Exeter take a five goal hiding

7th April 1981

HUDDERSFIELD Town kept up their drive for promotion to the Second Division last night with a crushing 5-0 win over Exeter four of the goals coming in the second-half. Keith Harvey opened the scoring after 18 minutes and then Mark Lillis and Brian Stanton grabbed two apiece. Stanton has now scored 15 goals this season.

Third-placed Huddersfield have 51 points from 40 games, but have a much superior goal difference to Barnsley, a place behind them, who beat Colchester
3-0.

Exeter take a five goal hiding

Huddersfield 5-0 Exeter City
7th April 1981

Lillis and Stanton lead the way in night of triumph

FA Cup heroes Exeter City were eaten alive at Leeds Road last night.

For the second time in six months they were ravaged by a super Town side hungry for goals and glory. Although the Devon side resisted admirably is the first half, they were unmercifully ripped apart in a devastating hot 30 minutes. Then Mick Baxton's men tore the heart out of Exeter with four tremendous goals. They were struck in cool, calm and clinical fashion by tireless mid- fieldmen Mark Lillis and Brian Stanton. Lillis, who marginally shaded 10 other stars as the game's outstanding player, scored in the bist and 75th minutes, wich Stanton firing home in the 83rd and 87th minutes

Town's opening goal. and their first at Leeds Road in exactly two months, was a magnificent 18th-minute header from defender Keith Hanvey. All in all it was a marvellous night with Town recapturing that swashbuckling style and spirit which swept them to glittering success a year ago. It equalled their biggest victory in the Third Division this season and clearly underlined the club's ambition. Town, who beat Charlton Athletic at The Valley on Saturday, opened last night at whirlwind pace. The speed, variation and directness of Town's attacks was enough to leave Exeter bemused, breathless and bewildered. Defenders, sometimes panic-stricken, stuck resolutely to their task, though, as Town surged forward in strength, and there was no way, in this mood, that they were going to be denied an emphatic victory. Within three minutes it must have been obvious to 18-year-old goalkeeper Steve Nute, playing only his second senior match, that this was going to be a critical examination of his nerve and character. Dave Cowling, who again made an immense contribution, was robbed by Nute's brave, lunging save and seconds later Steve Kindon blasted the ball into the youngster's midriff after a 40-yard burst. With Cowling prominent, Town were incisive and another cross was headed over his own bar by Lee Roberts. Then, a glorious chipped pass by Town's No 11 set Kindon free, but Nute raced from his area to head the ball away. When the breakthrough goal arrived Cowling was again the architect. Full-back Martyn Rogers was penalised for his challenge on Lillis and Cowling delivered a perfect free kick into the penalty area. There Hanvey, who moved up unnoticed, headed powerfully beyond Nute. In the 25th minute Exeter provided a sharp reminder that they were not to be underestimated. Neil Freeman, restored to the team in place of Andy Rankin, had been virtually a spectator himself when suddenly he was scrambling at the foot of his right-hand post to gather a snap shot from Roy Ireland. Town, though, maintained their offensive with Hanvey's left foot releasing a number of penetrating passes and his back four colleagues and midfielders moving for- ward in support of Kindon and Ian Robins at every opportunity. With 29 minutes gone, Cowling everywhere who was latched on to a poor clearance to rifle the ball fractionally wide of a post, then lan Pearson was cautioned for hauling down rugby- style the marauding Fred Robinson.  Exeter weathered the storm and looked composed but 16 minutes after the interval with Freeman still unemployed the floodgates finally opened. From just inside Exeter's half, Robins played a pass of delicate precision to Lillis who, despite the close attention of a de- fender, dispatched a low, but lethal, shot just in- side the goalkeeper's left post.

Exeter's first corner in the 63rd minute produced nothing. But one from Cowling at the other end saw Dave Sutton flick the ball on and Kindon narrowly fail to apply a finish from close range. Goal No 3 arrived in the 75th minute again courtesy of Cowling. He hooked the ball along the left touchline for Mick Kennedy, accepted a return and hit a first-time cross to the far post. Lillis rose and his header someho squirmed beneath Nute, whose inexperience was cruelly exposed. Both Stanton and Sutton saw shots go astray before Stanton struck a glorious fourth goal in the 83rd minute. Malcolm Brown, who had earlier supplied a chance for him, again lined up the pass and Stanton crashed a superb left-foot drive into the roof of the net. Within 60 seconds it looked as though Pearson, who had been something of a nuisance throughout, had made it 4-1. He went around Brown, sidestepped Freeman as he committed himself, and prodded the ball towards an open goal only for Brown to recover sufficiently to stick out a long leg to clear off the line. Three minutes from the finish Stanton scored Town's fifth goal, stabbing home a Robins cross from the left after a delightful pass from Lillis. Then, with only seconds remaining, Robins again put the ball in the net but was ruled offside.

Teams

Huddersfield Town

Freeman, Brown, Robinson, Stan- ton, Sutton, Hanvey, Lil- lis, Kennedy, Kindon, Robins, Cowling. Sub: Austin.

Exeter

Nute, Rogers (M), Sparrow, Forbes, Roberts (L), Roberts (P), Pearson, Rogers (P), Kellow, Ireland (Pratt 68min), Hatch.

Caution (Exeter). Pearson

Referee (Nottingham). MP Scott

Attendance - 12,009.