Match 20
8th December 1923
Portsmouth (a)

Southern League
Ebbw Vale (h)

Portsmouth 4-0 ECFC
Attendance: 8000


PORTSMOUTH v. EXETER CITY

Saturday, December 8th,
at Fratton Park.

PORTSMOUTH 4 (Haines 3, Beedie.)

EXETER CITY 0

Referee: Mr R.G.Rudd, of Croydon.

Portsmouth: -
Kane; Probert and Davison; Davies, Parker, and Martin; Meikle, Mackie, Haines, Watson, and Beedie.

Exeter City:
Bailey; Coleburne and Flynn; Hunter, McIntosh, Crompton; Matthews, Kirk, Davis, Gallogley, and Shelton.

Attendance 8,000.

DESCRIPTION

Today the Grecians were "up against it," having to field a team below full strength for what was probably the most difficult game of the whole season, against the formidable Pompey eleven. Flynn and Crompton were called up to replace Charlton, who has strained his back, and Gilchrist, who has a damaged thigh. Tom Gallogley was nursing a "black eye," a souvenir of the Bristol cup-ties. Under the circumstances, and in view of Wednesday's gruelling en counter on the Eastville mud flats and the tiring journey from the "Ever Faithful" to Hampshire, one could hardly anticipate such a thing as a repetition of last season's 4-3 triumph at the Fratton Park headquarters of Pompey.

A DISALLOWED GOAL

It was a good day for football at Portsmouth, the weather being dull but fine. Fratton Park was damp and muddy in places, and in particular a strip about ten or twelve yards wide running almost the length of the ground beneath the shadow of the lofty grand stand, and where the rays of the sun cannot reach. The first event of note was the winning of the toss (as usual) by Hunter. Haines kicked off, and Portsmouth attacked straight away, but Bailey had no difficulty in repelling the raid. Coleburne fed Davis with a nice pass, but after a brief sortie in the Portsmouth half Exeter were forced on to the defensive, and Bailey fisted over the bar a dropping centre from Beedie, and a fierce drive from Mackie.

After seven minutes Haines scored for Portsmouth, receiving a clever forward pass from Parker, and eight minutes later the same player added a second goal.

The game continued at a fast pace with Pompey doing nearly all the attacking, and only a fine last-minute tackle by Coleburne. on Davies prevented an addition to the score. Fifteen minutes before the half-time interval Beedie ran the ball through for the third goal to Portsmouth, and Exeter's complaint that Bailey was fouled by Haines went un-heeded by Mr Rudd. Exeter's best attempt was a header on to the crossbar by Kirk.

Five minutes after the commencement of the second half Haines beat Bailey with a great shot, the ball entering the net in the top right hand corner. It was an unlucky day for Exeter City, who played better football than the score indicates, and for some part of the second half they were reduced to nine men and a cripple, McIntosh being off the field and Matthews limping badly.

CITY RESERVES v EBBW VALE.

Southern League.


Exeter City Reserves 6  (BATTEN 5 DOCKRAY)

Ebbw Vale 2  (WATKINS F.JONES)


Referee:- Mr T.Kirby.

City Reserves: - Pavey; Pollard, Smith; Crawshaw, Henze, Potter; Lievesley, Dockray, Batten, Lowson, and Lendon.

Ebbw Vale:- Goldsborough; Traynor, Hopkins; T.L.Jones, Pinch, Campbell; Johnson, Watkins, Ramsay, F.Jones, and Staples.

DESCRIPTION

Another Welsh team made its debut at St James's Park today, the visitors being Ebbw Vale, last year's champions of the Southern League Welsh Section. Batten led the City forwards after a long absence, and Henze, of Exeter Argyle, was at centre-half. The game against Ebbw Vale turned out to be a personal triumph for Batten, who scored twice before the interval, and three times. after it. Exeter's third goal, five minutes after the commencement of the second half, was obtained by John Dockray.

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