GOLDEN TOUCH GALE BEATS CITY CUP BOGEY

EXETER CITY 2
Darren Gale (2)
CARDIFF CITY 1 
Nigel Stevenson 

Match report by Trina Lake.

DARREN GALE'S uncanny knack of scoring vital goals has put Exeter City through to the se- cond round of the FA Cup for the first time in five years. The powerhouse Welsh striker took his season's tally to five with two fine goals that dumped Third Division Cardiff City out of the competition. He struck in the 29th and 55th minutes and although Nigel Stevenson put Cardiff back into contention with an 80th minute goal, City just about clang on to that de- served win in a frantic finale When Gale scores, City don't lose. He hit the winner against Tranmere and grabbed equalisers at Cambridge and Colchester. But Saturday's strikes were the sweetest so far, especially against the club that were arch rivals in his days at Swansea City. "I think we deserved to win in the end. It was a scrappy game and the pitch was a bit heavy but we were the best side," he said. Gale, 22, repaid manager Colin Appleton's faith in playing him above Tony Kellow and Ray Pratt in at- tack with a powerful display of front running and clinical finishing. He could well have clinched a hat-trick in the second half with a header that skimmed the crossbar. "He could be a bit special once he gets fit. He is capable of giving that sort of performance consistently" said a delighted Appleton. Gale was not the only player to respond to Appleton's demand for more Commitment. City grafted their way to victory and although there were one or two weary bodies at the end of the game, they had got what they deserved. But Appleton is not going to be kidded by one result and warned that if he doesn't see the same kind of determination at Burnley next week, heads will roll. "If players don't give everything they can leave this club. I was bit worried in the last 10 minutes and that's why I've got to look to change things. The back line was solid and very effective but we have to get right what is going on in front of them. "The players have to believe in what we are asking them to do and produce that for 90 minutes," he said But for all his attempts to play down the importance of Saturday's result, Appleton could not hide his relief at City's hard-earned success. Cardiff's dreadful record in the Third Division hardly allows City to proclaim themselves as giant-killers. They may even have started the match as slight favourites, considering Cardiff's record of one win in 16 games. And they certainly set off at a cracking pace with Gale worrying former City keeper Lee Smelt twice in the first three minutes. Cardiff created the best two chances of the opening 20 minutes, though, with imposing teenage striker Rob Turner at the heart of every dangerous move. He put Derrick Christie in after seven minutes but the Cardiff winger could get no power behind his shot and Turner had a header cleared off the line by Keith Viney with John Shaw beaten. City responded with a fine sweeping move that i- volved industrious midfield man Steve Harrower at the start and finish. Harrower, who must have covered every blade of grass on the pitch, sent Martin Ling clear on the right and sprinted into the penalty area for the return cross, squeezing a shot inches wide. Back came Cardiff, Aidan McCaffery cleared off the line from Turner and Jim McNichol nicked the ball off the big striker's toe when he worked himself into a good shooting position. City relieved the pressure with Gale's opening goal Ling, dangerous as ever down the right flank, cros- sed low, Chris Marustik failed to clear and Gale pounced on the loose ball, driving it under Smelt from the edge of the six yard box. Smelt, loaned to City at the end of last season, prevented them from increasing their lead four minutes later, parrying from Alan Crawford whose shot from the re- bound was calmly headed off the line and back to his keeper by Jake King. A point blank reflex save from Shaw robbed Cardiff of an equaliser in the 48th minute, Nigel Vaughan get- ting in the dangerous header as the Welsh side surged for- ward in search of a goal. But they were caught again as City broke out of defence and forced a corner. The ball was played out Viney, Carl Leonard mis- judged his curling cross and Gale stole in to knock the ball away from Smelt and turn it in from two yards to give City a 2-0 lead. He might well have grabbed a precious hat-trick in the 65th minute, glancing a header just off target. Harrower almost put the result beyond all doubt with a 78th minute shot that fla- shed across the face of the goal and just wide but his miss from a good position gave Cardiff renewed hope. They threw caution to the wind and streamed forward in a desperate attempt to rescue the tie and when Ste- venson headed powerfully, past Shaw to make it 2-1 with 10 minutes to go the match was back on a knife edge once more. As the rain poured and the tension mounted, both sides produced typically desperate cup football. Over-anxi- ous Cardiff were trying a little too hard to grab the equaliser and City were de- fending like demons, pulling everybody back behind the ball and backing clearances anywhere for safety. Referee Robert Hamer, who booked Jimmy Mullen and Marustik for fouls an Viney and Crawford for time-wasting, added four minutes to the end of the game to increase the strain and there was a collective sigh of relief from City players and fans when be eventually blew the final whistle

Exeter City: Shaw, Harrower Viney MeNichol, McCaffery Marker Ling Jackson, Gale Ken Crawford Sub Kellow

Cardiff City: Smelt, King, Leonard, Ford, Stevenson, Mullen, Christie , Vaughan Turner, Micallef, Marustik
Sub McCloughlin (on for Christie 61mins)

Attendance 2772

DURBAN MAY GO AS CARDIFF FLOP

CARDIFF manager Alan Durban's job is on the line following his side's 2-1 FA Cup defeat at Exeter

Durban was given a police escort from St. James Park as fans invaded the pitch chanting "Durban out".

A row of seats was ripped out of the grand- stand and goalpost a pulled down. Cardiff are bottom of the Third Division and two goals from Darren Gale knocked them out of the Cup.

PF