Newport County 0-2 ECFC
FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round

Newport Records Broken

EXETER'S BID FOR F.A.CUP HONOURS: TALE OF A CAT

One would have to go back a good many years to find a parallel to the enthusiastic greeting accorded the Grecians at St.David's Station on Saturday evening when they returned from Newport. The weather was not of the best, but the raw evening and the damp streets notwithstanding, close on a thousand "Soccer-ites" turned out, and gave the team and club officials a really hearty reception.

The demonstration was renewed at High Street, and in fact, the majority of the supporters formed themselves into an escort, and saw their heroes right to their homes.

DETAILS

Saturday, November 17th.

NEWPORT COUNTY 0 EXETER CITY 2
Scorer: Davis 2.

F.A.Cup; Fourth Round, Qualifying Competition.
Played at Somerton Park, Newport.

NEWPORT:- Carr; Whitton and Dimmock; Nairn, Knowles, and Lewis;
Charlton, Conner, Bell, Lowes, and Cook.

CITY:- Bailey; Coleburne and Charlton; Hunter, McIntosh, and Gilchrist; Matthews, Kirk, Davis, Gallogley, and Shelton.

DESCRIPTION

The team deserved their welcome home. They had said they felt they could win, and that they meant to win, and they came through a good hard struggle triumphantly. Confidence and comradeship and grit, allied to a genius for Cup-tie football, brought their own reward. Records are an abomination. At least this is the opinion of Newport County and all their following, for if the "Ironsides" had not been conscious of the fact that Exeter City had never won at Somerton Park and that Newport had never lost a Cup-tie there, there is just a possibility that they might now be waiting, with all the eager interest to which the Grecians are entitled, for the news as to the luck of the draw in the Football Association's Cup Qualifying Competition.

THE SIDE WHICH SCORES FIRST

It is a fairly sound maxim that when two strong teams meet in Cup football the victory nearly always goes to the side which scores the first goal. Exeter City came near to scoring more than once in the first ten minutes of this particular match, but the Ironsides came much nearer just afterwards. Conner drove the ball against the under side of the crossbar and it came out again. Lowes drove the rebound across the face of the goal and out of play, to Bailey's right.

If Newport County had been nervous about their records before the game commenced, they were doubly so a few minutes after the kick-off. The Grecians set about their task with such tremendous spirit that for a time there seemed to be a likelihood of the Welsh defence and half-backs being run off their legs. Carr was called upon often, in the opening ten minutes or so, and had to be very spry to keep his goal intact. The County backs must have been exceedingly thankful when at last their colleagues of the forward line managed to create the diversion referred to above.

DAVIS'S GOALS CAME LIKE A THUNDERBOLT

With the home forwards getting into their stride and giving the Grecians some very pretty demonstrations of accurate first - time passing the crowd was lulled into taking a much more hopeful view of things. And then, like a thunderbolt, came Davis's goals.

Rarely indeed are the hopes of a team so suddenly and so rudely shattered as were Newport County's in this tie. The first goal made the crowd grind their teeth. They were impatient for the counter stroke. The second goal, driven home less than a minute afterwards, caused a sinking feeling for which there was no known antidote. It was the knock-out blow, and all Newport knew it, the spectators and players alike.

How the excursionists from Exeter let themselves go! It will be many a long day before they forget those two unstoppable shots and the lightning sprint and square pass by Alf Matthews which gave the young centre-forward his second opportunity so soon after the first. Those goals overshadowed everything else in the game. At the end of thirty minutes Newport were offered the chance of recovering one of the goals when they were awarded a penalty for hands, but faced by the determined looking Bailey, crouching on his goal line keenly vigilant, Bell sent the spot-kick harmlessly wide. And with that blunder went the County's last faint hopes of getting back on terms and forcing a replay.

Nearly an hour of football remained, however, and through it all the crowd urged on their favourites. They had plenty to cheer, too, for the Newport players spared no effort, and the play ran on very even lines. Exeter were stronger in defence and at half-back, and it was as well that this was the case, for they were up against a clever and virile forward line, and one which received a lot of good support from Lewis, the auburn haired left-half and the six-footer centre-half, Knowles.

