Watford 4-0 ECFC
Attendance: 5000

Watford

Saturday, September 30th.

At Watford's new ground.

WATFORD 4 EXETER CITY O.

Last season: Watford 0 City 0.

Harry Kirk's presence in the Exeter attack following the news of his transfer from Plymouth Argyle three days ago, together with the other alterations in the team and the appointment of Mathieson as captain for the day, made today's contest interesting and most important from Exeter City's point of view.

Another feature of the game was that the City were paying their first visit to Watford's new ground at Vicarage Road, where the crowd considered an initial victory for the Hornets was overdue. For in three games on the new ground to date Watford had shared points with Millwall and Northampton and had been defeated 3-nil by Queen's Park Rangers. The Hertfordshire club, therefore, was inclined to permit nothing to stand in the way of a victory for the Black and White Stripes today. Exeter City made the journey by char-a-banc this morning and arrived in Watford at 3 o'clock.


WATFORD
Williams
Horsman Gregory
Bellamy Toone Mummery
Stephenson Smith Pagnam White Wilkinson

Referee:- Mr C. Austin, of Kidderminster.

Shelton Mathieson Vowles Kirk Matthews Clarke Mitton Southway
Ackroyd Pollard
Fryer 
EXETER CITY

Dull but dry weather favoured the contest, but there was a Fresh breeze blowing diagonally across the field, which was of no ssistance to either team. White beat Mathieson in the toss-up. Exeter pressed immediately from the kick-off, Kirk and Vowles orrying the home backs considerably. Then Horsman relieved with big kick, which went to Wilkinson. A corner was won, and the ball was middled well by Stephenson, but Clarke headed out, and when Toone tried a shot Fryer gathered with ease. Ackroyd let Smith take the ball off his toes, but Wilkinson was offside when it was slung out to him.

The respite was brief, for slack play by the Exeter defence let Watford in twice in quick succession. Fryer saved from Smith, who in the next moment drove wildly wide, from easy range.

SOUTHWAY HANDLES AND PAGNAM SCORES

Exeter took up the running and Mathieson sent Matthews ahead with a good pass. Matthews middled the ball nicely and Williams saved with Kirk dashing in. The referee, who had been called on to replace Mr Russell, officiating at Highbury, seemed intent on distinguishing himself with the whistle, pulling up the play for the most trifling reasons. Shelton won a corner, which Williams punched out before Kirk could get his head to the ball. Play veered from end to end, and a bombardment of the Watford goal was ineffective through the home defenders packing their citadel, and no shots got through.

Wilkinson shot yards wide from White's opening, but Watford took the lead in their next attack. A centre from Wilkinson was handled by Southway, and from the free kick Pagnam scored. Fryer tried to get the ball away but was crowded off, and the leather dropped at the feet of Pagnam, who tapped it into the untenanted goal. Fifteen minutes of the game had been played.

Watford strove hard to increase their lead, and Pollard took the ball from Pagnam, but was in turn robbed by Smith, who had an absolutely clear field. Fryer came out and stopped Smith's shot with his knees, and in subsequent play the City goalkeeper saved a hefty drive from Wilkinson. Apart from Fryer, the City defence did not inspire confidence, although at the other end Watford had two escapes when Matthews hit the crossbar with one drive, and Kirk fired over the top with another. Just before half time the Watford forwards got away again, and after some manoeuvring Toone cleared the bar with a swift shot from eighteen yards.

HALF TIME:
WATFORD 1 EXETER CITY 0

Good work by Matthews won Exeter a corner, but Williams came out and averted the danger. A mis-kick by Pollard gave White an opening, but the ensuing shot was yards wide. Fryer cleared a free kick, taken by Stephenson, and Exeter made a couple of spasmodic attacks which soon fizzled out. Then, eighteen minutes after the start of the second half Watford increased their lead. A miskick by Pollard forced Mitton into conceding a corner. Stephenson's flag-kick went through to Wilkinson, who headed the ball into the net past a crowd of players on the goal-line, Fryer being given no chance. A minute later Watford scored again. A speedy attack threw the City defence right off their balance, and Pagnam beat Fryer with an unstoppable drive to the top of the net. The home supporters were by now tremendously excited and loudly cheered Watford's every move. Mitton gave away a corner under pressure, and straightaway Wilkinson's flag kick was headed into the net by the irrepressible Pagnam.

This was the third goal in just under five minutes. It was by far the worst patch the City had struck since their visit to Merthyr two seasons ago. Four goals down, Exeter's plight was hopeless, and the defence had simply fallen to pieces. Stephenson, who was in brilliant form, nearly got goal number five, but Fryer came out and smothered his shot.

CITY RESERVES v BRISTOL ROVERS RESERVES

This Southern League encounter at St James's Park was somewhat disappointing from Exeter's point of view. The Rovers' Reserves, who won by a goal to nothing, scored by Hammond soon after half time, played with greater judgment and effectiveness than did the City Reserves.

Exeter: Dart; Flynn, Bell;Rigby, Crockford, Carter; Newman, Parsons, Devlin, Camble, and Dockray.

Bristol: Murphy; O'Neill, Sambridge; Rose, Rutherford, Webb; Wainwright, Hammond, Taylor, Boyes, and Pattison. 

But for the splendid defensive tactics of Flynn and Bell, and the admirable display of goalkeeping by Dart, the score would have been considerably greater. The first half went undeniably to Bristol, although the Reserves managed to keep on terms.

Frequent infringements of the offside rule nullified a host of promising openings on both sides. The second half saw Exeter City attacking more frequently, but their finishing was poor. Rutherford, recently transferred from Brighton and Hove, made a splendid debut at centre-half for Bristol Rovers.

TIVERTON v EXETER CITY RESERVES

An Exhibition Match

Wednesday, October 4th.

TIVERTON AND DISTRICT 1 CITY RESERVES 5.

A feature of the Tiverton Carnival on Wednesday was a friendly football match between a team selected from Tiverton and District and Exeter City Reserves.

The Grecians journeyed to the factory town by char-a-banc, in charge of the trainer, Mr H.J.Tucker. The destination was the Athletic Ground, on which had assembled a good number of people, despite the unsettled weather.

GOOD GOALKEEPING BY ANDREWS

Both teams were strongly represented, and play ruled even in the first half, in which Exeter missed several chances. Tiverton were served well in defence, Andrews, their custodian, displaying keen judgment in dealing with a number of shots. Several of his clearances, from capital centres by Newman, was particularly fine efforts.

In this half Parsons, Drew, and Devlin supplied numerous hot shots, but Andrews saw to it that Tiverton's goal remained intact until near the interval, when Devlin got away, receiving the ball from Parsons. Devlin made no error and scored in the corner of the net.

SECOND HALF

Immediately on the re-start the amateurs set up an attack. A shot from Curram was cleared by Fryer, but Hutchings rushed up and equalised.

On the resumption Parsons regained Exeter's lead, and Andrews did exceptionally well to save a swinging shot from Newman just afterwards. The Grecians had the better of the second half, but were not fully extended, although on two or three occasions they had cause for alarm. Drew added the third goal, Crockford the fourth, and Pollard the fifth. Fryer saved a penalty kick, taken by Wright.

City Reserves:- Fryer; Flynn and Pollard; Rigby, Mitton, and Crockford; Newman, Devlin, Parsons, Drew, and Camble.