Last Of The Season EXETER CITY v WATFORD
Saturday, May 1st 1926.

Warm wet weather prevailed for Exeter City's last match of the season at St James's Park, where the visit of Watford attracted a crowd of six thousand spectators. Exeter City required both points to ensure their finishing in a secure position in the League. An injury to E.Smith, their centre half, last Saturday, compelled the visitors to introduce Baker in the position. Exeter were at their full strength again.
Charlton won the toss, and Pagnam, the Watford skipper, kicked off towards the big end bank. The Grecians easily beat off the initial attack, and set up one of their own. Kirk and Newman co-operated on the right, taking the ball close to the goal-line, from where Newman crossed neatly for Lievesley to open the scoring in three minutes. So sharp were the City attacks in the next few minutes that it was really astonishing how the Watford goal escaped. Newman once shot on the run, and the ball hit Williams on the shoulder and rebounded into play, while the goalkeeper's burly body stopped another good shot. Kirk and Pullan in turn missed by inches with further shots.
Kicked Away From the Goal Line.
The Grecians were in very happy mood, especially forward, where the nippy work of Newman gave the crowd much joy. Williams fielded another rousing shot from Kirk, and then ran out to boot away a loose ball, only to find Compton too quick for him. The sequel was a drive from Lievesley, which Gregory, who had dropped back, kicked away from the goal line. Compton was sandwiched in the penalty area when forcing his way through, and the City were awarded a spot kick. Charlton took the penalty and shot strongly but Williams was able to beat out the ball. The City skipper ran in and tapped the ball goalwards again, but put it wide of the post. Eight minutes before half time a blunder by the visiting defence let Blackmore through, and the centre forward this time made no mistake, a powerful low drive to the far corner of the net giving Williams no chance. With three minutes wanting to the interval Slade headed the ball in the wrong direction, so that Lievesley, running in, was able to head past Williams. This goal, Lievesley's eighteenth, made him Exeter City's top scorer in post-war football, and to all intents and purposes put the club in a safe position. There was still time, however, before the interval, for Watford to score. Pagnam took advantage of a miskick by Lowton to threaten the Exeter goal. Charlton came across and in robbing the Watford skipper brought him down. The referee awarded Watford a penalty, from which Swan scored.
Half-time:
Exeter City 3 Watford 1.

Second Half.

Rain had been falling heavily for some time, and the teams changed over and resumed operations within three minutes. Some manoeuvring by Blackmore and Kirk, judiciously supported by Pullan, resulted in the City scoring again, six minutes after the restart. A beautiful through pass by Kirk was chased by Compton, who placed the ball in the net for a simple opportunist point. At the other end a momentary visitation by the black and whites saw a shot from Pagnam fly over the goal and land on someone's umbrella. From the goal-kick the ball went to Lievesley, who with a splendid ground pass put Blackmore through, and the Silverton man promptly netted Exeter's fifth goal. Kirk was fouled as he was dribbling past Slade, and a penalty, the third of the match so far, was entrusted to Pollard, who missed the goal by several yards. The Watford goal then had a number of remarkable escapes, but after several shots had missed one by Compton was turned into the net by Blackmore. End to end play followed, and Harris struck the Exeter bar, while a great shot by Kirk was tipped over by Williams. Exeter relaxed their efforts towards the end, and Charlton booted out a header from Swan, and Bailey saved well from Pagnam.

Result: Exeter City 6 Watford 1.

CITY
Bailey
Lowton Charlton.
Pullan Pollard Potter
Newman Kirk Blackmore Lievesley Compton

Referee: Mr A.Richards, of Bristol.

Harris Swan Pagnam Foster Stephenson
F.W.Smith Baker Strain
Gregory Slade
Williams
WATFORD

Exeter City's quick start and then their convincing victory relieved the tension most happily. If the Grecians had made the best possible use of their first half chances, and taken due toll from the two penalties, they would have run up double figures in goals. Watford were extremely weak at half-back and their defence was very slow, apart from Williams. The City, so long as they maintained the form they displayed for most of the match, did pretty well as they liked. During Exeter's liveliest passages Williams kept goal very well, but he also enjoyed some most exceptional luck. The City finished the season in excellent style, and were sound in all departments, and the match was made memorable particularly from the fact that Lievesley reached his 18-goal mark, making him the top scorer for Exeter since the war.

The record was previously held by Harold Crockford with seventeen goals in the 1922-23 season.