter Price, Jim Hall (Michael Darrell), Oliver Conmy, Tommy Robson.


Match Report 2
Exeter City 3, Peterborough 2

EXETER CITY this season seem to have adopted the theme music of the film "633 Squadron" to herald their arrival on the pitch. Well, in this match it was apt enough. After some early near misses they finally hit the target, and then right at the end found themselves running for cover as Peterborough hit back with an air-raid of their own. But once again, what a match. Five goals, flashes of really crisp soccer, plenty of tingling stuff in the goalmouth, and a nall-biting climax that would take some beating in tension. Exeter were entertaining Sir Stanley Rous, president of F.L.F.A., at this match. He surely could not have been disappointed with his 90 minutes of football. And, as if all that was not enough, Exeter had its first taste of Graham Parker was booked, the new "get-tough" policy by referees. and so was Peterborough's two-goal hero Peter Price. The official reasons were that Parker was booked for a foul after the ball had been played away, and Price for "repetitious foul play." The crowd did not like it. There was some booing and slow hand-clapping.  And certainly Peterborough manager Jim They did not like the decisions. After the game he did not hide his opinions. "I thought the booking on Price was dis- graceful. In fact, both bookings were crazy. This is spoiling, foot- ball. It is becoming a game for pansies," he said. Mr Newman was content to make the straightforward com- ment about the bookings: "There wene two players booked for nothing" The game was always interest- ing, even in the first half before the action flared up. Exeter made most of the running, with Peter- borough rarely coming into the picture as far as attacking soccer was concerned. It was not until the 47th minute that Exeter got the goal they so badly needed. They were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box. But instead of "set-the piece" that everybody expected, Graham Parker smartly and unceremoniously smashed the ball into the corner of the net. Then with that them that goal giving all the confidence they wanted, Exeter pulled out the stops, linked some fine movements together with style and speed, and scored again in the 60th minute. It was Tony Morrin who combined with Alan Banks to lay on the goal for John Wingate, and 17 minutes later Banks joined Barry Rowan in a move to give Wingate his second goal. And that, one might have thought, was that. But instead Peterborough, launched a series of raids in the last 10 minutes that knocked Exeter completely out of their stride. In the 82nd minute Peter Price headed in from Jim Hall's cross, and two minutes later he did it again, this time to Ollie Conmy's cross. So, far from coasting to a comfortable win, Exeter found themselves in the middle of a fierce struggle to hold on to their lead. No wonder Sir Stanley, an old boy of St. Luke's College, and a man who has played and refereed at St. James' Park, said afterwards: "I enjoyed the second half particularly, mainly because of the goals and because the game became much closer. In fact I thought Exeter might throw it away at the end."