Rotherham United v Exeter City 
FA Cup 3rd Round Proper
Grecians Fight Uphill Battle to Earn a Draw

Saturday, January 14th 1928.
ENGLISH CUP THIRD ROUND
ROTHERHAM UNITED 3
EXETER CITY 3.

Nearly three hundred Exeter followers arrived at Sheffield soon after eight o'clock this morning resplendent in red and white streamers, and equipped with all the usual Cup-Tie paraphanalia, bells, bugles, and rattles, etc., Their first business was to serenade at the King's Arms Hotel, where Exeter City's official party of directors and players stayed overnight. Then having ascertained the Grecians were all in tip-top form, the supporters proceeded to make a tour of the Sheffield business centre before going on to Rotherham for the Cup-tie. The fourteen Exeter players chosen for the journey were accompanied by Mr. M.J.McGahey, Chairman of the Club, Messrs Parkhouse, Chamberlain, and Head, Directors, and a number of friends. Splendid weather favoured the railway journey, but on arrival at Sheffield it was found that a bracing half-gale was blowing. This morning, at eleven o'clock, rain set in, and the outlook for the match was not very promising. The City players continued to be decidedly optimistic as to the game itself, and at the same time were inclined to discount the story of pessimism which had been circulated in Rotherham "soccer" circles. 
Andy Flynn Met the Grecians at Sheffield.

A Bradford native had warned the party that if Rotherham scored first Exeter City would find themselves up against a tremendous task, and that the City must be prepared for a hard struggle invariably met with at this stage of the Cup competition. Andy Flynn, the former Exeter City player, now with York City, was among the crowd of people waiting at Sheffield station to greet the Exeter party last evening, and he wished them the best of luck.

Rotherham sports writers, in the local papers, commented upon the changes in the local team, stating that the absence through influenza of Hall, the first choice for centre-forward, was a definite handicap to the club. It is specially noteworthy that Miller, Mason, and Ditchburn, who have taken the positions filled in the two previous cup-ties by Charlton, Pool, and Phoenix, were today making their debut in the English Cup Competition. Lievesley, the Rotherham inside forward, and brother of Wilf Lievesley, the Exeter forward, called on the City party at their hotel in Sheffield, this morning, and had a chat about things in general.

Billy McDevitt Got a Heap of Telegrams.

The rain stopped about mid-day, and the afternoon, although cloudy and raw, was dry. Journeying to Rotherham by charabanc, the Grecians ran into the Rotherham United territory, where black and amber favours were remindful of the F.A.Cup battles with Newport County several years ago.

The Millmoor ground is a very compact one, and the playing pitch surrounded by white concrete walls, appeared smaller than the one at Exeter. The ground slopes slightly from goal to goal, and today the team that played up the slope had the advantage of the wind. Billy Mc Devitt was handed a heap of telegrams on his arrival at the ground, sent by well-wishers from Devon. Mr McGahey received a telegram from Torquay United saying "Wish you and your team the best of luck and we expect you to keep up the prestige of Devon."

The teams were:
Rotherham United: Atter; Jackson and Turner; Snee, Reed, and Bailey;
Sellars, Clayton, Hemingway, Lievesley, and Scott.

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

Referee: Mr A. A. Archer, of Market Harborough.

There were fully 15,000 present when the City appeared, followed immediately by Rotherham United, and both teams had tremendous receptions. Rotherham won the toss and the excitement commenced. Exeter opened smartly and McDevitt swung the ball out to Compton, and Jackson
charged down the centre which came across almost on the back line. The City retained possession, however, and some consistent football by McDevitt and Dent worried the Rotherham backs, but relief came for the home team when two shots, one each by Purcell and Vaughan, went over the bar.

Goal From the Penalty Spot.
Rotherham made every possible attempt to feed Scott, and presently they were successful. The left winger disappointed the first time with a weak shot which Holland saved easily. In the second raid Scott passed to Hemingway, who looked bound to score. He shot straight at Holland, however, and the goalkeeper beat the ball down. Scott ran in quickly and shot, and again Holland saved. This was a very lucky escape for Exeter.

Exeter then took play to the other end, where Compton was fouled. Compton took the free kick himself and Atter cleared. McDevitt fed Purcell, and the winger worked his way through and shot, the ball skimming the crossbar. Rain now began to come down heavily, but the game continued at a good pace. In thirteen minutes there was a sensation, Rotherham taking the lead by means of a penalty kick taken by Scott. There did not appear to be any foul, but the referee ruled that Hemingway had been "sandwiched" by Ditchburn and Miller.

Two Goals in Five Minutes.

