Match 49
30th April 1988
Darlington (h)
EXETER CITY 4
Edwards 3, O'Connell.
DARLINGTON 1
Carter own goal.
Half-time 0-0
Exeter City: Gwinnett; Harrower, Viney; Carter, Taylor, Cooper; Olsson, Delve, Edwards, O'Connell, Rowbotham.
Darlington:- Granger; Outerside, Morgan; Hine, Willis, McAughtrie; A.Roberts, Ward, MacDonald, Clayton, Stonehouse.
EDWARDS HAS LAST LAUGH OVER CRITICS
Match Report by Trina Lake
Dean Edwards scored the first hat-trick of his Football League career on Saturday to give Exeter City their best win under John Delve and just about destroy Darlington's faint hopes of a place in the Fourth Division promotion play-offs. The 26-year-old strik- er's opportunist treble lifted City one place to 21st in the table and sent them into today's daunting game at fourth placed Scunthorpe with renewed confidence.
Their well-deserved success over Darlington ended a run of seven matches without a win and it was the first time this season they have scored four goals in a game.
Brendon O'Connell set the ball rolling with the opening goal-his 13th of the season after 66 minutes and despite an instant setback when Roy Carter headed into his own net to equalise within 60 seconds, City refused to be subdued.
Edwards grabbed the limelight to end a nine-week goal drought and take his tally for he season to 11. He struck in a deadly 11 minute spell to silence the ritics who have given him a ugh time this season. The first of his three close range efforts came in the 74th minute with a sharp turn and shot and he kept a cool head to tap in the other two after good work from substitute Scott Hiley. The teenager came on immediately after City's second goal in place of player- manager Delve, who didn't see City complete their resound- ing win and forsook the post match celebrations for a hospital check-up.
Darlington's combative midfielder Paul Ward laid him out in the 68th minute with a crude challenge that left Delve with blurred sight. He tried to carry on but couldn't and left his men to carry out the battle plan to perfection.
"I've always believed we could do it and to be honest the last five or six games could have ended up like that. We had determination today and that got its reward. We sho- wed a lot of courage and character," said Delve after getting the all-clear to leave hospital.
He was particularly pleased for O'Connell and Edwards who have had plenty of stick-not all of it justified-from supporters for their patchy scoring form.
"They have worked hard and it was nice to see them get a bit of joy at last," he said. Delve recalled himself to the starting line-up for the first time in six games in place of Hiley. He switched Richard Cooper from the centre of midfield to right back and pushed Steve Harrower on to the wing.
City had a well-balanced look about them and although the first half was pretty disjointed, there were signs that the Darlington defence were vulnerable when attacked at speed.
There was little to choose between the sides before the break with neither goalkeeper seriously troubled.
Keith Viney, Paul Olsson and Delve had shots comfortably kept out by Keith Granger and O'Connell had a muted appeal for a penalty turned down while Mel Gwinnett denied the lively Kevin Stonehouse three times and watched efforts from Steve Bell and Gary Macdonald fly wide.
Macdonald, a potentially dangerous centre forward, hardly got a look in against the dominant Shaun Taylor who can have done his chances of winning the player of the year award, ballotted for at St James's Park during the match, no harm at all.
City made a livelier start to the second half and continued to give Darlington problems with through balls that made thier cumbersome central defenders twist and turn uncomfortably.
That was never better illustrated than when Delve sent Edwards scampering clear down the right with a per- fectly timed pass. Granger could only parry from Edwards and O'Conell followed up well to slot home the loose ball.
The cheers from City's lowest league crowd of the season had hardly died down when disaster or so it seemed struck. Ward's inswinging corner looped off the head of Carter and over Gwinnett to level the scores.
Ward was a little lucky not to be sent off for flattening Delve a minute later. He had already been booked for a first half foul on the City boss but referee John Carter ruled there was no malice in his ugly foul.
City responded to the in- timidation in the best way possible with three more goals. Another ball up the right touchline, this time for O'Connell to chase, opened Darlington up again. He crossed and Edwards controlled the ball well before beating Granger on his near post.
A quick free kick from Carter released Darran Rowbotham on the left, his deep centre was volleyed against the bar by Hiley and with the Darlington defence static, Ed- wards nipped in to make it 3-1 with seven minutes left.
Two minutes later Hiley broke down the right and crossed for Edwards to record that coveted hat-trick with another simple chance.
He eagerly claimed the ball from the back of the net but defender Jim Willis, who had been given the run around all afternoon, fought him for it and both joined Ward and City's Richard Cooper in the referee's notebook.
That minor flare-up detracted little from Edwards' achievement and City's joy at again upsetting the promotion aspirations of another high flying team as they have done so many times since Christ- mas.
Exeter City Gwinnett Harrower. Viney, Carter, Taylor, Cooper, Olsson, Edwards, O'Connell, Rowbotham Subs Watson, Hiley (on for Delve 74 min)
Darlington: Granger, Outterside, Morgan, Hine, Willis, McAughtrie, Roberts, Ward, Macdonald, Bell, Stonehouse. Subs: Robinson (on for Morgan 78 min), Anderson (on for Macdonald 78 min).
