DOCKRAY OPENS THE SCORING

Saturday, January 14.

Played at Somerton Park.

NEWPORT COUNTY 1 EXETER CITY 1.
Last season: Newport 2 City 0.

For today's match the Grecians made one change from the team which drew with the "Ironsides" at St James's Park, Rigby coming in for Wilson at right half. The Exeter party made the journey to Newport this morning, the later kick-off (3 o'clock) enabling them to catch a very convenient train. The afternoon was cold and dull in South Wales, and the ground at Somerton Park was heavy after much rain.

NEWPORT COUNTY
Cooper
Arch Flanders
Price W.Edwards Walker
W.F.Edwards Dobson Devlin Lythgoe Gaughan

Dockray Williams Bullock P.Hill Newmanar Crompton Mitton Rigby Stewart Gaskell
Fryer
EXETER CITY

Crompton beat Walker with the coin, and had the advantage of a stiff breeze. Exeter were the first to attack, but Newman failed to get past Flanders. Stewart intercepted a long pass from Devlin to Edwards (W.F.), and sent Dockray off. The ball was swung across nicely but Hill was offside.

Exeter had opened in sparkling style, and the Newport forwards were unable to make headway in the face of strong tackling, and clever covering of Rigby and Crompton. After seven minutes' play had elapsed Rigby put a lovely pass through to Newman, who beat Flanders and middled the ball, and a rare scramble took place in front of the County goal. For nearly a full minute there was the semblance of a Rugby scrum in the goalmouth, and with Cooper on the ground Dockray wound up the proceedings by rushing the ball into the net.

Rigby was penalised for fouling Gaughan, and Walker, from the free-kick, tried a direct shot. The ball curled in towards the top of the goal, but Fryer jumped up and punched it over the heads of the players in the goalmouth.

Play was fast and keen in these stages, and after a hesitant start the Newport forwards were very lively. Crompton checked one move with a hefty tackle on W.F.Edwards, and Stewart charged down a shot by Devlin. After twenty-three minutes Devlin broke clear, and with the defence beaten Fryer rushed out to stop him, but he was adjudged to have handled the ball outside the penalty area and a free-kick was given. Walker equalised direct from the kick. The crowd by now had increased to about five thousand.

Half-time:

NEWPORT COUNTY 1-1 EXETER CITY

Nothing further was scored in the second half. It was indeed a most exhillarating game, and the City were in determined mood. Newport were on top of their form, and desperately anxious to win, and there was very little to choose between the sides. Stewart was a tower of strength in the City defence, and Rigby an outstanding half-back.

CITY RESERVES v GUILDFORD

This return Southern League match was played at St James's Park today. The visitors, who are, like Exeter, enjoying their first season in the Southern League, have never previously visited any football ground in Devon.

Exeter City Reserves:-
Watson; MacKechnie and Pollard; Siddall, Hookway, and Brown; Edge, Congdon, A. Green, Camble, and W.Hill.

Guildford:
Cooper; Grimsdell and Stevens; Gowan, Harrison, and Cain; Smith, Hemming, Searby, Clements, and Quinn.

Fifteen minutes after the commencement a concerted attack by the Reserves terminated successfully, Camble turning the ball into the net from Hill's accurate centre. This was the extent of the scoring, the Reserves thus winning by:- one goal to nil.