NORTH DEVON v EXETER CITY

Exhibition Game at Barnstaple

Wednesday, November 19.

NORTH DEVON  1 EXETER CITY 2

An exhibition match was played at the Rose and Crown Ground, Barnstaple, this afternoon between Exeter City and North Devon, the Devon side being fully representative. Exeter City fielded practically the full Southern League side, the only absentees being Rigby and Makin, who, however, accompanied the team.

NORTH DEVON

Horne (Barnstaple Apprentices); Marks (Barnstaple Apprentices), Medcalf (Bideford); Johns (Bideford), Hartnell (Torrington), Carter (Barnstaple Comrades); Southcombe (South Molton), Warren (South Molton), Trebble (Il fracombe), Green (Bide ford), Clement (Barnstaple Apprentices).

EXETER CITY

Pym; Coleburne, Popplewell; Connor Pratt, Mitton; Potter, Oldacre, Goodwin, Lovett, Dockray.  

Rain kept off for a couple of hours before the time of start ing, and a huge crowd attended, representative of the whole of North Devon. The wind was blowing from end to end, when promptly at 3 o'clock Mr C. Pearce, the Mayor of Barnstaple, kicked off for the home team, who had the advantage of the wind.

North Devon immediately got away on the left, Clement being fed by Trebble and putting in a beautiful centre, which Green ballooned over the bar at close range. A glimpse of Exeter City's pretty passing was seen, and Goodwin shot wide.

After Southcombe had led a brief attack the City returned with a flourish, and Hartnell headed away a centre from Doc kray. Pratt gave Goodwin a long forward pass, but the City leader's shot was finely saved by Horne, to loud applause from the crowd. Exeter made progress by dint of clever combination and quick passing, just the sort the spectators wanted to see. The home team kept their right wing well supplied, and Southcombe contributed some very useful runs. Pym ran out and cleared from Warren when the North Devon side attacked in spirited fashion, and excitement ran high as the slippery ball passed through Pym's hands from the Devon winger's centre. But Exeter's famous goalkeeper quickly snapped up the leather and punted it well up the field. Exeter City were playing a beautiful game and delighting the crowd, but they found their opponents to be anything but novices. Green fed Southcombe well, and when the ball was returned Trebble fired it over the bar from about twelve yards.

The game was twenty-five minutes old when Goodwin opened the scoring, meeting one of Doc kray's centres and putting the ball past Horne, hard and low, into the net. Twice the North Devon men had openings spoilt by offside, the City backs keeping well up, and these methods were not to the liking of the spectators. However, there was a tremendous cheer when Trebble equalised just before half-time, the centre forward having initiated the move himself, and being assisted by Green and Clement. The goal was thoroughly deserved.

Second Half.

Immediately on the resumption Trebble put in a hot shot, but Pym saved with ease, and Exeter, with the wind now behind them, returned to the attack. Medcalf and Marks defended admirably for the amateur team, but a score nearly resulted when Lovett put in a smart drive which just scraped over the crossbar. At the other end Southcombe rounded Popplewell and shot against the upright. Exeter, who worthily carried out their purpose of providing an exhibition of first-class football, now began to take things more seriously, and increased their pace, but whilst not fully extending themselves they could not do everything exactly as they liked. 

Oldacre struck the top angle of the goal after play had been in the home territory for some time, and then North Devon nearly scored from a corner well placed by Southcombe, a hefty shot by Warren just skimming the bar.

At the other end Connor missed by inches with Horne badly out of position. Mitton and Doc kray were contributing much in the way of pretty football, the winger especially treating the crowd to one or two of his famous sprints and centres. With only about a quarter of an hour remaining Exeter had yet to get their winning goal, but at 4.15 precisely Pratt gave them the lead, heading the ball hard into the net from Connor's corner kick. With the end of the match drawing near, the City forwards provided some pretty play, the ball travelling between the forwards in fascinating