Attendance: 1,515
Edwards 3, O'Connell.
DARLINGTON 1
Carter own goal.
Half-time 0-0
Exeter City: Gwinnett; Harrower, Viney; Carter, Taylor, Cooper; Olsson, Delve, Edwards, O'Connell, Rowbotham.
Darlington:- Granger; Outerside, Morgan; Hine, Willis, McAughtrie; A.Roberts, Ward, MacDonald, Clayton, Stonehouse.
EDWARDS HAS LAST LAUGH OVER CRITICS
Match Report by Trina Lake
Dean Edwards scored the first hat-trick of his Football League career on Saturday to give Exeter City their best win under John Delve and just about destroy Darlington's faint hopes of a place in the Fourth Division promotion play-offs. The 26-year-old strik- er's opportunist treble lifted City one place to 21st in the table and sent them into today's daunting game at fourth placed Scunthorpe with renewed confidence.
Their well-deserved success over Darlington ended a run of seven matches without a win and it was the first time this season they have scored four goals in a game.
Brendon O'Connell set the ball rolling with the opening goal-his 13th of the season after 66 minutes and despite an instant setback when Roy Carter headed into his own net to equalise within 60 seconds, City refused to be subdued.
Edwards grabbed the limelight to end a nine-week goal drought and take his tally for he season to 11. He struck in a deadly 11 minute spell to silence the ritics who have given him a ugh time this season. The first of his three close range efforts came in the 74th minute with a sharp turn and shot and he kept a cool head to tap in the other two after good work from substitute Scott Hiley. The teenager came on immediately after City's second goal in place of player- manager Delve, who didn't see City complete their resound- ing win and forsook the post match celebrations for a hospital check-up.
Darlington's combative midfielder Paul Ward laid him out in the 68th minute with a crude challenge that left Delve with blurred sight. He tried to carry on but couldn't and left his men to carry out the battle plan to perfection.
"I've always believed we could do it and to be honest the last five or six games could have ended up like that. We had determination today and that got its reward. We sho- wed a lot of courage and character," said Delve after getting the all-clear to leave hospital.
He was particularly pleased for O'Connell and Edwards who have had plenty of stick-not all of it justified-from supporters for their patchy scoring form.
"They have worked hard and it was nice to see them get a bit of joy at last," he said. Delve recalled himself to the starting line-up for the first time in six games in place of Hiley. He switched Richard Cooper from the centre of midfield to right back and pushed Steve Harrower on to the wing.
City had a well-balanced look about them and although the first half was pretty disjointed, there were signs that the Darlington defence were vulnerable when attacked at speed.
There was little to choose between the sides before the break with neither goalkeeper seriously troubled.
Keith Viney, Paul Olsson and Delve had shots comfortably kept out by Keith Granger and O'Connell had a muted appeal for a penalty turned down while Mel Gwinnett denied the lively Kevin Stonehouse three times and watched efforts from Steve Bell and Gary Macdonald fly wide.
Macdonald, a potentially dangerous centre forward, hardly got a look in against the dominant Shaun Taylor who can have done his chances of winning the player of the year award, ballotted for at St James's Park during the match, no harm at all.
City made a livelier start to the second half and continued to give Darlington problems with through balls that made thier cumbersome central defenders twist and turn uncomfortably.
That was never better illustrated than when Delve sent Edwards scampering clear down the right with a per- fectly timed pass. Granger could only parry from Edwards and O'Conell followed up well to slot home the loose ball.
The cheers from City's lowest league crowd of the season had hardly died down when disaster or so it seemed struck. Ward's inswinging corner looped off the head of Carter and over Gwinnett to level the scores.
Ward was a little lucky not to be sent off for flattening Delve a minute later. He had already been booked for a first half foul on the City boss but referee John Carter ruled there was no malice in his ugly foul.
City responded to the in- timidation in the best way possible with three more goals. Another ball up the right touchline, this time for O'Connell to chase, opened Darlington up again. He crossed and Edwards controlled the ball well before beating Granger on his near post.
A quick free kick from Carter released Darran Rowbotham on the left, his deep centre was volleyed against the bar by Hiley and with the Darlington defence static, Ed- wards nipped in to make it 3-1 with seven minutes left.
Two minutes later Hiley broke down the right and crossed for Edwards to record that coveted hat-trick with another simple chance.
He eagerly claimed the ball from the back of the net but defender Jim Willis, who had been given the run around all afternoon, fought him for it and both joined Ward and City's Richard Cooper in the referee's notebook.
That minor flare-up detracted little from Edwards' achievement and City's joy at again upsetting the promotion aspirations of another high flying team as they have done so many times since Christ- mas.
Exeter City Gwinnett Harrower. Viney, Carter, Taylor, Cooper, Olsson, Edwards, O'Connell, Rowbotham Subs Watson, Hiley (on for Delve 74 min)
Darlington: Granger, Outterside, Morgan, Hine, Willis, McAughtrie, Roberts, Ward, Macdonald, Bell, Stonehouse. Subs: Robinson (on for Morgan 78 min), Anderson (on for Macdonald 78 min).
Attendance: 1,515
Collection
Files
Comments