Match 32
6th March 1922
Gillingham (a)

Southern League
Millwall Reserves (a)

Gillingham v ECFC (L 3-0)
Attendance: 4000

The Original game on 26 November was postponed through fog.

GRECIANS WELL BEATEN: TRIO OF GOALS

Monday, March 6, at

Priestfield Road, Gillingham.

GILLINGHAM 3 EXETER CITY 0.

Last season: Gillingham 2 City 1.

Exeter City, going on from Norwich, opposed Gillingham in Kent this afternoon. The City made no change from the side which drew at Norwich. Gillingham also fielded their best side.

GILLINGHAM
Thomson
Robertson Marshall
Battiste Waugh McAlpine
McMillan Freeman Howard Hall Needham

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

Dockray Townsend Bullock Kirk Newman
Crompton Mitton Rigby
Stewart MacKechnie
Fryer
EXETER CITY

The weather was dull, but fine, and although the game did not start until half-past four, there were not more than four thousand spectators. The turf was skicky on top, and treacherous. Bullock kicked off against a strong breeze, Crompton having lost the toss.

Exeter immediately commenced a run down the right wing, which abruptly ended through Newman's failure to gather Kirk's pass. was Marshall checked another move between Newman and Kirk, and for a few minutes the City forwards were very enterprising.

Having survived several attacks, the Gillingham half-backs got their forwards going, and Needham sent across a nice centre, which was met by McMillan but sent wide of the posts.

A Clever Goal.

There was plenty of dash about the play of both teams, Needham forcing a corner off MacKechnie, which cleared by Fryer and Robertson, at the other end, having to jump high to head away a centre from Newman, who had been put through by Bullock's pass. A pretty round of passing between Crompton, Townsend, and Dockray ended with the Carlisle winger sending in a fast cross shot, which Thomson turned round the post. The corner was unproductive. After 35 minutes McMillan put over a splendid centre, the ball dropping just nicely for Howard to head a clever goal.

Second Half.

A few minutes after the resumption Hall, with close dribbling, beat MacKechnie, and shot a second goal for Gillingham. After 34 minutes a shot from Freeman struck Crompton, the ball being diverted into the net well out of the reach of Fryer. Exeter were a well-beaten side in this half.

Notes on the Game.

Exeter City suffered a sharp reverse at the hands, or feet, of the "Hoppers," and in consequence continue their occupation of the bottom position in the League. In the first half the City did more attacking than Gillingham, but there was not the steadiness accuracy in passing that characterised the Gillingham play. or Kirk, Bullock, and Townsend, to some extent, developed a good understanding, but hardly once did Dockray or Newman put across a
centre that left the inside men with a position for shooting. Generally speaking, the City were well beaten because of the weakness in tackling of the half-backs and backs. Badly supported, the forwards did as well as could be expected. Stewart's kicking was weak, and the same thing can be said of MacKechnie, who also too slow and too hesitant in his tackling.

MILLWALL RESERVES v EXETER CITY RESERVES.

Millwall Reserves were the cleverer side in today's Southern League match at New Cross, but the City Reserves nevertheless came near to snatching a point. The "Lions" did three quarters of the attacking and combined exceedingly well, their skilful short passing proving very troublesome to the Exeter defenders.

On the other hand, the Grecians disdained the use of any over ornamental work, and made ground on their occasional breaks by long swinging passes. They also shot hard and true when given an opportunity, with the result that Wood had to handle the ball more than did Watson.

Brown netted the ball for Exeter, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Sutherland opened the scoring after ten minutes, and Paris put Millwall further ahead. Parsons reduced the Exeter City deficit a minute before the interval. Millwall scored again in another fifteen minutes, through Paris, and the City were beaten by three goals to one.

Another New Player for Exeter.

Charles Squire, a right half-back, has been transferred from Mardy to Exeter City. He is 24 years of age, weighs eleven stone, and is 5 ft 8 inches in height.

Important Football Conference.

A conference took place on March 6th at Euston Hotel, London, between the Football League Management Committee and secretaries or their representatives of the Southern Section clubs.

It was decided that in future the time of the kick off for all matches is to be decided by the home club, but if it be started later than 3.30 p.m. on Saturdays the home club must pay any necessary additional expenses incurred by the visiting team.

The question of the election of any new clubs to the Southern Section was discussed, and the clubs were informed that on any election of clubs the views of the present clubs would be obtained, and would necessarily carry weight with the League in any decision arrived at.

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