Exeter City's Easy Victory.

EXETER CITY 3 WALSALL 0.

Saturday, December 17th 1927.

Walsall's first visit to Exeter today on Football League business co-incided with the brightest and coldest afternoon of the season so far. The sunshine was most welcome after a run of grey days, but the biting east wind kept the less hardy supporters away, and compelled those who did attend to wrap up as warmly as possible. The attendance was about 6,000 at the start. Exeter City's team changes, Mason, Ditchburn and Miller, for Pool, Phoenix, and Charlton, lent additional interest to the game, as also did the initial appearance for Walsall of W.H.Lake, a 17-year old Birmingham District League amateur, at inside-left. Walsall, who played in claret and blue jerseys of the "Aston Villa pattern," wore black armlets because of the death of Mr Hawkins, a director, who has for many years been the "father" of the club.

Exeter City's Easy Victory.

The City played a much superior game to that of Walsall, and well deserved an
easy victory, by three goals to nothing. Vaughan gave Exeter the lead in ten
minutes, and increased the advantage twelve minutes later. The second half had barely started when Purcell scored Exeter's third goal, and there was nothing in the Walsall team to compare with the smooth combined play of the Grecians, whose superiority in the finer points of the game was very noticeable. With better shooting Purcell could have had two more goals, the result of McDevitt's clever scheming. The nearest Walsall came to scoring was when a low shot by Lonsdale went just wide of the posts.

Exeter: Holland; Pollard, Miller; Ditchburn, Mason, Gee; Purcell, McDevitt, Dent, Vaughan, and Compton.

Walsall:- Wait; Fairhurst, Plunkett; Staley, Groves, Beck; Fereday, Walters, Lane, W.H.Lake, and Lonsdale.

Referee: Mr W.E.Russell, of Swindon.

SOUTHERN LEAGUE
YEOVIL AND PETTERS 3
EXETER CITY RESERVES 1.

The meeting of these teams in the Southern League at Yeovil today was watched by a crowd of about 3,000. From the start Yeovil attacked and Charlton kicked clear on the goal-line from Radford. After ten minutes of the game had elapsed the home team were presented with a lucky goal. Scott received the ball in an offside position, but was allowed to go on, and his shot rebounded from Wainwright's legs into the net. R. Clarke made a nice run down the left wing for Exeter, and Andrews from his centre shot inches over the bar. Clarke then provided a chance for Parkin, who shot wide.
Half-time:
Yeovil 1 Exeter City Reserves nil.

Yeovil took up the attack on the resumption and Grist hit the crossbar. Yeovil continued the better side, and Lowes scored from a centre by Newman, the old City right-winger. A few minutes later Lowes netted a third goal. Exeter City Reserves improved in this half, and Clarke netted with a ground shot after a drive by Andrews had been punched out by the goalkeeper. Exeter had the misfortune to lose Phoenix fifteen minutes before the end, he having been injured in a collision.