Match 30
12th February 1921
Grimsby Town (h)
Western League
Bath City (a)
ECFC v Grimsby Town (D 1-1)
Scorer: Feebury (pen)
Attendance: 6,000
The reorganised and strengthened Grimsby Town club are finding it almost as difficult to get points in Third Division football as it was last season in the Second Division campaign. Their early hopes of a triumphant season, carrying with it promotion to the ranks of Division 2, were dashed to the ground by an indifferent start, but important changes were made in regard to the officials at the club a month ago, with beneficial results.
Before today's match Exeter were twelfth in the League table and Grimsby thirteenth.
Martin Golightly, the Grimsby trainer, who was an Exeter City inside-forward before the war, renewed several old acquaintances during the course of the afternoon.
Exeter City:
Pym, Coleburne and Feebery; Crawshaw, Carrick and Green, Appleton, Makin, Shields, Vowles and Dockray.
Referee:- Mr H. Spiers, of Rotherham.
Grimsby Town:
Moody, Affleck, MacEachran, Gillow, Deacey, Storer, Spink, Clarke, Talks, Morrall, Smith.
The weather was fine and bright, and the ground was in perfect condition after a fortnight of good weather. Pym led Exeter out at 3:10 p.m., when there were 6000 spectators present, then Grimsby Town, following promptly, were heartily received.
Smith lost the toss, and the visitors were called upon to face strong sunshine in the opening half. Gillow intercepted Exeter's initial rush, and a smart bout of passing by the "Mariners" ended with Crawshaw being penalised for hands, thirty yards from the home goal. Storer tried a direct shot but the ball went wide. The City now made headway, and following good work on their left wing Shields hooked the ball over MacEachran's head and essayed a dash goal-wards but overran the ball, and the full-back made a smart recovery. Grimsby applied persistent pressure during the next few minutes.
Grimsby's Fine Football.
Pym saved a brilliant shot from Smith, and the Exeter backs at this stage were finding difficulty in repelling the advances of the visiting inside-forwards, who were treating the crowd to some very fine football. Talks delivered one shot from 30 yards range; it carried plenty of "powder", but Pym pulled the leather down from underneath the crossbar and cleared. There was little respite for the City defence, however, and in the next period of exchanges the ball was nearly forced through the goal by Clarke, whilst Morrall came within an ace of scoring.
Half time arrived with nothing scored, but with better luck in front of goal, and better marksmanship, Grimsby might well have been holding the lead by this time. Their shooting was the one flaw in their play. Exeter's best chances in the first half had fallen to Vowles, but on the first occasion he was too slow, and the next time his shot, along the carpet, was saved by Moody.
Half time 0-0.
Second Half
With the sun at their backs the Lincolnshire side was in a very eager mood when the game resumed, and within five minutes they were rewarded with a goal. Smith got away on the left, and with the Grecians appealing for offside the visiting skipper beat Crawshaw and Coleburne, who failed to tackle him. Smith shot high and hard, and Pym fisted the ball out, but only to Clarke, who promptly put into the net.
Exeter tried their best to get on level terms, and Vowles shot with plenty of force from 12 yards, Moody making a miraculous save. A further attempt by Shields and Makin was charged down by MacEachran. At the other end Talks was injured in a collision with Pym and has to be assisted off the field. He returned after about two minutes, apparently none the worse for his mishap.
Twenty minutes of the second half had elapsed when a centre from Dockray was handled by Deacey. From the resultant penalty Feebery scored with a powerful drive into the netting, well wide of Moody's right hand.
Five minutes later a goal appeared certain when Makin wo his way through, but with only Moody to beat his shot rattled against the crossbar and was cleared. It was a lucky escape for Grimsby, and they must have considered fate was on their side when Makin repeated the performance five minutes later.
The game continued at a lively pace, with Smith prominent for Grimsby and Makin likewise for Exeter. Clarke barged into Pym with scant ceremony when the goalkeeper was jumping to clear, and came under the notice of the referee. In the last minutes Dockray thrilled the crowd with a thrilling run down the touchline, and Makin, who received the centre, hit the side of the net with a point-blank drive. At the Exeter end Pym stopped one from Morrall, and fell on the bouncing ball as Clarke raced in.
Notes on the Game
Exeter City will have to better themselves if they mean to win more matches this season. The honours today rested with Grimsby Town, who were quicker on the ball than Exeter, and who certainly combined better.
The Exeter half-backs had the ball in the air too much, and failed to support their forward, and Makin was again unlucky with several attempts ar scoring.
Both goals were lucky. Coleburne should have cleared before the shot came in from Smith which lead to Grimsby scoring, while there was no need for Deacey to have handled the ball and giving away a penalty, as Moody was in a perfect position to save the centre from Dockray.
Reserve Match
Bath City v Exeter City Reserves.
The Western League Match between the City Reserves and Bath, at the latter' ground, was watched by a crowd of 4000.
Play was almost entirely devoid of incident for half an hour, there appearing to be little prospect of a goal by either of the sides. Charles had several shots to deal with but the only Exeter forward to trouble the home goalie was Kelland.
Exeter nearly scored on the interval, Williams saving on the goal-line, but Bath made a rapid progress to the other end, and Summers scored for them.
Half time Bath City 1-0 Exeter City Reserves.
The Grecians had the better of the exchanges afterwards,and a dangerous right wing was formed by McIntyre and Brayshaw. From the last of three corners Hargett crashed a shot against Exeter's far post, and a few minutes from time Dallimore's increased the lead.
Full Time: Bath City 2-1 Exeter City Reserves.
