Merthyr Town 0-1 ECFC 
Scorers: Compton
Attendance: 5000

GRECIANS TOP THE LEAGUE

Saturday, September 6th,
at Penydarren Park.

MERTHYR TOWN 0 EXETER CITY (COMPTON) 1.

Last season: Merthyr 3 Exeter City 0.

The two opening victories by Exeter City, and the fact that they had yet to win at Merthyr added interest to the fixture at Penydar ren Park this afternoon, and a large attendance was anticipated, but a heavy shower of rain just prior to the start had its effect. Len Southway, formerly of Exeter City, was at centre-half for the Welsh side.

MERTHYR TOWN
Lindon
Smith Ferrans
Woodward Southway Nash
Thorne Roberts E.Turner H.L. Turner Abrahams

Referee:- Mr A.F.Davis, of Bristol.

Compton Davis Appleyard Pullan Matthews
Potter Crompton Coleburne
Flynn Pollard
Bailey
EXETER CITY

Lindon won the toss, and Appleyard kicked off in a drizzle of rain before a crowd of about five thousand, though people were at this time still arriving.
Matthews immediately made ground on the right, but Woodward intervened and cleared his centre. Potter initiated an Exeter raid through the middle, and after several headers the ball was cleared by Smith. Crompton then put Appleyard through, and the Barnsley man won a corner off Smith, the flag kick being saved by Lindon.

EXCELLENT PLAY OF THE CITY HALF BACKS.
Abrahams and H.L.Turner combined well, and got round Potter, but Flynn came over and checked the move. Exeter's forward were showing enterprising form once they had settled down, and play was kept in the Merthyr half for some time. Lindon turned a shot by Appleyard over the bar, giving a corner, which was unproductive, and in the next minute another comer was won, after a strenuous tussle in the Merthyr goalmouth, but the flag kick was put behind. A feature of the game was the excellent play of the City half back line, Roberts and H.L.Turner getting very few chances against Potter and Coleburne, and E.Turner less still against Crompton. In addition there was a steady succession of well placed passes going through to Compton and Matthews. Crompton swung the ball out to Matthews with good effect, and the centre, headed goalwards by Davis, was punched over by Lindon, for yet another comer to the Grecians, and play remained nearly all the time in the Welsh territory. Pullan hesitated when he had the goal literally at his mercy, and the ball was kicked off his feet by a Merthyr defender.

COMPTON'S BEAUTIFUL CROSS SHOT BEATS LINDON.

Bailey was next in action, and he cleared finely a strong drive from H.L.Turner, then a long pass from Pollard to Crompton, and a longer one still from Ellis to the right wing put Matthews at full speed for the corner flag. But this time the winger cut inwards and delivered a flashing shot which sped across the front of the goal and out of play. The crowd was much taken up with London's great kicks, the ball sometimes travelling the length of the field to the opposite goal-line. After forty minutes Crompton dispossessed Ernie Turner, and set up an Exeter attack, passing nicely to Compton, and the new Bristol winger ran inwards to beat Lindon to the wide with a beautifully judged cross-shot to the far corner of the goal. In further Exeter pressure Crompton skimmed the crossbar with a brisk half-volley. At the interval the score was:
Merthyr nil Exeter City one.

SECOND HALF.
Rain was falling heavily when play was resumed. Coleburne tried a direct shot from a free-kick awarded for a foul on Pullan, but it went straight to Lindon, who caught the ball and cleared. Turner(E) shot wide in a brief Merthyr attack, and to add to their troubles the Welshmen were reduced to ten men, Thorne having gone off after injuring his ankle. Abrahams was responsible for one or two fast dribbles on the Merthyr left, but failed to get his centres across, owing to the dilligence of Coleburne. In later play Compton beat the defence and dropped the ball on top of the goal-netting. Southway sent the ball out to Abrahams, but instead of feeding the inside men he essayed a shot from about twenty-five yards out, which was hopelessly wide.
In a desperate attempt to score Ernie Turner collided with Flynn and Pollard in the penalty area, and fell over. The crowd set up a volume of shouting, being loud in their demands for a spot kick, but the referee waved play on. Turner had to go off the field for attention, but quickly resumed. Some unnecessary vigour began to creep into the game, the home players being resentful at their non-success and the refusal of Mr Davis to award the penalty. Compton, with brilliant footwork along the touch-line was a constant source of danger, but the inside men failed to utilise their chances.

CITY TOP OF THE LEAGUE.

Having won their first three matches (two away from home), and not had anything scored against them, Exeter City stand in the proud position of League leaders. This has exceeded all expectations. It is four years almost to the day when the Grecians occupied this exalted position, but in that season (1920-21) tempting offers were received for some of the City's star players, which because of the financial position, and the players' own natural desire to better themselves, could not be turned aside. John Mitton was transferred to Sunderland, and two months later Wright left for Huddersfield, and the season which had begun so promisingly was eventually quite disastrous, at least from purely the playing point of view. Exeter City Football Club is in a stronger financial position no than it was just after the War, and it is not likely that the same situation will be allowed to occur this season.

Southern League 
Exeter City Reserves v Bristol City Reserves 
Exeter City Reserves, beaten by a goal to nil at Yeovil in the opening match, made their first home appearance this afternoon. the opposition being provided by Bristol City Reserves. They had to take the field without, Flynn, the captain, who had been sent to Merthyr to assist the "Chiefs" in the absence of Charlton, and Lowton partnered Burdon. The Exeter backs were therefore the men who played in that position last season for Heavitree United. Bristol City sent a strong team along, Sutherland, the former Millwall player being at inside-right.

EXETER CITY RESERVES:
Pavey; Burdon and Lowton; Crawshaw, Hampson, and Jones; Newman, Kirk, Blackmore, Murray, and Shelton.

BRISTOL CITY RESERVES:
Goddard; Griffin, and Hall; Clarke, Vicary, and Buckland; Hobbs, Sutherland, Andrews, Garland, and Ingram.

The City Reserves were captained by Crawshaw, in the absence of Flynn, and he won the toss in competition with Goddard. Starting from the St James's Road end, the Grecians had a mild breeze at their backs. Hampson checked the first Bristol raid, and in the next one Burdon cleared with a huge kick to touch, the ball going into the grandstand and knocking out a spectator.

BLACKMORE GIVES EXETER THE LEAD.
Kirk went clean through from Crawshaw's pass, but his shot was weak, Goddard falling on the ball, and preventing Blackmore from rushing it through. The game was barely five minutes old, however, when Exeter got their first goal, scored by Blackmore.
Kirk was conspicuous for quick and clever footwork, but found himself crowded out when he tried one of his characteristic bursts through. Hampson, who is down from the North on trial, won applause for some pretty play, and his defensive work was equally good. He checked dangerous rushes by Andrews and Ingram in turn.
After half an hour Crawshaw slipped the ball to Blackmore, who scored Exeter's second goal with a lovely shot, and with the very kick before the interval Andrews obtained a goal for Bristol.

SECOND HALF. 
The second half was twelve minutes old when Blackmore completed his "hat-trick" with a really brilliant goal, firing home from the rebound after Goddard had punched out his first shot. Blackmore next "brought the house down" with yet another goal, then passed to Shelton, who got the fifth.

City Reserves 5 Bristol Reserves 1.