ROBERTS ROCKET!

Match Repoet by BRIAN MADLEY

Tottenham 2 Exeter 0
FA Cup 6th Round  

GRAHAM ROBERTS was playing Southern League football with Weymouth a year ago. Now he's in the F.A. Cup semi-final with Tottenham and his goal helped put them there. Once full-back Roberts had headed Tottenham in front, the fire that had taken gallant Exeter on their longest Cup run for 50 years flickered and died. "That was my first goal for Tottenham. What a time to get it." said Roberts." But we had been working all week on getting defenders into scoring positions. The fact centre-back Paul Miller scored Spurs' second proves the training paid off and Tottenham now go into the last four for the first time since they won the Cup in 1967. But it was difficult not to feel sorry for Third Division Exeter. It's a sad fact of life that sometimes Goliath gets all the breaks and gives David a right hammering. Exeter did everything right during a first half in which Tottenham weren't allowed time or space to produce their normal attacking football. And when Tony Kellow, Exeters 26-goal hero, went close with two early second-half shots it really looked as if a replay was possible. Things started going wrong when milkman Ian Pearson got a kick on the head after 52 minutes. Pearson was taken to hospital with concussion, defender Lee Roberts was booked for arguing with the referee for not stopping play and the whole course of the game changed. The next time Spurs got a corner no-one was marking Hodile. "With Pearson off, our lads were suddenly not sure who was marking who. Hoddle was left alone and that was fatal," said Exeter manager Brian Godfrey.

Fatal indeed. Hoddle put in a perfect cross to the far post and in stormed Roberts to head home. Goalkeeper Bond, who had looked in superb form, then dropped a Hoddle free-kick and Miller was first there to grab the second. Exeter's dream of glory had become a
memory. Now Pearson has to worry about who does his milk round and Godfrey has to convince his team that Third Division football is important. While Tottenham, who have had all the luck going in the Cup this year, must feel the  trophy is now well with- in their grasp. Young Roberts grinned: "From Weymouth to Wembley in a year. Can't be bad"
Player Ratings 
TOTTENHAM
Daines 7 Hughton 6, Perryman 7. Miller 6. Roberts 6-*HODDLE 8 Mazzon 6 Galvin 6  Ardilles 7 Archibald 6. Crooks 7.

EXETER
Bond 7 Rogers  (M.) 7. Roberts (L.) 6. Roberts (P.) 7. Sparrow 6 Forbes 6. *DELVE 8. Hatch 6. Pearson (ini.) 6 Kellow 6. Rogers (P.) 7. Sub.: Prat? 6.

Referee N. Midgley (Salford) 7.


Match Report 2