Scorer: Feebury (pen)
Attendance: 6,000
The reorganised and strengthened Grimsby Town club are finding it almost as difficult to get points in Third Division football as it was last season in the Second Division campaign. Their early hopes of a triumphant season, carrying with it promotion to the ranks of Division 2, were dashed to the ground by an indifferent start, but important changes were made in regard to the officials at the club a month ago, with beneficial results.
Before today's match Exeter were twelfth in the League table and Grimsby thirteenth.
Martin Golightly, the Grimsby trainer, who was an Exeter City inside-forward before the war, renewed several old acquaintances during the course of the afternoon.
Exeter City:
Pym, Coleburne and Feebery; Crawshaw, Carrick and Green, Appleton, Makin, Shields, Vowles and Dockray.
Referee:- Mr H. Spiers, of Rotherham.
Grimsby Town:
Moody, Affleck, MacEachran, Gillow, Deacey, Storer, Spink, Clarke, Talks, Morrall, Smith.
The weather was fine and bright, and the ground was in perfect condition after a fortnight of good weather. Pym led Exeter out at 3:10 p.m., when there were 6000 spectators present, then Grimsby Town, following promptly, were heartily received.
Smith lost the toss, and the visitors were called upon to face strong sunshine in the opening half. Gillow intercepted Exeter's initial rush, and a smart bout of passing by the "Mariners" ended with Crawshaw being penalised for hands, thirty yards from the home goal. Storer tried a direct shot but the ball went wide. The City now made headway, and following good work on their left wing Shields hooked the ball over MacEachran's head and essayed a dash goal-wards but overran the ball, and the full-back made a smart recovery. Grimsby applied persistent pressure during the next few minutes.
Grimsby's Fine Football.
Pym saved a brilliant shot from Smith, and the Exeter backs at this stage were finding difficulty in repelling the advances of the visiting inside-forwards, who were treating the crowd to some very fine football. Talks delivered one shot from 30 yards range; it carried plenty of "powder", but Pym pulled the leather down from underneath the crossbar and cleared. There was little respite for the City defence, however, and in the next period of exchanges the ball was nearly forced through the goal by Clarke, whilst Morrall came within an ace of scoring.
Half time arrived with nothing scored, but with better luck in front of goal, and better marksmanship, Grimsby might well have been holding the lead by this time. Their shooting was the one flaw in their play. Exeter's best chances in the first half had fallen to Vowles, but on the first occasion he was too slow, and the next time his shot, along the carpet, was saved by Moody.
Half time 0-0.
Second Half
With the sun at their backs the Lincolnshire side was in a very eager mood when the game resumed, and within five minutes they were rewarded with a goal. Smith got away on the left, and with the Grecians appealing for offside the visiting skipper beat Crawshaw and Coleburne, who failed to tackle him. Smith shot high and hard, and Pym fisted the ball out, but only to Clarke, who promptly put into the net.
Exeter tried their best to get on level terms, and Vowles shot with plenty of force from 12 yards, Moody making a miraculous save. A further attempt by Shields and Makin was charged down by MacEachran. At the other end Talks was injured in a collision with Pym and has to be assisted off the field. He returned after about two minutes, apparently none the worse for his mishap.
Twenty minutes of the second half had elapsed when a centre from Dockray was handled by Deacey. From the resultant penalty Feebery scored with a powerful drive into the netting, well wide of Moody's right hand.
Five minutes later a goal appeared certain when Makin wo his way through, but with only Moody to beat his shot rattled against the crossbar and was cleared. It was a lucky escape for Grimsby, and they must have considered fate was on their side when Makin repeated the performance five minutes later.
The game continued at a lively pace, with Smith prominent for Grimsby and Makin likewise for Exeter. Clarke barged into Pym with scant ceremony when the goalkeeper was jumping to clear, and came under the notice of the referee. In the last minutes Dockray thrilled the crowd with a thrilling run down the touchline, and Makin, who received the centre, hit the side of the net with a point-blank drive. At the Exeter end Pym stopped one from Morrall, and fell on the bouncing ball as Clarke raced in.
Notes on the Game
Exeter City will have to better themselves if they mean to win more matches this season. The honours today rested with Grimsby Town, who were quicker on the ball than Exeter, and who certainly combined better.
The Exeter half-backs had the ball in the air too much, and failed to support their forward, and Makin was again unlucky with several attempts ar scoring.
Both goals were lucky. Coleburne should have cleared before the shot came in from Smith which lead to Grimsby scoring, while there was no need for Deacey to have handled the ball and giving away a penalty, as Moody was in a perfect position to save the centre from Dockray.
Reserve Match
Bath City v Exeter City Reserves.
The Western League Match between the City Reserves and Bath, at the latter' ground, was watched by a crowd of 4000.
Play was almost entirely devoid of incident for half an hour, there appearing to be little prospect of a goal by either of the sides. Charles had several shots to deal with but the only Exeter forward to trouble the home goalie was Kelland.
Exeter nearly scored on the interval, Williams saving on the goal-line, but Bath made a rapid progress to the other end, and Summers scored for them.
Half time Bath City 1-0 Exeter City Reserves.
The Grecians had the better of the exchanges afterwards,and a dangerous right wing was formed by McIntyre and Brayshaw. From the last of three corners Hargett crashed a shot against Exeter's far post, and a few minutes from time Dallimore's increased the lead.
Full Time: Bath City 2-1 Exeter City Reserves.
Creator
Paul F from Alex Wilson’s unpublished work and photo courtesy of the Mariners Archive
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