CUP-TIE REPLAY A THRILLING MATCH IN THE NORTH OF
ENGLAND

Blackburn Rovers v. Exeter City
Thursday, February 2nd, 1928.

BLACKBURN ROVERS 3 
(Roscamp, *Mitchell, 3 *Puddefoot) 
EXETER CITY 1
(Compton) 
*Goals scored during extra time.

The Exeter City party experienced all sorts of weather yesterday, on their journey up to Blackburn to fulfil one of the furtherest Cup engagements in their history. Glorious sunshine cheered the way until Manchester, when the rain area was entered. On arriving at the Midland Hotel the atmosphere be came electric, and a large thunderstorm was succeeded by heavy hail, rain, and then snow. The variable weather programme was wound up by a clear and quiet moonlit night.

Today the City officials and players moved early across to Blackburn, and
there were traces of snow all the way. At Blackburn itself there was a party of happy Devon excursionists, boldly and happily sporting the City colours, even though the local populace seemed to think Exeter's visit was more of a football joke than serious business. Evidently the Rovers in their own stronghold were expected to make hay of the almost unknown team from the sunny south-west of England.

The Blackburn Rovers' Ground.

The weather here was cold and grey, although rain held off. Mr Barritt was interviewed, as he was at Exeter, but the representative of the "Express & Echo," and he stated that the ground, Ewood Park, will hold 70,000, with a grandstand accommodation of 7,000. The playing field was sandy and the going was soft, but huge tarpaulin sheets protected the area in front of each of the goals. The Rovers were strengthened by the return to the team of Mitchell, centre forward, enabling Roscamp to move to the right wing in place of Thornewell, who was injured at Exeter on Saturday. Otherwise the team was the same as the one which had played at St James's Park. Exeter City deferred making a decision as to the centre-forward position until it was time for the players to enter the ground. Eventually Dent was chosen. Many telegrams conveying good wishes were received by the Exeter party just before the match.

The Game.

The City were supported by followers from Southampton and Swindon as well as from the Exeter district. A strong wind swept the ground from goal to goal, and it was apparent that the team which won the toss would have a decided advantage. The teams took the field to an outburst of cheering, and it was renewed by the visiting supporters when it was seen that McDevitt had won the toss. The City therefore had the advantage of the wind, but the Rovers were the first to attack, Roscamp being dangerous.

Dent Almost Through.

A quick burst took Exeter to the other end and Dent almost got through. He failed with his final shot, however, the ball going over the bar. The Rovers next made ground by means of strong kicking, and Puddefoot went close with a long shot. Each side attacked in turn, and Holland cleared a long drive from Mitchell. Blackburn pressed strongly and McLean nearly scored, but Pollard eventually cleared. Then Dent breaking away was robbed by Rankine. Blackburn were much quicker on the ball, and were very strong in midfield play, once more giving an exhibition of the fast passing and running into position that they had shown at St James's Park. Exeter had a narrow escape when Holland misfielded the ball right in front of goal. He was out of position, and it was left to Compton to clear from the goalmouth. Exeter made progress to the other end, and Crawford was none to safe in his handling of the ball.

Exeter Open the Scoring.

Again the Rovers pressed, and there was an anxious moment when Holland was unable to force his way between a couple of attackers. He lost the ball, and it went to the waiting home forwards. A goal seemed certain, but Ditchburn dashed back and booted the leather over the line for a corner. The Blackburn forwards were very lively, and Puddefoot headed over the bar following another corner, taken by Rigby. Exeter pressed hard in their turn, and Crawford this time saved well from Purcell. A free kick to the City was then disposed of, and Dent later shot just outside. After 25 minutes the City took the lead. The ball had gone for a corner, and Compton's flag kick curled right into the net, completely beating Crawford. The Rovers were shocked, but soon afterwards equalised through Roscamp, who netted with a ground shot which Holland should have cleared. Crawford saved a good hard drive from Dent, and dealt capably with a centre from Compton. Mason was doing splendid work for Exeter at this stage, his passes to Purcell and Compton being most effective. There were more thrills in the Blackburn goalmouth as half-time approached. Crawford fisted out a curling centre from Purcell, and caught one from Compton right underneath the crossbar.
Half-time:
Blackburn Rovers 1 Exeter City 1.

Second Half.

