ECFC 0-0 Watford
FA Cup 2nd Round Proper
(Equivalent to 4th Round) 

F. A. CUP: SECOND ROUND EXETER CITY V WATFORD
Goal-less Draw at St. James's Park: Replay Next Wednesday

Saturday, February 2nd.

EXETER CITY 0-0 WATFORD
Attendance 11,150. Receipts £880.

EXETER CITY (RED AND WHITE STRIPES)

Bailey
Hunter Coleburne
Charlton Crawshaw Lievesley
Kirk Crompton Davis Gallogley Shelton

Referee: Mr J.W.Lucas, of London. Linesmen: Messrs F.W.Reeve and J.W.Haxell.

WATFORD (BLACK AND WHITE STRIPES)

Foxall Mummery Pagnam Anstiss
Stephenson
Strain Eggleton  Toone 
Gregory Johnson
Williams

At Exeter today, for the fifth time this season, the cares and anxieties of a chequered existence in the Football League ceased to exist, being completely eclipsed by the glamour of the F.A.Cup competition. The Grecians' run of success in the famous knock-out tournament has been truly phenomenal, and the local soccer public must indeed be grateful for the way in which, by a supreme effort and concentration on the job in hand, the players have carried the club colours triumphantly through from the Fourth Qualifying Tie at Newport on November 17th, right to the present day, when Watford come to St. James's Park to challenge the right of way to the draw for the Third Round. Devon folk were very hopeful regarding today's match. The splendid typical Cup-tie football played by the City in the previous rounds, and especially against Bristol Rovers, proved that the Grecians could rise to a Cup occasion with the very best. Local opinion inclined to the view that today Exeter City would at last break new ground by reaching Round Three.

The outside view, however, appeared to be that Watford would be the club to succeed, even though the West Herts XI might not be able to achieve the victory at the first try. Watford, like Exeter, had yet to enter the Third Round for the first time, three earlier attempts having failed. Watford are placed thirteenth in the table of Southern Section League results at present, and Exeter City are at the bottom.

WHEN WATFORD BEAT MIDDLESBROUGH

Doubtless the prophets were influenced largely by the splendid performance of Watford in Round One, when they visited and beat Middlesbrough by a goal to nil, and also by the respective places held by the two contestants in the Southern Competition. Thirteen away matches have been played by Watford in the League to date, and of these they have drawn seven, losing the other six. Today they relied on the combination which ousted Middlesbrough, and Johnson resumed at right back to the exclusion of Horsman, who has been deputising for him.

Exeter, who were knocked out of the Cup by Watford in 1920-21, made two changes from the side which beat Grimsby Town, one being a necessary alteration through the injury to Matthews, the other a matter of preference. Lievesley, who delighted everybody with his brilliant play at St James's Park a week ago, remained at outside right, but Crawshaw was selected to play instead of Gilchrist, at left half, Hunter, the captain, resuming at right half.

RESERVED ACCOMMODATION BOOKED IN ADVANCE

The glorious weather of the week was in direct contrast to that leading up to and attending the last Cup-tie, in which Grimsby Town provided the opposition here, and the City ground today looked in perfect trim. Brilliant sunshine and a light cold breeze prevailed, and it was anticipated that in view of the important occasion, and the probability of a splendid and exciting match, there would be a very large attendance. Almost all the reserved seating was booked in advance.

People were waiting to gain admission to St. James's Park soon after twelve o'clock, but the gates were not opened till one, and the crowd trickled in slowly till half an hour before the kick-off the spectators numbered 5,000, and consisted very largely of the people from outside Exeter, all parts of Devon and the South-west being represented. Watford put in an appearance at 1.10 o'clock, having come up direct from Teignmouth, their overnight resting place.

The Exeter City, as is now their "Cup" tradition, reported to the ground this morning, and lunched together at the Bude Hotel. "Artful" Thomas and his "hobby horse," advertising a forthcoming Rugby attraction at the other end of the city early next week, was in rare form on the playing field, and entertained the crowd as only he can during the period of waiting. And the Exeter City Military Band, under the conductorship of Mr George Newman, also did their bit handsomely.

RED AND WHITE PREDOMINATING

From 2.15 p.m. onwards the spectators streamed in in shoals, and there was quite a display of club colours, with the Red and White of Exeter City predominating, even though quite a good sprinkling of the Watford Black and White was to be seen. The crowd must have numbered eight or nine thousand when George Hunter led the Exeter City team out at 2.38 o'clock, and the men in the red and white engaged in their preliminary "kicking-in" at the St James's Road end of the ground. Within another minute Fred Pagnam appeared at the head of the Watford team, and a small party of their friends in the grand-stand made themselves heard most heartily. Mr Lucas dribbled a new ball on to the field, and Pagnam won the toss, the Grecians being set to face the St James's Road end and the wind and sun. This last mentioned factor was not of much consequence, owing to the cloudy skies.