THE GENIUS OF GALLOGLEY

Bell, the County centre-forward, did not fail through any lack of support. There has not often been so many excellent passes made to a centre-forward as went his way in the course of the game. It was an education to note how incisively, how swiftly, and how surely the Exeter full-backs cut out his chances, one after another. Bell had a terrible afternoon in this respect. He tried and tried and tried again, but it was not until the last five minutes that he could do anything to redeem his lier mistakes, and then from his one and only worthwhile shot Bailey made a brilliant save.

Coleburne has never played a finer game for Exeter, and Bailey and Charlton (S) were both in splendid fettle. Hunter did his work with rare thoroughness at right half, and the responsibilities of the captaincy could not have been in better hands. McIntosh and Gilchrist helped to maintain the Exeter ascendancy by their skill, enthusiasm, and unremitting energy.

Forward, Gallogley was the outstanding player on the field. The wonderful ball jugglery he displayed, very reminiscent of the style of Alan Mathieson of last season, especially in the second half in which Newport were feverish and Exeter holding on to the advantage they had won, was at one and the same time the admiration and the despair of the Welsh supporters. Gallogley exasperated the Newport team beyond endurance by compelling them to fritter their energies away on side-issues during those all-important closing minutes.

Matthews and Kirk were in sparkling form, as was Davis, whose brace of quick goals won the match, and on the left wing Shelton was always a trier, and gave excellent service.

THE BLACK CAT

A true story concerning an all-black kitten should not be over looked when writing of this cup-tie. The County players had enticed the little creature to their dressing-room before the match in the hope that he would bring the good luck usually associated with such pets. Hardly had the City team arrived on the ground before the kitten forsook the Newport dressing-room and commenced miaouing outside the Exeter quarters. Needless to say, the little animal was welcomed with open arms, and in the Grecian dressing-room he stayed until the players went out on to the field.

Hunter for once lost the toss, it is true, and had to face both wind and sun in the first half, but it is better to lose the toss than lose a Cup-tie.

EBBW VALE V CITY RESERVES.

Southern League.

Ebbw Vale 0 Exeter City Reserves 0

While the Grecians were winning at Newport the Reserves were also in Wales, capturing a Southern League point at Ebbw Vale.

Teams :
Vale: Goldsborough; Traynor, Hopkins; T.L.Jones, Pinch, Watkins;
Johnson, Campbell, Dowling, F.Jones, and Robinson.

City: - Pavey; Pollard, Flynn; Crawshaw, Crompton, Potter; Lievesley, Murray, Wray, Lowson, and Lendon.

DESCRIPTION

The City Reserves were the first to assume the aggressive, and a brilliant run by Lievesley was spoiled by a weak pass to Lendon, which enabled Traynor to relieve the pressure. Ebbw Vale forced the play into Exeter's territory, and Pavey saved from Dowling. Campbell took the ball up the field, but was stopped by Flynn, who conceded a corner. The flag-kick was cleared, and Exeter were the superior side in midfield exchanges, but their shooting was weak. Lievesley was again prominent on the right wing, and after beating Hopkins he centred smartly, but all the other forwards missed the ball. Murray sent in a terrific shot, which cannoned off Traynor and went for a corner. The kick was futile. The home spectators had plenty of excitement when Dowling headed against the bar, and from the rebound Robinson missed the open goal. Wray did just as badly at the Ebbw Vale end.

Flynn was Exeter's outstanding player in the second half, and his strong tackling and kicking several times saved the City goal from falling. Lowson had the best chance for Exeter near the end, but as on one or two other occasions, his shooting was erratic.

HOLSWORTHY V EXETER CITY RESERVES

Thursday, November 15th.

In aid of the funds for the Winsford Cottage Hospital, Exeter City Reserves, in charge of Mr F.Mavin, visited Holsworthy to play an exhibition game against the Town F.C.

Mr. E.B.Medley-Costin kicked off before a crowd of a thousand spectators. A boisterous wind blew across the ground, but both teams succeeded in keeping the ball in play remarkably well. After 20 minutes Exeter scored through Wray, and shortly before half-time Walsingham equalised. The professionals adopted the "one-back game," and the whistle as a consequence was constantly sounding for offside.

The second half was keenly contested, but there was no further scoring.

Exeter City were represented by:- Pavey; Pollard and Flynn; Murray, Crompton, and Lowson; Lievesley, Newberry, Wray, Dockray,