Heavy rain commenced to fall during the interval, and there was an exciting passage of play when the game re-started. Compton swept the ball across in front of the Rovers' goal, and had any of the City forwards been in position a goal must have resulted. Ditchburn fed Purcell with a nice ground pass, and the resulting centre was headed out from the goalmouth by Healless. At length the Rovers made ground, but Puddefoot's shot went yards wide. The home side were straining every nerve now, and Holland caught and cleared a long shot from Healless and fisted out one from Roscamp. Then Puddefoot got through and again missed the target by several yards. The wind increased in strength, and the Rovers were making the most of it by long swinging passes.Eventually the City forced the opposition back and advanced cleverly in the torrential rain. Roxburgh dashed in to rob Purcell, and hit the ball down the field to Rigby, who beat Pollard and then shot wildly wide. The Rovers, with the wind now almost at gale force and the icy rain behind them, were playing better together now than at any time, and Exeter, who were almost overwhelmed, could not afford to relax for an instant. McLean drove the ball in, close to the upright, but outside. Hutton almost scored with a flying shot that went over the bar, then raced back to midfield to stall Dent, who was trying to dribble his way through.

Play Mainly in Exeter's Half.

Pollard and Miller for the City were playing a marvellous game, and so, too, was Mason. Crawford easily saved a hopeful long shot from Dent. Rigby was being given rather too much room for Exeter's comfort, and once he almost scored. Roscamp from ten yards tried a shot, but to the disappointment of the crowd it went over the bar. Play was mainly in Exeter's half, as much on account of the driving rain and wind than the failure of their own play, but the Grecians refused to give in, and continued to offer firm resistance. Compton tried a long shot which Crawford saved, and Holland at the other end kept Exeter's hopes alive with a really magnificent save from Pudde foot. Holland also caught and held a terrific long shot from Rankine, the leather coming in on the wind with furious force, and the City goalkeeper merited the generous applause he received from the spectators for two more daring saves from Puddefoot and Roscamp. In fact, these incidents were greeted with louder applause than any previous. Miller was now limping badly, and had to receive the attention of Ed Jones. In the closing stages Pollard had to give away a corner, which was cleared, and at the end of ninety minutes the score was still one apiece.

Extra Time.

Rain, sleet, and snow fell heavily when extra time started. Blackburn pressed and Holland saved a scoring shot from McLean. Exeter retaliated and Dent was almost through, but Roxburgh nipped in and dispossessed him. Five minutes of the extra period had elapsed when Puddefoot dribbled through the City defence and slipped the ball to Roscamp. The winger carried on the move, beat Miller, and centred cleverly almost out of Holland's reach. The goalkeeper dived out, but had the bad luck to tip the ball to Mitchell, who tapped it into the empty goal to give Blackburn the lead for the first time in the game. Following this Ditchburn drove in strongly, and Crawford was nearly "caught napping." The teams crossed over after fifteen minutes, and with five to go for the closure Pudde foot dribbled through the entire Exeter defence, and beat Holland at the second attempt.

Notes on the Game.

The result was greatly influenced by the weather conditions. Exeter were more than holding their own towards the interval, but subsequently on the muddy ground and in the teeth of torrential rain, sleet, snow, and wind, Dent and his fellow forwards failed. Miller, Pollard, Ditchburn, Mason, and most of all Holland, did their work magnificently. It has taken Blackburn Rovers, one of the best sides in the First Division, two matches and an extra half hour to put Exeter out of the Cup, and the sporting public of East Devon can feel nothing but pride for the Grecians. It was a tremendous struggle, and a highly creditable one from the Exeter City point of view, all things considered. As the teams left the field, Mr Gray, the referee, stayed to shake hands with the respective captains, offering his congratulations, to Healless on Blackburn's success and to McDevitt on the City's splendid fight. In conversation after the match Billy McDevitt declared: "It was a good hard game, but the better side won." Healless, for his part, said: "The City gave us a very difficult game, and the goalkeeper gave a wonderful performance." Mr M.J.McGahey, the Exeter City Chairman, said: "Our boys played like heroes but after the interval were beaten by the icy rain and wind." The teams in the replay were :

Rovers:- Crawford; Hutton, Roxburgh; Healless, Rankine, Campbell; Roscamp,
Puddefoot, Mitchell, McLean, and Rigby.

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

The official attendance figure was 28,348, which is the biggest crowd Exeter City have ever played before. The gate receipts were £1,924.

The Grecians returned to Manchester after the match, and are due to arrive at St David's Station at half-past eight on Friday evening. They have an important League match against Brighton on Saturday afternoon, and it is hoped that despite their many bruises they will pull off a "home win."

