FRYER'S BRILLIANT GOALKEEPING

Saturday, February 18th 1922

Loftus Road, Shepherd's Bush, London.

QUEEN'S PARK RANGERS 2 EXETER CITY 1.

Last season: Q P Rangers 2 City 1.

Today Exeter City had the hardest task of any of the clubs in the bottom section of the competition, for the Rangers have not dropped a single point at home since Boxing Day, when Southampton forced a division of the spoils at Loftus Road.

The Grecians also lacked the services of Crompton, which was a serious matter to them in view of the magnificent work of the half back line in recent games, while Williams was also on the sick list. The debut of Tommy Townsend, the popular Devonshire forward from Torquay United, gave special interest to the match, which marked also the return of Vowles and the selection of Percy Hill for the left-half position. Rigby was made captain for the day.

RANGERS
Hill Marsden Bain Grant O'Brien Burnham Edgley Birch Smith Chandler Gregory

Referee: Mr H.C.Curtis, of London.

Dockray Townsend Bullock Vowles Newman P. Hill Mitton Rigby Stewart Gaskell Fryer
CITY

Visibility was very good in London today, and the air fresh, but a strong end-to-end breeze promised some difficulties for both sets of players. Despite big metropolitan counter-attractions, there was a crowd of about ten thousand people present at the start.

Birch beat Rigby in the toss, and the Rangers therefore had the first advantage of the wind. Play was in midfield for two or three minutes until a hefty clearance by Stewart cannoned off Gaskell and left Smith with the ball and a clear field. Hill intervened neatly, and Exeter went straight away to the other end. Dockray outpaced Grant and transferred to Hill, who shot just wide of the goal.

Fryer in Form.

The Rangers were exceedingly smart in triangular play on their left wing, and took a lot of holding. Taking full advantage of the wind, they launched their assaults swiftly from midfield, shooting hard and often. O'Brien sent the ball over the bar twice in quick succession, and Birch shot fiercely from short range only to see Fryer save in his best style, while the crowd wondered.

When Exeter did break away they were held up repeatedly for petty infringements. Fryer saved again from Gregory, and a shot from Birch cannoned behind off Gaskell's chest, Chandler heading over from the corner. Dockray took play to the other end, and his centre caused O'Brien to head behind. The flag kick was cleared, and once again the Rangers were shooting in.

Chandler drove over, and Fryer saved from Edgley. Fryer saved again when Chandler lobbed the ball past Rigby and went through on his own to shoot hard from eight yards' range. The goalkeeper won loud applause for punching out this shot.

Chandler Scores the First Goal.

In a brief Exeter raid Dockray centred to Newman, who put the ball over the bar, then with the inevitable transfer of play to the Exeter end Fryer came out of his goal to gather a neat centre from Gregory, with Chandler and Smith rushing in.

A minute before the interval Chandler got his head to a centre from O'Brien, and Fryer at last was beaten.

Second Half.

Exeter equalised immediately on the restart. A long pass from Mitton sent Dockray away, and from the winger's centre, which was perfectly timed, Bullock headed the ball home.

In later play two promising advances by the City were held up free-kick went astray. Dockray won a corner, and from the centre for offside, and Bain was penalised for fouling Bullock, but the Mitton headed to Townsend, who headed just under the bar for the Rangers goalkeeper to make a good save. After twenty minutes Gregory obtained the winning goal, ending once Fryer was caught in two minds. He dived for the shot, but too late, and full length on the ground he could only watch the ball as it flashed swiftly to the corner of the net.

Although the Rangers held the upper hand to the end, there were times when Exeter might easily have equalised, but their halves showed signs of fatigue towards the close, and gave the forwards very little assistance. Dockray and Townsend between them prompted several promising moves, but Marsden and Bain were very sound in defence of the Rangers goal on such occasions.

The feature of the match was the brilliant goalkeeping of Fryer.

CITY RESERVES v. BOSCOMBE

Boscombe, the conquerors of Torquay United in the English Cup competition, made their initial appearance at St James's Park, in today's Southern League match against the City Reserves. The teams lined up as follows, in brilliant weather.

CITY RESERVES:

Watson; Pollard and Wilson; Brown, Hookway, and Siddall; Edge, W.Hill, A.V.Green, Camble, and Congdon.

BOSCOMBE
Heron; Saxton and Lamb;
Colborne, Matthews, and Wingham;
Wakeley, Smith, Bailey, Meyer, and Cartmell.


Brown won the toss for the Reserves, and Boscombe defended the far goal. A combined effort by Congdon and Hill won a corner, but the flag-kick was cleared, and Watson was called upon to save a low centre from Cartmell.

Cartmell roused the crowd with a thrilling touch-line dribble, but his centre was lifted high over the bar by Smith, and a good chance thereby wasted. Wakeley was prominent with another touch line dribble, but Pollard forced him off the ball.

The teams crossed over with nothing having been scored. Bailey got offside when Boscombe were awarded a free-kick, and Meyer put in a weak shot from right in front of goal, Watson saving easily. From Congdon's Centre Heron failed to clear properly, and the ball went to Edge, who rammed it into the net from close range.Green nearly added a second goal, but his shot was saved by Heron.

The result was:
City Reserves 1-0 Boscombe