City keep the pot boiling

FULHAM 0 EXETER CITY 1

EXETER CITY kept the Devon soccer cauldron boiling with a tremendous performance at Craven Cottage last night. Their well-earned victory put them back in third place in the table, just one point behind leaders Plymouth Argyle.

Peter Rogers, playing only his second full game of the season, was the Exeter hero, banging home the only goal of the match in the 63rd minute. City had much the better of the first half and they might easily have gone ahead after only two minutes. Rogers found Tony Kellow with a good ball from the bye-line and the Cornish striker beat keeper Gerry Peyton with a fine shot on the turn, only to see the ball cannon back of the post. lan Pearson was then unlucky with a fine effort from the edge of the penaty box which flew just over the top. Exeter had completely dominated the opening 20 minutes but then Fulham came gradually into the game.

Their Welsh international striker Gordon Davies proved just how dangerous he could be, forcing á fine save out of Ian Main and then setting up a great chance for John Beck. Beck was left with only the goalkeeper to beat, but blasted the ball over the top. City came storming back and Steve Neville was unlucky with a cheeky flick which was only just over. Then Kellow forced a fine save out of Peyton with a great shot from 25 yards. It was all-action stuff and Davies underlined Fulham threat when he slipped past Giles and fired in a shot which was brilliantly saved by Main.City went through something of a sticky patch at the start of the second half. Their passing, which had been so sweet in the first 45 minutes, suddenly turned sour, But suddenly they managed to manufacture a goal out of the blue. Phil Roberts hit a long clearance to Kellow, who headed the ball down perfectly for Rogers to calmly slot home his first goal of the season. Fulham manager Bobby Campbell pulled off full-back Gary Peters after 71 minutes and replaced him with striker Brian Greenaway in a desperate effort to snatch the equaliser. The ploy looked as if it might just work when Greenaway fired in a tremendous shot from 25 yards, but fortunately for City the ball went just over the top.