Exeter improved, and played very cleverly in the next few minutes. A glorious chance was provided by Compton, but Dent was ruled offside. The City forwards were greatly in evidence for a time, but Jackson performed well in defence of the Rotherham citadel. When the game was twenty minutes old Rotherham scored again. Holland had to punch the ball high over the bar to prevent Sellars from scoring in a swift attack, and following the corner, taken by Scott, a keen and desperate struggle took place in the City goalmouth. Rotherham piled on more pressure, and although Pollard cleared the ball only went to Sellars, who immediately centred, and Hemingway rammed the leather into the net from a couple of yards, no more. Five minutes later Exeter reduced their deficit when Purcell gained possession and sent beautifully into the middle. Dent then headed across the face of the goal and Jackson in attempting to clear kicked the ball into his own net. Now Exeter made a great attempt to draw level. Pressing the home defence hard, they gained two corners, and would have scored off one of them but for Atter, who jumped high and took the ball right off McDevitt's head. In the struggle Jackson and Vaughan were both knocked out but quickly resumed.

Turner Saved a Certain Goal.

Exeter were playing better together now than in the opening stages and their combination looked very promising. Atter had to dive to turn round the post a dangerous low shot from Compton. Rotherham in their turn got away and forced a corner, but Sellars put the flag-kick behind. Exeter swept away to the other end and Turner saved a certain goal when he took the ball off Dent as the City leader was in the act of shooting. Compton passed inwards to Ditchburn, whose shot went over the bar. The City were superior in midfield, Mason being especially prominent, and for a while the United defence was fully extended.

There was some amusement over the predicament in which Turner found himself, the elastic of his knickers apparently having broken. The pressure from Exeter was pronounced at that moment, and Turner was afraid to come off the field, so the Rotherham trainer ran on and brought him a new garment. Turner's double quick change was applauded by the spectators. Just before half-time Compton broke away down the middle and eluded Reed, but Atter dashed out and saved the situation.

ROTHERHAM UNITED 2
EXETER CITY 1 

Second Half.

The superior footwork and craft of Exeter City had been met, and matched, by the dash and determination of Rotherham United in the first half, and a keen and entertaining struggle had resulted. The Grecians had kept the ball too close to begin with, and there were two goals against them before they settled down to a more open game, which suited the ground and the occasion. Reed was the only Rotherham half back to impress. He was particularly good at distribution of the ball, giving some long passes to Scott and Hemingway. Exeter's supporters refused to be despondent, feeling sure that the City would in the second half pull the game round favourably. Directly the game restarted Rotherham set up a hot attack on their right wing, and from Sellars's pass Clayton shot splendidly, Holland only just succeeding in tipping the ball over the bar. Play remained in the Exeter half, however, and a second corner was forced by Rotherham, and this time Holland kicked well down the field to set Exeter on the attack. They in turn forced a corner. The flag-kick from Compton was cleared, but the ball went to Ditchburn, who sent it back to the goalmouth again. Atter dashed out but missed the ball, Vaughan heading it into the empty goal, and the City thus drew level three minutes from the restart. Vaughan hurt his leg and could only hobble about. Purcell effected a long pass up the wing to Ditchburn, who crossed the ball to Compton and the winger shot for goal, Atter diving to save. A stern struggle for the lead followed, and the odds appeared not to be in Exeter's favour. Holland dealt with a shot by Hemingway that look goal-bound, then with McDevitt marshalling his forces the City came back into the game, and Atter saved from nearly every one of the City forwards in turn. Exeter launched another attack, and Compton beat Jackson "on a sixpence," and shot splendidly, Atter again saving.

After twenty minutes of the second half Scott restored the lead to Rotherham in their first attack for about ten minutes. The ball was cleverly brought up the field by Sellars and Clayton, with some assistance from Hemingway, then it went over to Scott, who beat Holland close to the post, the City goalkeeper diving too late. With eighteen minutes remaining a series of corners fell to Exeter, and from one of these, taken by Purcell, the City scored, Mason forcing the ball into the net through a bunch of players on the goal-line. Excitement remained high and both goals had narrow escapes, Hemingway firing wide and Scott over the bar for Rotherham, and Dent just failing to get his head to a centre from Purcell, for the Grecians.

Notes on the Game.

It was a great game, fought out at a tremendous pace throughout. Exeter were the cleverer side, but the United certainly gave them a fright, and only the City's very best sufficed to avert defeat. Never at any time in the match were the Grecians in the lead. They were fighting an uphill battle most of the time and really did magnificently to finish level after their bad start. The second half was Exeter's and the team deserve commendation. The Rotherham people were well satisfied with the result in view of Exeter City's superior football. The gate was between fifteen and sixteen thousand, but the exact figures are not available at the moment. The replay will take place at St. James's Park next Wednesday, kick-off 2.15 p.m., and it promises to be a great occasion.

