STUCK IN THE MUD AT THE DELL:

Saturday, February 4.

SOUTHAMPTON 2 EXETER CITY 0.
Attendance 10000
Last season Southampton 3 City 0.

The Dell was a quagmire this afternoon. Rain fell for several hours before the match, and continued steadily. The ground was so bad that the schoolboys's match between Southampton and Portsmouth, which was to have preceded the League match, had to be abandoned. Crompton beat Dominy in the toss, and took advantage of a light breeze.

SOUTHAMPTON
Allen
Hooper Titmuss Shelley Bradburn Butt
Brown Dominy Rawlings Johnson Andrews

Referee: Mr E.E.Small, of Bristol.

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

Southampton gave a display in keeping with their high position in the League, and fully deserved their victory.

Dominy was in his very best form for the Saints, and as well as scoring both goals he gave a sparkling display of foot and head work.

The heavy ground was not conducive to a scientific contest, but considering the conditions the play of both sides was surprisingly good.

Johnson and Andrews were prominent early in the first half, and following a clever triangular movement between these players and Butt, the ball was netted by Dominy after nine minutes.

Ten minutes later Fryer made a thrilling full length save from Johnson. After twenty-five minutes Dominy obtained the second goal for his side, heading through just underneath the crossbar from a well placed centre by Shelley. Southampton, who were by this time showing excellent form, had a further chance of scoring when Brown was brought down by Stewart in the penalty area, but Rawlings, who took the kick, shot straight at Fryer, who got the ball away.

Crompton the Best Half-Back on the Field.

From this point Exeter's forwards brightened up, swinging the ball about in fine style, and Allen was called upon to good attempts by Bullock. save two

Exeter raided the Southampton goal in heartening fashion, and Bullock turned the ball to Williams, who was only a foot wide with a hefty shot along the ground. Allen saved from Mitton, who had received the ball from the right after very pretty play by Newman and Hill. Crompton, who was the best half-back on the field, was a source of inspiration to the Grecians, who never stopped trying.

The crowd, which numbered about eight thousand, cheered loudly when Andrews and Johnson beat the City defence with a rousing turn of speed and a goal seemed inevitable, but Fryer showed his mettle with another fine save, from Johnson, right underneath the bar.

Play became farcical in the last fifteen minutes, the players getting stuck in the mud and at other times sliding yards in direction they never intended.

CITY RESERVES v. SOUTHAMPTON RESERVES

The visit of Southampton Reserves to St James's Park attracted only a moderate attendance, about two thousand turning up. A late inclusion in the visitors's ranks was George Reader, who formerly assisted Exeter City, and will be remembered as the old St Luke's collegiate.

City Reserves:-
Watson; MacKechnie and Pollard; Siddall, Hookway, and Wilson; Edge, Congdon, Vowles, Camble, and W.Hill.

Southampton Reserves:-
Swinnerton; Hough and Keeping; Dawson, Russell, and Reader; Bosbury, Cooper, Meston, Horton, and Boyes.

Shots from Vowles and Siddall were luckily deflected, and in the early stages the Southampton goal had many narrow escapes. Making a thrilling run nearly half the length of the field, Edge outpaced all the opposition, but his parting shot, from ten yards, cleared the crossbar by about six inches.

The second half opened at a furious pace, and Bosbury opened the scoring after ten minutes, Watson fisting the ball into his own net. Cooper scored again after another two minutes, and Meston got another goal almost on time.

City 0 Southampton 3.