EXETER CITY 3 MERTHYR TOWN 0.

Saturday, August 28th 1926,
at St James's Park.

Exeter City opened their Football League campaign of 1926-27, at home, this afternoon, with Merthyr Town in opposition. The club's preparation for the new season included the erection of a grand-stand to seat 2,000 people, together with the signing of a new trainer and eleven new professionals, and extensive work on the playing pitch. Today's weather for the opening match was ideal for seaside holiday makers, gloriously fine, with a pleasant breeze. On the other hand, it was decidedly too hot for the comfort of the footballers. Spectators suited their attire to the weather rather than to the game, and there were plentiful signs of summer all around the railings. The grand-stand, although far from complete as regards the interior, is well advanced in the matter of seating, and it was well patronised by the early comers, who found everything very much to their liking. The popular banks were quickly peopled, and by three o'clock there were fully 5,000 present, with the spectators still pouring in fast.

Merthyr's New Players.
The ground was hard, but with a good surface, and a fast game was promised under the hot sun. The Merthyr team reached Exeter last evening. attended the second house Hippodrome performance, and Mr Lindon, Both teams the Merthyr Town manager, who was at St James's Park this morning, seemed confident that the Martyrs would make a big impression in this game. The team was strengthened by the inclusion of six new players, Vallis and Sutherland, from Bristol City, Page (Cardiff City), Pither (Torquay United), Mitchell (Pembroke Dock), and Brown (Mid-Rhondda). Page was the visitors' captain. It was 3.10 o'clock when Charlton led out his men. The Exeter team included. four new faces, Ditchburn, from Sunderland, Pool, from Bristol City, Purcell, from Swindon Town, and Walker, from Plymouth Argyle. Both sides sported new jerseys for the occasion, and the visitors looked very smart in white jerseys and black knickers.
Teams:
Exeter City:- Bailey; Pollard, and Charlton; Ditchburn, Pool, and Garratt; Purcell, McDevitt, Blackmore, Walker, and Compton.
Merthyr Town: - Vallis; Page, and Pedler; Crewe, Woodward, and Clarke; Mitchell, Brown, Phillips, Sutherland, and Pither.
Referee: Mr A. J. Attwood, of Newport.

Charlton won the toss, and Merthyr had to face the sun in the opening half. The visitors took the ball down cleverly, getting it away to Pither, who was unmarked, and centred well, but the leather was placed wide. Exeter retaliated immediately, a delightful pass by Garratt putting Compton in possession, and the left-winger crossed finely to Purcell, who tried a header. Only the sound anticipation of Vallis kept the ball out, for it was travelling swiftly in the direction of the Merthyr net. Exeter had a second shot in the following up of Purcell's header, for the ball had been only partially cleared, and this time Page headed away from the goal-line, to which he had gone in Vallis's support.

Home Defence Well Extended.

Big kicking by Page and Pedler drove Exeter back, and the Merthyr attack specialised in wide passes to their extreme wingers, so that for a minute or two the home defence was well extended. Pool got in some strong headwork, and Pollard gave effective assistance in repulsing the Town attacks. Compton gained possession again, but tried to work the ball past Crewe and was robbed. Away went the Town, and a likely header from the left was well met by Pollard. The Merthyr halves and forwards were combining well, showing plenty of dash and enterprise, and Exeter were hotly pressed for a time. Sutherland, finding himself hemmed in, tried a shot, but Bailey held the ball, and another sharp raid was beaten off before the Grecians' attack showed up again. Then a nice pass from Blackmore was slipped out to Compton, who middled perfectly, and the ball went to Purcell, who lobbed it just over the bar. A free kick was awarded the Town dangerously near to the home penalty area, but the direct shot went harmlessly over, and when the visitors came again the raid was cleared by Pollard.

Excitement Ran High.

Exeter heartened their following now by setting up a keen attack, and the ball hovered about in the Merthyr goal-mouth for fully a minute. But the City could not drive the attack home, and the crowd, now numbering eight thousand, settled down again. It was Merthyr's game for a space. With Phillips given too much rope at centre forward, and making very good use of it, the visitors gave the City rear guard a gruelling time. They came out of the ordeal without any set-back, and the game veered round in the Grecians' favour again. Excitement ran high as Exeter fought for themselves valiantly in an effort to secure the lead, and were forced back, as a centre from Pither drew Bailey out, and Phillips screwed the leather right across the empty goal, and as good work by Walker and Compton ended in Blackmore missing by inches, with Vallis helpless. Already Purcell and Garratt had established themselves in the good books of the crowd. Both were playing very well. Exeter appeared to be getting into the sort of form expected from them, and more than once in these stages only real hard luck prevented the forwards from getting a goal. The lively new ball required the greatest of care. Purcell forced a corner very smartly, and was warmly applauded. Next, Walker won an opening for Compton, but the left winger delayed centring when the position looked very healthy for Exeter, and the chance was gone. Walker was conspicuous in the next minute, however, for another excellent move, and this time, from a corner kick forced by Compton's centre, conceded by Pedler, the ball went to McDevitt, who promptly turned it into a bunch of players, and Walker shot it home for the first goal of the season. Delighted with this success, achieved after 35 minutes' play, the spectators cheered lustily, and in a further minute and a half they let themselves go again, for Compton outwitted Page and switched the ball inwards for Blackmore to fasten on to it and shoot it into the net before Vallis had time to appreciate the danger. Exeter, much encouraged, swung the ball about very cleverly, and the Town goal was frequently in danger. Purcell and Blackmore delighted with splendid shots, and but for Vallis's great skill Garratt must have scored for the City with a header following a corner taken by Purcell.