SOUTHERN LEAGUE
EXETER CITY RESERVES 5
WEYMOUTH 0

Owing to Cup-tie calls, Exeter City Reserves were not at full strength this afternoon for their home Southern League fixture with Weymouth. Despite the dull weather there was a good attendance when the teams took the field.
City Reserves: Wainwright; Lowton and Warren; McDade, Chambers, and Clarke; Jenkins, Parkin, Andrews, Selley, and Kirk.

Weymouth: Harper; Allen and Huddy;
S.W.Alford, Pillinger, and Bown; A.H. Winaust, D.A.Miller, Dillimore, Haywood, and Pitman.

Winning the toss, Exeter City applied steady pressure, but made little or no impression on a strong Weymouth defence for a time. In fact, play had been in progress quite ten minutes before the visiting goal looked to be in danger. Harper then saved a header by Andrews from Kirk's centre, and a further shot by Andrews from ten yards' range. Subsequent play was almost confined to the Weymouth half of the field, Kirk being a star performer for Exeter. Kirk was invariably too clever for both Alford and Allen, and his centres were models of accuracy. Such pressure was in the end bound to tell, and this proved to be the case when at the end of fifteen minutes Parkin scored a magnificent goal, heading in at express speed from Kirk's centre. It was only on rare occasions that the Weymouth forwards were seen in action. Exeter's lead was increased shortly before the interval, Parkin repeating the process of heading a goal from Kirk's centre. Half-time: City Reserves 2 Weymouth nil. Weymouth had more of the game in the second half, and Wainwright had to fall on the ball to save from Haywood. A quick burst to the other end saw Jenkins pass the ball right across the goalmouth, but the inside forwards all failed to apply the finishing touch when it looked odds on a third goal. Wainwright made a good save from Dillimore, and a free kick was given the City for a foul on the goalkeeper. Exeter again returned to the offensive, Jenkins and Parkin between them taking play right to the other end, and Harper saved the final shot, from Jenkins, close to the upright.

News of the Rotherham Result.

At this point the news of the result of the cup-tie at Rotherham came through, and a tremendous burst of cheering greeted it. It appeared also to act as a tonic to the City players, for within a very few minutes the lead was further increased. A really classy dribble by Andrews was the means of spreadeagling the Weymouth defence, and he wound up a smart solo effort by transferring the ball to Kirk, whose shot to the bottom corner of the net easily beat Harper. Further disaster soon be fell the visitors, Lowton netting from a penalty given for a foul on Kirk. Wainwright saved from Miller, tipping the ball over the bar, but this was but a flash in the pan, for Exeter went through again, Kirk scoring the fifth and final goal after a persistent run by Jenkins.

The Cup-tie at Rotherham, according to the "Athletic News."
on Monday 16th January 1928. 
Exeter's Rally

SIX GOALS SHARED AT ROTHERHAM

Rotherham United 3 Exeter City 3.

"There were 90 minutes of pulsating football at Rotherham, where the fortunes of both teams fluctuated in surprising fashion. Rain fell almost throughout the game, making the surface of the ground treacherous, yet despite this big handicap the players gave an excellent display. The quality of the football was of an unusually high standard for Third Division clubs, and the standard was maintained throughout.

"The game had been in progress only five minutes when Hemingway was left with a glorious chance, Lievesley placing the ball at his feet with only Holland to beat from short range, but the Rotherham centre-forward made a sad mess of the opportunity. Playing excellently, Rotherham continued to have the better part of the game, and after 15 minutes Hemingway was going through when he was brought down by Miller inside the penalty area, Scott making no mistake with the penalty kick. "Following a corner kick, Clayton failed to score with Holland helpless, but Rotherham shortly afterwards made amends for this mistake, Hemingway taking pass from Sellars to give them a two goals lead. From this point Exeter City took control of the game, and for fully five minutes severely tested the home defence, and Jackson put the ball into his own net in attempting to clear a header from Dent following a speedy run on the right by Purcell. "Five minutes after the interval Exeter City drew level, when Vaughan took advantage of a mistake by Atter. "After this Exeter looked like taking the lead at any moment, but the Rotherham forwards broke away and Sellars, who had been sadly neglected, placed the ball across the goalmouth for Scott to score with a magnificent shot. "By no means dismayed, Exeter City again equalised through Mason, following a series of corner kicks, the ball going into the net off Jackson's head. "Taking the game throughout there was little to choose between the two teams. Rotherham, who made use of the long ball game and whose methods were the more robust, had decidedly the better of the play in the first half, and the City were equally superior after the change of ends."

DRAW FOR THE FOURTH ROUND OF THE CUP

Winners of Rotherham United v Exeter City to play Blackburn Rovers at home, on Saturday, January 28th.

The attendance at Rotherham was officially given as 16,425.