MONDAY 27th MARCH 1972.

CITY STRUGGLE AT HARTLEPOOL.

HARTLEPOOL 1,
Hillyard; Potter, Goad; Dawes, Green, Ellis; Waddell, Smith, Veart, Young, Warnock,

EXETER CITY 0,
Wilson; Crawford, Blain; Wingate, 'Giles (Jim), Balson; Rowan, Banks, (Neale), Gadston, Binney, Gibson,

Scorer Hartlepool Veart.
Attendance 3,501,

In a fierce wind Exeter City battled against re-election haunted Hartlepool but were finally beaten by the only goal of the game. Cit can have no real complaint about this result, in conditions which made well ordered football impossible. They were always struggling against a side desparately anxious to keep alive their slender hopes of pulling clear of the bottom four. Forced into a strictly defensive role, City were seldom able to weaken the home teams grip, Such chances they did create were no more than half chances and they must have hungered for even a taste of some of the opportunites that Hartlepool let slip. Nevertheless City can take credit for their stamina and resillience at the back. Hartlepool may have been on top but it was never an easy ride for them, Jimmy Giles played his heart oput in the middle, and in goal Bob Wilson was as efficient as they come. He had no chance when Veart scored after 30 minutes, Exeter were blessed with some good luck in the second half when Hartlepool twice hit the woodwork. Alan Banks and Joe Gadston were City's brightest hopes up front with both putting in a tremendous amount of of effort.