Plymouth Argyle 5-1
ECFC Scorers: Crockford (pen) Attendance: 16000 

GRECIANS BUBBLE BURSTS BADLY AT HOME PARK

Weak Play By the Backs

Good Friday, March 30th.

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 5 EXETER CITY 1.

Last season: Argyle 0 City 0.

Exeter City gave a most tantalising display at Home Park on the occasion of the first of their Easter Holiday matches, on Friday afternoon. Opening in splendid fashion, they took the lead three minutes from the start, and, for the first ten minutes, the Argyle were absolutely penned in to their own half of the field. At half time the City were still level at one all, yet finally retired defeated to the tune of five goals to one.

Argyle 
Craig
Forbes Russell
Logan Hill Rowe
Corcoran Jack Fowler Batten Baker

Referee:- Mr W.E.Russell, of Swindon.

Dockray Mathieson Crockford Davis Matthews Crompton Mitton Southway Ackroyd Pollard
Pavey
CITY

When the game was twenty-five minutes old Corcoran was given a free passage by the City defence, and from his transfer Rollo Jack equalised with a brilliant shot. The Grecians, aided by the stiff breeze, still had the lions' share of the play, but their rivals warmed up towards the interval.

Ackroyd was injured just before the teams retired for half time, and when play was resumed he took up the outside-left position. Dockray going to left-half and Crompton to left-back. Immediately the Argyle crammed on all sail. Fowler hit the post with a great shot, and then Baker went through, practically unopposed, and when close to the corner flag placed the ball across the goal, out of the reach of Pavey, for Fowler to score as he pleased. Not long afterwards Baker again gained possession, and all the City players stopped in the expectation of hearing the whistle blow for offside, but Mr Russell signalled for play to proceed, and the Argyle left winger repeated his successful manoeuvre for Fowler to register another very soft goal, although this time Mitton managed to fall back and intercept the centre from Baker. Exeter's centre-half, however, only succeeded in turning the ball against the upright, and Fowler netted comfortably from the rebound.

Pilgrims Take Charge.

The Exeter team reverted now to its original formation, and for time gave the Plymouth defenders considerable anxiety, Craig making several good clearances, while other shots went either too high or wide. Towards the end, however, the Pilgrims took almost complete charge of the game. Southway conceded a corner, and when Baker's centre came across it dropped between Fowler and Mitton by the far upright. Fowler just touched the ball with his head, and the lively leather flew over Mitton's shoulder into the top of the net. Fowler thus completed his "hat trick," and the Argyle led by four goals to one.

To complete the Grecians' discomfiture, when a centre from Corcoran was parried by Ackroyd, the ball rebounded direct to the Scot, and he promptly whipped in another which shaved the crossbar along almost its entire length and was turned into goal by the wind.

Notes on the Game.

There were about 16,000 spectators, including many from Exeter and the intermediate towns, club colours being freely sported. The ground was dry and the ball very lively. The City opened so well that a really rousing game was promised, and on their taking the lead it looked as if the Argyle would have their work cut out to save their fine ground record.

The City scored from a penalty, taken by Crockford with his left foot. Davis initiated the move which led to the score, cleverly robbing Rowe and feeding Matthews. From the Bristol man's centre Dockray was breasting the ball in close to the post when Forbes kept it out with his hands.

Davis did a lot of fine work in the early stages, worrying tactics and following up being the best feature of the play. The Plymouthian continued in splendid form throughout the match, and in fact was the City's best player. Matthews was also in his usual very happy mood, but the other forwards did not cut much ice. The work of the attack, apart from those named, sadly deteriorated as the game progressed.

Crompton lacked support, but stuck to his task stubbornly all through, and was the best of the halves. The failure of Pollard and Ackroyd to mark the Argyle wingers cost Exeter dear, and the backs were at fault in every one of Plymouth's first three goals.

In fact, Plymouth Argyle were lucky in catching the Exeter rear guard on a decidedly "off" day. Pavey had no real chance of saving any of the goals, except perhaps the last, when Corcoran's shot should have been flicked away from the crossbar. Nevertheless he made many excellent saves.