OBSERVATIONS ON THE CUPTIE

Beaten at Last : How the Grecians Fell at Blackburn

Exeter City & the F.A.Cup Competition parted company on Thursday at the ground of Blackburn Rovers, and parted the best of friends. The Devonshire club has had a great run in the tournament, and has found it more profitable than ever before. And as the City passed out with their colours flying, and with all the honours due to a brave and valiant eleven which had offered a magnificent resistance to very powerful opponents, there are no regrets. It took Blackburn Rovers more than three hours to overcome the gallant City team, and the people who saw the match, they were a company nearly 30,000 strong, saw the Grecians beaten not so much by Blackburn as by the weather. When McDevitt won the toss and gave the Grecians the advantage of the goal to goal wind in the first half, it seemed that he had done the City a real bit of good. As the game proceeded, too, for a time, this view was strengthened, for the Exeter men settled down splendidly. Compton gave the Grecians the lead after twenty five minutes by scoring a sensational goal direct from a corner kick. To many of the crowd this was an absolutely novel experience. The ball from the corner flag hung in front of the goal, then dipped deceptively and struck the inside of the post high up before dropping into the net. Crawford was completely bamboozled. This was a lucky opening score, and Blackburn's equaliser, three minutes later, was fully as fortunate in its different way. It was only made possible by two mistakes on the part of the City defence. First Miller miskicked as the ball skidded over the wet turf from the Rovers' left wing, and he diverted it to Roscamp, so that the right winger was able to cut straight for goal having a clear field in front of him. There is this much to be said on Miller's behalf, that he had been fouled and badly shaken just previously. Reaching the edge of the penalty area Roscamp delivered a fast low shot, but Holland was well positioned and appeared able to effect a save. But he timed his effort an instant too late. Flinging himself full length, intending to smother the ball, Holland only partially stopped it, and the ball rolled from under him and across the goal-line. Puddefoot dashed up and banged the ball hard into the back of the net, but the goal, by Roscamp, had already been scored, and the referee was then pointing to the centre spot for the fresh kick-off. So the teams were level again, at the end of half an hour's play. More than an hour elapsed after this without either side being able to claim any advantage, but a very great deal happened in that time.

The Change in the Weather.

Exeter played very bright football in the fifteen minutes before the interval, the open combination among the forwards and the supporting work of the half backs proving very effective, so that the Rovers were pressed much harder in that period than they had bargained for, and the City's prospects, even when they changed over and played against the wind, appeared as rosy, as rosy asbcould be. At half time, while the players and officials were in their dressing rooms, there came about the big change in the weather which proved the factor which eventually decided the match. A torrential storm of icy rain swept the field from end to end, driven before a howling gale of wind. The storm increased in fury as play was resumed and it continued throughout the second half. The Exeter players had to face these trying conditions, and it speaks volumes for their lion-hearted half-backs and defenders that in this period of forty five minutes they conceded not an inch of ground that could be held, and did it so well that they prevented any further score by Blackburn.

The Gallantry of Holland.

Holland was the man of the match now, drenched to the skin and shivering with cold as he was. For splendidly as the City men covered the goal they were not able to prevent the Rovers from making some sparkling advances. Puddefoot was now in truly International form and Blackburn were all out to snatch the most from the advantage the weather had given them. Shots were sent in on the wind from all angles and all distances, even Hutton lent his weight and strength to the attack with a flying shot on one notable occasion, shots more forceful than any the City could show, but Holland was absolutely magnificent and saved his side repeatedly with a display of skill and courage that would not have disgraced even Pym himself, and his work was good enough to win thunders of applause from the sporting Blackburnites. In the meantime the playing pitch, which had suited Dent, Compton, and company so well in the opening half, became a soggy and sloppy quagmire, and the City attack gradually fell to pieces. Vaughan, who almost at the start of the game had missed what proved to be Exeter's best scoring chance, alone kept pegging away in his usual optimistic and pertinacious manner. But the pitch was too I heavy for him and acted like a brake. Purcell was firmly held by the Campbell and Roxburgh methods, and all the more so because McDevitt, like Dent, was handicapped by the conditions and rarely far enough up the field to share in an attack.
A Different Tale to Tell.
Compton did some very useful work on the extreme left, and next to Vaughan he was Exeter's best attacker. But when the forward machinery went out of gear the work of the home defence was greatly simplified, and the City's ragged and spasmodic attacks never looked like succeeding. All the honours of the grimly fought second half rested with the City defence. But if Billy McDevitt had lost the toss instead of winning it, or elected to play against the wind in the first half, instead of with it, and the positions of the teams in relation to the storm had been reversed, there may have been a very different tale to tell, and Port Vale might have been visiting Exeter on February 18th instead of Blackburn. Extra time commenced, and again the Rovers' luck was right in. Even as ends were changed the sun broke through and the rain ceased, so that at no time in the game did Blackburn have to face conditions such as Exeter had to ensure. The Grecians were chilled to the marrow.

