Match 07
23rd September 1925
ECFC v Queens Park Rangers


EXETER CITY v  QUEEN'S PARK RANGERS
Wednesday, September 23rd 1925.

Exeter City: Bailey; Pollard, Lowton; Pullan, Mc Devitt, Potter; Matthews, Kirk, Casson, Myers, Compton.

Rangers: Hebden; Pierce, Plunkett;
Hirst, Richmond, Pigg; Spottiswood, Middleton, Johnson, Birch, Ford.

Referee :- Mr A.L.Grinstead, of East Ham.

Attendance 5,000.

DESCRIPTION
Although at one period in the game play was extremely quiet, the Football League match on Wednesday evening, at St. James's Park, between the City and Queen's Park Rangers, was productive of much brilliant football. Because of their first half supremacy, and their brilliant form in the closing stages, the Grecians well deserved their convincing success. The introduction of William McDevitt at centre-half, to the ex clusion of the ever popular Ellis Crompton had caused misgivings among a section of the Exeter City following, especially as one more experiment was being made at left-back, Wilfred Lowton, the former Heavi tree United player, being selected to partner Bob Pollard. Mc Devitt, however, was an instantaneous success, and his polished play had a lot to do with the outcome of the match. The Taking of a Penalty Kick.
Moreover, as captaining the Grecians, it fell to McDevitt in the last minute of play to choose a man to take a penalty kick. By a happy inspiration he selected the other debutant, Lowton, and the Heavitree man crashed the ball safely into the net. It was a very pleasing ending to a memorable match. Colin Myers returned to the team after a spell on the injured list, and he opened the scoring for the City after eight minutes of the game had been played, and there was no other goal until only five minutes of play remained. Then, following a flag kick by Compton, a sensation was caused by Kirk, shooting accurately and instantly, to beat Hebden with a glorious shot from outside the penalty area. As a final flutter, there was the penalty for "hands," so close to time that Lowton's shot was the very last kick of the match.
Genius of the Pivot from Liverpool.
Mc Devitt was the man of the match, taking the 90 minutes as whole, and after him Pollard, Compton, and Matthews. The pivot a from Liverpool revealed his genius immediately, in the opening touches, his judgment being sound and his passes, whether ahead or to right or left, models of precision and football ability. It was good, therefore, to note that the whole team played up to Mc Devitt, just as McDevitt played up to the whole team. And the effect was the building up of an excellent understanding. For a long time in each half the Rangers had to take a "back seat."

Peculiarities of the Referee.
It was unfortunate for Exeter City that the referee did not keep up with the play. Moving for the most part in a limited area in mid-field he missed numerous sly infringements by the Rangers' forwards and full-backs. Birch and Johnson, in particular, were inclined to bring the ball under control with a touch of the hand, and on such occasions, had they shot as neatly as they handled a goal or two must have resulted. With more efficient refereeing, Exeter's slender lead would not have been in danger so often as it was, and twice the Grecians had good grounds for penalty appeals. Mr Grinstead's application of the new offside law was peculiar, to say the least.

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