ECFC 4-1 Southend United

24th September 1921

Scorers: Williams, Vowles 2, Crompton (pen)

Attendance: 4500

The visitors favoured by a convenient rail service, journeyed through to Exeter this morning, leaving Southend at nine o'clock. It was apparent as the time of the kick-off approached that the failure of the Grecians in recent matches had greatly affected the attendance. When the teams appeared at ten past three there were fewer than 2500 present. The number increased to 4500. 

Southend won the toss, but the afternoon was calm and dull, so this preliminary success carried no advantage.

Exeter City, Watson, MacKechnie. Pollard. Rigby. Mitton. Graham. Newman. Williams. Vowles. Crompton. Dockray.

Referee. Mr. F. P. Farrow, of Bristol.

Southend. Capper. Lawson. J. H. Evans. Wileman. Lawrence. Martin. Harris. Allen. Nuttall. Howard. Elliott.

Owing to the fact that Capper was a long way out of his goal when the kick-off was given, the match had to be started twice. Southend were the first to press, but after Elliott had sent behind Exeter retaliated, and from a fine pass by Mitton a real opportunity was presented by Vowles, but Evans intervened successfully.
Crompton won applause for skilful footwork, and twice the ball was swung smartly from the left wing. The first time it was put in by Dockray and fell on top of the goal net, and the second time, Crompton's centre, Williams got his head to the ball but it spun away in the wrong direction. Nuttall tried persistently to get his line moving, but Mitton was very watchful. Wileman drove strongly over the bar from a free kick against Graham on the edge of the City penalty area.
Southend appealed for a penalty when Nuttall was bowled over by Pollard, but the referee ruled that the shoulder charge was fair. Harris enlivened the proceedings by driving the ball hard against the outer side of the Exeter goal angle.
Williams was knocked out in a collision with Evans, and required the attention of the trainer. Play had been in progress for 35 minutes when a bad mistake by Evans gave Williams a clear field, and the ex-Southampton forward took the ball forward to give the City the lead with a neat ground shot. Further efforts were made by Vowles and Dockray, but on each occasion Capper saved.

Second Half

5 minutes after the change of ends, following a very pretty movement on the City left wing Crompton was dribbling goal-wards through the Southend penalty area when he was tripped up, and the referee signalled a penalty award. It was the fifth to the Grecians on St James's Park for the season, and all had been missed. The crowd, in some trepidation, speculated on the outcome this time, but they were not left long in doubt. Crompton took the kick himself and scored with a sharp drive to the left of the goalkeeper.

Graham was cautioned for his behaviour towards Nuttall, who it must be said was showing more vigour than science. Southend then exerted pressure in the Exeter territory, and Pollard back-passed to Watson for the goalkeeper to clear. Nuttall dashed after the ball and was tripped up by MacKechnie and fell heavily. An angry exchange of words followed between the players concerned and for the second time in the game the ball was placed on the penalty spot. Evans took the kick and scored with a good shot.

A General Caution.

Just after the scoring of Southend's penalty Mitton fell foul of an opponent, and the referee, in view of the ill-feeling which was being imported into the play, called the two captains, then the remainder of the players, into the centre circle, and issued them a stern lecture. Play was very disjointed for a time after this, and Newman was brought down heavily by Evans right on the touch line. The free kick was sent over the bar by Vowles. In the next minute Newman was again seen to advantage when he beat Evans and centred beautifully to Vowles, who headed the ball into the net for Exeter's third goal.

With twelve minutes' play remaining Newman, who was revelling in his work on the wing, middled the ball to Vowles again, and the City centre-forward scored another goal. Yet another centre from Newman came across, and Vowles's header missed by a fraction. The Southend goal was frequently in danger in subsequent play, Capper making fine saves from Williams and Crompton.

Exeter gave a wonderfully improved all-round display. There was not a weak spot fore and aft, but by far the outstanding player on the field was Newman. Though lacking in inches he time and again had the Southend defence in a tangle, and both of Vowles's goals were the outcome of the brilliance of the City's outside right.

Reserves 
SOUTHEND RESERVES v CITY RESERVES

The weather was fine when the reserves of Southend and Exeter City met at The Kursaal in a Southern League match before 3,000 spectators. Stewart won the toss, and Southend kicked off against the slope and the mild breeze.

SOUTHEND:
Jefferies; Jones and Dellow; Batchelor, Halstead, and White; Baldwin, Reid, Ruddock, Smith, and Flowers.

EXETER CITY:
Fryer; Stewart and Lodge;
Wilson, Channon, and Siddall; Edge, Force, Staddon, W.Hill, and Congdon.

Exeter's front line was lacking in cohesion, and several good openings were wasted. For twenty minutes Jefferies was not once called into action. On the other hand Lodge and Stewart covered Fryer well and met the determined Southend attacks creditably.

After the interval Southend came down the centre of the field in fine style, and Ruddock opened the scoring. During the closing stages rain fell heavily, the ball and ground becoming slippery. The Southend attacks did not cease, and a second goal, headed through by Baldwin, followed a clever pass from Flowers. Exeter's staunch defenders had a harassing time, and seldom did the City pass the half-way line to any effect.

Southend 2-0 Exeter.