7th January 1978

Wolves (Home)

FA Cup 3rd Round

EXETER ROBBED BY DALY

by DAVID HARDING

Exeter 2 Wolves 2

A GREAT goal by Lee Roberts kept Exeter on terms in this all-action third round Cup tie. It came just four minutes after Wolves had sent City reeling when canny Scottish international Willie Carr deceived 'keeper Richard Key and curled a crafty shot into the next off a 25th minute free kick.

Exeter settled quickly and started to spread the ball about to real purpose. The Wolves defence looked shaky when a long throw-in by Peter Hatch caused a hectic goalmouth scramble. The ball went loose to Lee Roberts, who was in a shooting position, but he miscued. Then came that 25th min- ute free kick for Wolves just outside the area. Carr deceived Key and chipped the ball over the keeper's head. Exeter refused to crack. Four minutes later Colin Randell fed Lee Roberts out on the right.

DUMMIED

He cut into the middle, beat the Wolves defender who came to challenge, then dummied past another and lashed his shot into the net. Exeter's hopes soared when they went ahead in the 66th minute. The goal followed a tremendous skirmish in the Wolves goalmouth. Three or four Exeter players tried snap shots and each time they were blocked as Wolves tried desperately to clear. Finally, the ball went loose for a split second and young Harry Holman seized on the chance and rocketed the ball into the net. Wolves were certainly up against it and had looked pretty shaky at times in defence. Earlier Exeter had got the ball into the net, but it was disallowed for a hand ball. Wolves had their moments -one of them when Jim Kelly put over a cross which was picked up by Steve Daley as he came thundering through. But Daley's shot was cleared. It was Exeter's turn to be grateful when they finally cleared a dangerous goalmouth scramble. From a Wolves corner, Steve Daley struck a powerful shot high over the bar. Then, with just three minutes to go Wolves substi- tute Maurice Daly, who had come on for winger Jim Kelly in the second half, equalised with a 20-yard shot out of the blue.

There were problems in the crowd. Twice before the match the pitch was invaded, and some railings were pushed over behind one of the goals.

EXETER. Key: Templeman, Hore, Bowker, Giles, Hatch, Saxton, Kellow. Randell, Roberts, Holman. Sub: Weeks.

WOLVES. Bradshaw: Palmer, Parkin, Daley, Hazell, McAlle. Hibbitt, Carr, Richards, Bell, Kelly. Sub Day.