Blackburn in Front for the First Time.
Puddefoot soon proved to be the match-winner. Five minutes of extra time had passed when he cleverly drew the City defence and slipped the ball ahead for Roscamp to take it in his stride and send it across the goalmouth. The ball appeared to be just out of Holland's reach. The goalkeeper flung himself full length along the turf, but could only reach it with the tips of his fingers, turning its direction very slightly. It was not enough to make any appreciable difference. Mitchell seized his chance and tapped the ball into the unguarded goal, and the Rovers were in front for the first time in the whole match. Ditchburn very nearly equalised with a long shot which Dent allowed to pass between his legs in an effort to "dummy" the goalkeeper, but Crawford was on the alert and grasped the situation, and the ball, in the nick of time. The teams changed ends again after fifteen minutes. Purcell had been flying distress signals for some time and now retired from the game, overcome by the bitter conditions. Puddefoot became more elusive than ever. He and McLean had sneaked in to the dressing room and changed into dry jerseys and knickers at the commencement of extra time, although warned by the referee not to do so, and Puddefoot was very happy in his advantage. Five minutes before the finish, and after Holland had performed some further sensational deeds in the Exeter goal, Pudde foot dribbled clean through the defence and to close quarters. The international thought to deceive Holland with a sly shot, but the goalkeeper slapped the ball out. Puddefoot tried a second time, which was successful. Victory went to the stronger team on the day's play, but Blackburn Rovers were greatly favoured by the conditions. Exeter would have played Lowton at centre forward in all probability instead of Dent, had they known how the weather would behave. Blackburn's superiority lay in attack, and attack only. The Blackburn people were full of praise for the City team, and especially for the very sportsmanlike game they played. In this respect, certainly, Exeter compared favourably with the Rovers, for some very reprehensible fouls were committed on certain of the Exeter forwards, just as they were at Exeter, on any occasion when they looked like showing their opponents a clean pair of heels down the centre of the field or even down the wing.

Individual Criticisms.

Puddefoot and Roscamp were the pick of the home forwards. Neither Rigby nor McLean shaped as well as at Exeter, but Mitchell was a useful leader. Healless, the captain, was the best Blackburn half back, and his powerful and well directed long shots were among the features of the game. Rankine was a strong player, but lacked polish, and was inclined to be crude in his method of tackling an Exeter man in possession of the ball. Roxburgh was the better of the backs, who, for a First Division pair, are only moderate, and not the slighest bit better than Exeter's backs. Crawford was much below his form of last Saturday, and his handling of the ball suggested that he lacks confidence. Tribute has already been paid to the brilliant goalkeeping of Holland, and the stout play of the Exeter backs. Miller apart from his one fatal slip, gave a very fine display, and in Bob Pollard the City had decidedly the best back on the field, bar none. His tackling and kicking were strong and clean, his head ing was powerful and accurate, and he never made a single mistake. On account of Pollard's sterling work must be attributed the comparative ineffectiveness of the McLean and Rigby left wing. Mason was the most workmanlike of the half backs, his powerful physique making him a formidable obstacle to the Rovers' progress, and his deceptive turn of speed for so hefty a player proving of great help to the City attack. Gee was not so successful as usual; he found Puddefoot, in his best form, a rare box of tricks, while Ditchburn on the other flank had a mixed afternoon, good and moderate in turns and appearing a shade slow and cumbersome on some occasions.

• The Fifth Round of the Cup.
  Revised Draw.

Manchester City v Stoke City, at Manchester.
Manchester United v Birmingham, at Manchester.
Arsenal v Aston Villa, at Highbury.
Huddersfield Town v Middlesbrough, at Huddersfield.
Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur, at Leicester.
The Wednesday v Sheffield United, at Hillsborough, Sheffield.
Blackburn Rovers v Port Vale, at Ewood Park, Blackburn.
Notts Forest v Cardiff City, at Nottingham.

Notts Forest, Stoke, and Port Vale are Football League second division clubs; all the rest are of the First Division. Exeter City of course were the last Third Division club left in the competition.