Half-time: Exeter City 2 Merthyr 0.

Sutherland and Phillips ran the ball through when the game was resumed, and Sutherland's shot was very close to the foot of the upright. In the next move, by Exeter, from Walker's cross, McDevitt headed against the Town cross-bar, and the crowd cheered again as Compton, with a shot from the side of the penalty line, brought Vallis down in a hurry to thrust the ball away. Bailey cleared a high ball from Mitchell, but Exeter shaped confidentally at the other end, and from Blackmore's pass Walker just cleared the cross-bar. Next McDevitt paved the way ahead from a long pass by Ditchburn, and though the odds were against him Compton managed to take the ball off Crewe and Page and give it to Blackmore, who lost no time in shooting into the net. There was a suspicion of offside about the final pass, and Vallis was distressed when the referee allowed the goal. The second half was then ten minutes old. A free kick against Sutherland nearly brought about the downfall of Merthyr
Town's goal again, but Compton's drive flew hard across the face of the posts. The City, ably inspired by McDevitt, played sparkling football, and Blackmore missed by inches with a great shot. The City defence was in capable form, and very little was seen of the Town forwards. Pool was much more effective now than in the early play, and with Ditchburn working well the City halves were an impressive trio. Garratt had no Vallis held shots by Blackmore and Compton, and play ran mainly in the Merthyr half, the visiting halves and backs, especially Woodward, being at their wits' end to counter Exeter's clever passing. One good effort by Brown deserved a goal, but Bailey saved the shot.

NOTES ON THE GAME.

The Grecians found some difficulty at the outset in meeting Merthyr's plan of attack, with its sweeping passes to the extreme wings, and good returns. On the run of the first twenty minutes Merthyr Town deserved at least one goal lead. With Garratt showing astonishingly good form, however, and Purcell a rare box of tricks at outside right, the Grecians pulled the game right round, two quick goals setting the seal of merit on the work of their forward line. In the second half Exeter toyed with their opponents for lengthy periods, especially after the scoring of the third goal, and the Merthyr defence had a very gruelling time. From Exeter City's standpoint it was a highly promising and satisfactory start, well worthy of the occasion, let it be said. Exeter City's match at Swindon on Monday evening becomes of special interest in view of the Grecians' good play today, and the aspirations of the Railwaymen for championship honours.

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE RESERVES 3 EXETER CITY RESERVES 2.

Western League Match
at Home Park, Plymouth.

Plymouth Argyle Reserves, eager to resume their acquaintance with the great winter game, had a crowd of about 5,000 at Home Park this afternoon, for the first match of the season, opposing their old rivals, the Exeter City Reserves in a Western League encounter. A scorching sun was tempered by a stiff breeze from the east, and conditions were such as to greatly test the fitness of the players. The teams were:
Argyle Reserves. Thomson; Cosgrove (captain), and Smith; Logan, Pullen, Bowden, Sloan, Jenkins, and MacDonald. and Voden; Healy,
City Reserves. Randall; Lowton and Miller; Pullan (captain), Good, and Potter; Phoenix, Thompson, Dent, and Parkin. Newman,

Cosgrove won the toss for the Argyle, and set his team with the wind behind them. Bowden fastened on to the ball, and with a deft touch sent it through to Jenkins, who tested Randall with a swinging drive. With a couple of corners, Plymouth maintained their pressure, penning their opponents well in their goal area. The Argyle were controlling the lively ball amazingly well, providing the crowd with football thrills. In an isolated Exeter attack Thompson sent in a shot which cannoned off the Plymouth cross-bar.
Sloan pleased the crowd with his tricky play, and it was he who eventually scored the first goal of the season, with an unstoppable shot. Seconds before the half-time whistle Randall made a brilliant save, throwing himself full length to take the ball from Sloan's feet. Exeter opened the second half with a rush, Dent putting in a flying shot that travelled wide of the goal. After seven minutes a
mis-understanding between the Argyle backs let Thompson through, and he tipped the ball into the corner of the net to level the scores. The news that Plymouth Argyle were leading at Newport was received with loud cheering from the crowd. MacDonald having been brought down in the penalty area, the appropriate kick was ordered, and with a low, swift drive Pullen gave the Argyle the lead. Bowden headed the Argyle's third goal from Healy's pass, and Thompson scored for the City.