Reading 1-3 ECFC
Scorers: Crockford 3
Attendance: 8000

Reading City

Saturday, December 30th, at Elm Park, Reading.

READING 1 EXETER CITY 3

Last season: Reading O City 0.

Exeter City, relying on the team which drew at Eastville on Christmas Day, visited Reading today in a hopeful mood. Exeter have only been beaten once at Elm Park in the club's history. A sunny morning was followed by threatening weather conditions, and the ground was on the soft side.

The Biscuitmen were without Eggo, their best half-back, but Jock Walker, the old Swindon Town Scottish International back, resumed after missing the Christmas matches.

READING
Kane
Walker Allan
Dand Lockhead McGarry
Scott Gardiner Poulton McCaig Carr

Referee:- Mr R.C.Wildig, of Southampton.

Dockray Mathieson Crockford Kirk Matthews Clarke Mitton Rigby Ackroyd Pollard
Fryer
EXETER CITY

Rigby won the toss, and the City started off with a slight breeze in their favour. Offside against Gardiner put an end to Reading's initial attack, but McCaig got through again, going past Rigby and Kirk before being dispossessed by Pollard.

A big clearance by Ackroyd enabled the City right wing to get moving, but Matthews was offside. But in the next minute they returned through pretty combination between Kirk and Crockford, and a neat lobbed ball from Matthews was cleverly headed into the goal by Crockford with the Reading defence looking on quite helplessly. This was a very useful early lead.

After thirty minutes a brilliant piece of work by Mathieson enabled Crockford to slip the ball through to Matthews. Allan missed Matthews's centre completely, leaving Crockford with a gilt-edged chance. Steadying the ball to his liking, the old Fulham forward cracked it into goal with a shot which went in off the bottom of the upright, and Kane had not the slightest chance of saving.

Exeter pressed again, Mathieson and Crockford revealing som beautiful ball control. Kane saved from Matthews against the some upright, and Kirk was unlucky with a scorching drive, the ball travelling just wide of the goal. The City bewildered their opponents, who, by comparison, were playing very elementary football. Mathieson headed a centre from Matthews a couple of feet over the bar.

Half-time: Reading 0 Exeter City 2.

After controlling the game for most of the second half the City slowed down in the last ten minutes. Six minutes from the end an accurate centre from Scott was well met by Gardiner, who beat Fryer with a first-timer from the edge of the penalty area. Right on time, and with the light fading badly Pollard put Matthews away, and from his centre Crockford scored Exeter's third goal and completing the "hat-trick."

CITY RESERVES V READING RESERVES.

Exeter City Reserves met the Reading second string today at St James's Park in a Southern League match. Rain fell during the whole of the game, and the ground was little better than a bog. There was a very meagre attendance, due to the drenching rain.

City: Pavey; Flynn and Bell;
Richards, Duke, and Wilson; Newman, Camble, Parsons, Davis, and Lendon.

Reading:- Cooper; Garratt and Sayles;
Bartlett, Beats, and Murray; Gibbins, Littlehales, North, Barnes, and Penny.

Referee:- Mr H.F.Curtis.

Almost at the start Reading set up an attack, and a centre by Gibbins struck the crossbar and rolled over the net. Newman led the first Exeter raid, his shot being kicked away by Sayles with the goalkeeper beaten, and after the game had been in progress for four minutes Parsons opened the scoring, dashing in to beat Cooper from close range.

Reading played up strenuously, but were always met with a sound defence, in which Duke, who is on a month's trial, proved himself capable of looking after North. Cooper made a brilliant save from Davis, and right on the interval whistle Duke scored Exeter's second goal following a corner.

Camble and Parsons scored for the City in the closing five minutes of the game, the main features of which were the grand form of Duke for Exeter, and the goalkeeping of Cooper for the visitors.