DESCRIPTION OF THE GAME

Kirk was the first to be prominent with a nice run, but he was well stopped by Gregory. Pagnam then broke clear down the centre of the field and eluded Crompton, but his pass to Foxall was not well placed, and the ball ran into touch in front of the grand-stand. Both sides settled down quickly and played some clever football, but over-anxiety spoiled some of the moves. Gallogley shot weakly from a good position, and when the play was transferred Strain was given an excellent opportunity, but was too slow, and he was crowded off the ball.

Exeter returned to the attack, and Gregory was penalised on the edge of the Watford penalty area for a foul on Davis, the free-kick being taken by Charlton. Kirk gained possession and fed Lievesley, who centred, but Gallogley again disappointed the crowd with his effort at scoring, the ball going several yards wide of the goal. Shelton next broke through, but after beating both the backs he decided to go on alone despite the fact that Davis and Kirk were on hand in the penalty area, and his final shot, from a narrow angle, was punched over the bar by Williams, the resulting commer, taken by the left winger, going over the goal net and behind the line on the other side.

Williams then made a good save from Kirk, while at the City's end of the field good chances were missed by Anstiss and Pagnam. Watford pressed again, and worked their way towards Exeter's goal very skilfully but Hunter relieved a threatening situation with one of his typically well timed tackles. Two minutes before half-time the Watford goal had a hairsbreadth escape. Shelton passed forward to Kirk, giving "Jazzo" a clear run through. He delayed his shot so as to make absolutely sure, and had Williams hopelessly beaten with a fearsome drive. Unluckily for Exeter, however, the ball crashed on to the underneath side of the crossbar and rebounded into play, for Gregory to boot it away out of danger.

SECOND HALF

Just after the teams resumed Foxall missed a golden chance for the visitors, while Crompton in the next minute saved an apparently certain goal, heading out from Mummery on the goal-line. Further pressure came from determined work by Pagnam and Foxall, and Exeter's defence was showing signs of wavering. Kirk was in great form, however, in the City front line, and from his long cross-field pass Shelton almost scored with a flying drive that just missed the top left-hand corner of the goal. From another of Kirk's well placed passes Davis shot for goal, the ball rising sharply and clearing the crossbar with very little to spare.

In the closing stages of a hard fought game Stephenson, Anstiss, and Pagnam combined prettily on the right wing, to be halted in the end by Charlton, while in Exeter's last-minute attempt to settle the issue Kirk shot hard and true, and was only foiled by the brilliance of Williams, who made a miraculous save. Watford gained a corner right on time when weak play by Hunter let Mummery through, but it came to nothing.

Watford are the smartest team the City have yet encountered in their Cup battles, but with ordinary luck the match would have been won by Jazzo Kirk with a good goal just before the interval. Kirk's shot which hit the crossbar was worth a goal any time. Watford had a lot to thank Williams for. He kept goal amazingly well, and his last-minute save from Kirk earned his side a replay.

THE CUP:  EXETER CITY DRAWN TO PLAY AT HOME

If They Beat Watford

The draw for the third round of the F.A. Cup, made on Monday, February 4th, resulted as follows:

Exeter City or Watford v. Derby County or Newcastle United,
Cardiff City v. The Wednesday or Bristol City,
Crystal Palace or Notts County v. Swindon Town,
Southampton v. Liverpool,
West Bromwich v. Charlton or Wolverhampton Wanderers,
Aston Villa v. West Ham or Leeds United,
Brighton v. Manchester City or Halifax Town.

To be played on the ground of the first-named club in each case, on Saturday, February 23rd; kick-off 3 o'clock.

PROSPECT VERY ALLURING

Exeter City were first out of the "hat" when the draw for the third round of the Cup was made at the F. A. Headquarters. It is something new for the City to be participating, provisionally, in the draw for the Third Round. And the prospect the draw opens up is very alluring.

The Grecians failed to make use of their chances on Saturday. If those chances recur in the replay at Watford, it behoves Exeter to make better use of them.

It is useless now to worry over what might have been. The point is that if the City can get the better of Watford at the Vicarage Road ground on Wednesday they have a great and glorious chance of winning fame.

Newcastle and Derby County drew at Derby last Saturday, at two goals apiece. They will fight the game out again on Wednesday, at the St. James's Park of the North, whilst Exeter City are at grips with Watford.

TEAM CHANGES TO BE MADE

Exeter City will make several alterations from the team which did duty at St James's Park on Saturday. The defence remains, but Hunter will be kept out of the half-back line by a revival of his knee trouble, and Crawshaw will probably cross over from the left flank to the right, with Gilchrist coming back to the team in his accustomed position. The centre half berth rests between Crompton and McIntosh, and it is probable that both will make the journey. Matthews is now quite fit and will resume at outside right to the exclusion of Lievesley, who, however, has won a host of admirers by his excellent play in recent games. Matthews is picked because of his greater experience. Kirk was kicked on the calf in Saturday's match, and is also suffering from a thigh strain, with the consequence that he is a very doubtful starter. It seems likely that Gallogley will be at inside right and Batten inside left.

Leaving St. David's Station at 1.45 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) the team will stay overnight at Haxell's Hotel, Strand, London.