ECFC 4-0 Reading  
Scorers: Kirk 2, Crockford 2 (1 pen) Attendance: 5000

Saturday, January 6th,
at St James's Park, Exeter.

EXETER CITY 4 READING 0.

Last season: City 1 Reading 3.

In the hope of turning the tables on Exeter City today, at St James's Park, Reading made revolutionary changes, scrapping age and experience in the intermediate line and defence to make room for youth and dash, at least, that was the intention.

Exeter City lacked the services of Mitton, who was injured at Reading last Saturday, and Ellis Crompton was called upon to fill the vacancy at centre half.

The weather was of the rainbow type, intermittent sunshine and showers, and the ground was in wonderfully good trim after its watery experiences of the past fortnight. Crompton won the toss, and Exeter faced the "Football Express" scoreboard in the opening half.

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

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

Carr McCaig Gardiner Poulton Scott
McGarry Penny Murray
Sayles Allan
Kane
READING 

A pretty movement on the Exeter right wing was spoiled by Kirk getting offside. A centre by Doc kray was headed clear by Penny, and Kirk, put through by Crockford, shot over the bar. The Reading defence was all at sea, and another centre, from Matthews, was headed against the foot of the post by Crockford. Weakness on the part of McGarry let Matthews through, and from his pass Kirk scored with a fast shot at ten yards' range.

In the next minute Kirk was going through again when he was fouled by Sayles close to goal, and the referee promptly gave a penalty to the City. Kirk took the spot kick but lifted the ball. and Kane was able to turn it over the bar. Mr Wildig had to stop the play for a moment when Crompton barged into him and hurt his (the referee's) knee, which was already bandaged.

The Grecians continued to make all the play, Reading rarely taking the ball over the half-way line, and so far the Biscuit men had shaped in very poor style. Kirk was a very live force in the Exeter attack, and Pollard was a conspicuous figure in the defence whenever Reading did threaten to make ground. A brilliant movement on the Exeter left wing ended in Sayles kicking behind a strong low centre from Dockray.

A Clever Dribble by Crockford.

Reading should have equalised when, after twenty minutes of play, Carr broke away on their extreme left with the inside men well up. Carr's centre, however, was very poorly placed, and the ball came straight to Clarke, who cleared with the greatest of ease. The next feature was a clever dribble through by Crockford, whose parting shot was turned around the post by Kane. A free kick to Exeter, just outside the penalty area, was lobbed in by Matthews to Kirk, who was adjudged offside. Then the referee stopped play to speak a few words of wisdom to Kirk and McGarry when the pair got on "fighting terms," and then in another attack at the Reading end Dockray picked up a rather weak clearance from Allan and placed the ball to Mathieson, who with a fierce low shot missed the goal by several yards. Another good centre from the irrepressible Dockray went to Mathieson, who struck the outside of the goalpost with a smart shot.

Players Ordered Off.

Just before the interval a centre from Matthews struck the woodwork of the goal and came out to Dockray, whose return shot also hit the post. Then Crockford seized on the ball and took a shot, Sayles heading out to Rigby, whose sizzling drive went a foot wide of the goal.

Murray kicked Mathieson as the pair tussled for the ball, and the Irishman lightly patted his opponent on the face as if by way of a warning. Mr Wildig immediately ordered both players off the field. Fryer made his one save of the first half, and at the interval the score was:
Half time 
Exeter City 1 Reading 0.

Second Half.

As the referee was leaving the field at the end of the first half a section of the spectators in the enclosure and grandstand hooted him loudly. Mr Wildig thereupon went to the front of the stand, and warned the crowd that if their conduct was repeated he would close the game. 
Each side, on resuming, was now reduced to ten men, and both played four forwards. Reading became aggressive, and Gardiner netted the ball, but the whistle had previously gone for offside. Fryer came out and punched away from Gardiner, and Crockford, at the other end, shot wide.

Kirk made a fine attempt to break through, but down unfairly on the edge of the penalty area by Sayles. The was brought free-kick, by Crockford with his left foot, sailed harmlessly over the bar. Kane saved a fine shot by Kirk, but had to admit defeat a second time twenty minutes before the finish when cool work by Crockford and Kirk, following a good centre from right wing, was crowned by a neat scoring shot from Kirk. the

With a quarter of an hour remaining, Crockford and Dockray between them took the ball down from the centre line, and the winger's final cross was steered into the net by Crockford for a clever third goal. Exeter were awarded their second penalty of the match when Kirk was fouled in the area, and from the spot kick Crockford put the City four up with a fierce low shot. The attendance was 5,000.

READING RESERVES V CITY RESERVES.

Exeter City Reserves were beaten by one goal to nil at Elm Park by Reading Reserves in today's return Southern League encounter. Reading pressed continuously throughout the first half, but the City defence was very sound. The interval arrived with the score sheet blank, largely due to the excellent work and fine anticipation of Pavey.

The second half was hotly contested, and with twelve minutes remaining for play Littlehales scrambled the ball past from Springell's centre. 

Reading:- Cooper; Garratt and Walker;
Bartlett, Beats, and Dand; Littlehales, North, Jennings, Barnes, and Springell.

Exeter:
Pavey; Bell and Flynn;
Richards, Duke, and Wilson; Newman, Camble, Parsons, Shelton, and Kelland.

Mr Arthur Chadwick, who resigned the management of the Exeter City Club at the end of the Old Year, this afternoon accepted a similar position in connection with the Reading F.C., and will take up his new duties very shortly. He recognises that he has a big job on hand, the Reading club being at a very low ebb. He will have the best wishes of a host of friends in the East Devon district, and Chadwick's appointment will give a very special zest to future meetings between the two clubs.