Match 32
ECFC v Queens Park Rangers
26.02.1921

Reserve Match.
Yeovil & Petters v Exeter City Reserves.

ECFC v Queens Park Rangers (L 0-1)
Attendance: 6,000

History Repeats itself at St James's Park
Queen's Park Rangers came to St James's Park, this afternoon, with plenty of confidence, despite several team changes, for the League record of the club this season ranks among the best, and the Exeter City enclosure is much to their liking. The Londeners regarded it as a good omen that they beat the Grecians at Exeter last season and the season before by a goal to nil.
Makin, who has influenza, was naturally unable to play, Green moving up to his position and Carrick returning at centre-half.
The Rangers made several changes. O'Brien is away in Ireland, assisting the native country against Scotland, and Ashford was selected for the left-half position. Birch is laid up, with illness so Manning went to inside-right, Faulkner coming in on the wing, while Marsden figured at right-back in place of Blackman.


Exeter City:
Pym, Coleburne and Feebery; Crawshaw, Carrick, Taylor, Appleton, Green, Shields, Hetherington and Dockray.

Referee: Mr F.P. Farrow, of Bristol.

Rangers:
Hill. Marsden. Wingrove. Grant. Mitchell. Ashford. Faulkner. Manning. Smith. Gregory. Donald.

The weather was gloriously fine, and the ground was in perfect condition. There was every likelihood of a fast rousing game, and when the players appeared the attendance numbered about 6000.
Pym beat Mirchell with the coin, and the Rangers started facing brilliant sunshine. Exeter City defence opened nervously, and the visitors held high hopes of an early goal. Hesitation on Taylor's part led to a corner being given away, and from this a header by Mitchell went over the bar. Mitchell was conspicuous again in the next minute for a fine dribble in midfield and a pass to Smith, but the centre-forward was hemmed in. Gregory., however, retrieved the ball and nipped round the backs, but his shot from inside the penalty area was punched over the bar by Pym. The Exeter captain then cleared a free-kick in characteristic style, but in the struggle in front of goal which ensued Coleburne was injured. He was able to resume after an abscence of five minutes.

Brilliant saves by Hill
Exeter now began to take a bigger interest in the game, and got within an ace of scoring when Green received the ball from Shields and drove it goalwards, but Hill had positioned himself perfectly to intercept the fast travelling ball and clear. The goalkeeper made another brilliant save in the next minute when he fielded an awkwardly bouncing ball from Shields. A nice pass to Dockray from Shields was responsible for further pressure on the Rangers' goal, but Wingrove came across to check Dockray after Manning had been beaten.
The City were now much the more dangerous team, and they looked likely to score when Crawshaw was unfairly stopped on the edge of the penalty area. Feebery took the free-kick, and a roar went up from the crowd as his drive was seen to strike the framework of the goal, the ball rebounding almost to the touch-line. Appleton then hooked it back into the middle again and Carrick's header, from ten yards, was finely saved by Hill. The Rangers were scarcely in the game at this stage, and Hill saved from Dockray, Manning and Taylor collided, and the Ranger showed uncalled for resentment, the referee being forced to intervene.
H-T City 0-0 Rangers.

Second Half
Exeter continued the better side, but weak shooting, combined with the stout defence of Hill and his backs, enabled the Queen's Park Rangers goal to remain unscathed. The game was singularly devoid of incident for about a quarter of an hour, Exeter finding the slanting sunshine troublesome, but yer showing more initiative than their opponents. Green, Carrick and Crawshaw were City's outstanding players during this period.

Hill saved two excellent shots, first from Shields, then from Green, while Dockray was brought down by Grant right on the edge of the penalty area. The free-kick came to nothing, then at the end of thirty minutes the Rangers made a sudden swoop, and from Faulkner's beautifully placed centre Smith headed the ball into the net, Pym having failed by inches to reach the leather as it sailed across from the wing. The Rangers now sprang into life. Faulkner raced through on the right and swept the ball across the Exeter goalmouth, and Pym saved a hot shot from Donald. Carrick lost the ball to Smith, who drove wide, and Pym again missed a centre from Faulkner, but Coleburne intervened at the expense of a corner.
The Rangers were now the better of two tired teams, with their half-backs, hitherto weak, playing forceful football and lending fine support to their forwards,,who were showing more dash than at any previous period. 
F-T City 0-1 Rangers.

Notes on the game.
So history has repeated itself and the Rangers have won by the solitary goal at Exeter for the third time in succession. 
After the first half had been drawn blank the Londoners scored the only goal of the match when Faulkner, who took the place of Manning, evaded Taylor and Feebery and passed to Smith, who beat Pym with a good shot from easy range. Although O'Brien was away playing for Ireland v Scotland, the defence put up,an excellent game, and Hill received an ovation at the finish in recognition of his smart work under the bar.
Green helped to infuse fresh spirit into,the City attack,,but the line lacked finish, and although Hetherington contributed some pretty touches he was never dangerous. Neither was Shieldsat his best. Appleton has one of his best days, but Dockray spoiled much of his footwork by indifferent centres.

Reserve Match.
Yeovil & Petters 3-3 Exeter City Reserves
.
Western League. There was a crowd of 3000 when the teams came out, on the Yeovil ground, under Mr C. J. Pound, the referee.
After 3 minutes Percy Nutland, the former Exeter City right winger ran through and passed to his brother, who gave Yeovil the lead. Hayward placed Yeovil further ahead ten minutes before half -time. 

Half-time Yeovil 2-0 City Reserves

Within a little more than a quarter of an hour of the opening of the second half the Grecians, playing a very superior standard of football, had taken the lead, Brayshaw and Vowles having scored in quick succession, and Vowles having added another goal. Right on time Yeovil drew level, Charles (o.g) unluckily turning the ball into his own net from a centre from Rice.

Full Time Yeovil 3-3 City Reserves.

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