Match 17
4th December 1926
Western League:-
Weymouth v Exeter City Reserves
&
Third Division :- ECFC v Coventry City
ECFC 8-1 Coventry City
Scorers:
Dent 2, Compton 2, Purcell 2, Blackmore 2
Attendance: 6000
Record League Win.
In the build up to the match City were very much the favourites, largely thanks to the potential of the forwards, and also because Coventry had struggled to adjust since being moved into the southern section of the third division.
At the time Coventry were commonly known as the peepers, but on this particular afternoon they would not be able to believe their eyes as the Grecians forward line fulfilled their promise by running riot on the visitors beleaguered defence.
The opening goal came in the fourth minute, when Dent opened his account for the Grecians by heading the ball past Randle and running round him to strike home from close range. A second came soon after when McDevitt played a perfect through ball into the feet of Blackmore, who hit a fast rising shot into the roof of the net.
As the game approached the 20 minute mark, City were awarded a penalty, but this was spectacularly saved by Newton, who dived full stretch to palm out Charlton’s powerful effort.
Despite this save, and his subsequent heroics throughout the match, things did not get any better for the visitors, and in the 29th minute Compton made it 3-0 by hammering in the ball of of the far post.
Half -time City 3-0 Coventry
Second Half
Coming out in the second half, City could have taken it easy, but they continued to put on a performance that was described in the papers as ‘pure unadulterated football’. Showing greater pace and intelligence to a man, and peppering the peepers goal, the score was soon 5-0 as Dent and then Blackmore added to their tallies with precision finishing.
Numbers Six and Seven came through tidy combinations between the forward lines, and while McDevitt could not get on the score-sheet himself, it was his genius that led to Compton and Purcell bagging easy goals from close range.
With just five minutes left to survive their ordeal, Coventry grabbed a goal of their own as Heathcote headed home from a corner, but their misery was not completed until the very last minute when Purcell snuck in to make it 8 (eight).
The home crowd was ecstatic, shouting “one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight”, reflecting the goals that matched the club’s highest ever league win, and the setting of a club record victory in the Football League that remains to this day.
Final Score: ECFC 8 Coventry 1
Classic Match
Western League
Weymouth v Exeter City Reserves
The City Reserves drew their Western League match at Weymouth. Haig put Weymouth in front with a penalty and Phoenix equalised with but a few minutes left.
Scorers:
Dent 2, Compton 2, Purcell 2, Blackmore 2
Attendance: 6000
Record League Win.
In the build up to the match City were very much the favourites, largely thanks to the potential of the forwards, and also because Coventry had struggled to adjust since being moved into the southern section of the third division.
At the time Coventry were commonly known as the peepers, but on this particular afternoon they would not be able to believe their eyes as the Grecians forward line fulfilled their promise by running riot on the visitors beleaguered defence.
The opening goal came in the fourth minute, when Dent opened his account for the Grecians by heading the ball past Randle and running round him to strike home from close range. A second came soon after when McDevitt played a perfect through ball into the feet of Blackmore, who hit a fast rising shot into the roof of the net.
As the game approached the 20 minute mark, City were awarded a penalty, but this was spectacularly saved by Newton, who dived full stretch to palm out Charlton’s powerful effort.
Despite this save, and his subsequent heroics throughout the match, things did not get any better for the visitors, and in the 29th minute Compton made it 3-0 by hammering in the ball of of the far post.
Half -time City 3-0 Coventry
Second Half
Coming out in the second half, City could have taken it easy, but they continued to put on a performance that was described in the papers as ‘pure unadulterated football’. Showing greater pace and intelligence to a man, and peppering the peepers goal, the score was soon 5-0 as Dent and then Blackmore added to their tallies with precision finishing.
Numbers Six and Seven came through tidy combinations between the forward lines, and while McDevitt could not get on the score-sheet himself, it was his genius that led to Compton and Purcell bagging easy goals from close range.
With just five minutes left to survive their ordeal, Coventry grabbed a goal of their own as Heathcote headed home from a corner, but their misery was not completed until the very last minute when Purcell snuck in to make it 8 (eight).
The home crowd was ecstatic, shouting “one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight”, reflecting the goals that matched the club’s highest ever league win, and the setting of a club record victory in the Football League that remains to this day.
Final Score: ECFC 8 Coventry 1
Classic Match
Coventry City 1926
written by Will Barrett in 2019.
Back in the days before First World War, City created a sensation with an 8-1 win over a New Brompton team that later became Gillingham. In the years that followed, particularly since joining the Football League in 1920, fans had not experienced an afternoon quite like that one at the park – that was until Coventry City rocked up in December 1926.
In the build up to the match City were very much the favourites, largely thanks to the potential of the forwards, and also because Coventry had struggled to adjust since being moved into the southern section of the third division.
At the time Coventry were commonly known as the peepers, but on this particular afternoon they would not be able to believe their eyes as the Grecians forward line fulfilled their promise by running riot on the visitors beleaguered defence.
The opening goal came in the fourth minute, when Dent opened his account for the Grecians by heading the ball past Randle and running round him to strike home from close range. A second came soon after when McDevitt played a perfect through ball into the feet of Blackmore, who hit a fast rising shot into the roof of the net.
As the game approached the 20 minute mark, City were awarded a penalty, but this was spectacularly saved by Newton, who dived full stretch to palm out Charlton’s powerful effort.
Despite this save, and his subsequent heroics throughout the match, things did not get any better for the visitors, and in the 29th minute Compton made it 3-0 by hammering in the ball of of the far post.
Coming out in the second half, City could have taken it easy, but they continued to put on a performance that was described in the papers as ‘pure unadulterated football’. Showing greater pace and intelligence to a man, and peppering the peepers goal, the score was soon 5-0 as Dent and then Blackmore added to their tallies with precision finishing.
Numbers Six and Seven came through tidy combinations between the forward lines, and while McDevitt could not get on the score-sheet himself, it was his genius that led to Compton and Purcell bagging easy goals from close range.
With just five minutes left to survive their ordeal, Coventry grabbed a goal of their own as Heathcote headed home from a corner, but their misery was not completed until the very last minute when Purcell snuck in to make it 8 (eight).
The home crowd was ecstatic, shouting “one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight”, reflecting the goals that matched the club’s highest ever league win, and the setting of a club record victory in the Football League that remains to this day.
Final Score: ECFC 8 Coventry 1
Exeter City: Bailey; Pollard, Charlton; Pullan, Pool, Garratt; Purcell, McDevitt, Blackmore, Dent, Compton.
Coventry City: Newton; Randle, Gay; Brown, Ramage, Gardiner; Daily, Dunn, Heathcotte, Herbert, Ferguson
Man of the match: William McDevitt
Attendance: 6,000
Written by: Will Barrett
In the build up to the match City were very much the favourites, largely thanks to the potential of the forwards, and also because Coventry had struggled to adjust since being moved into the southern section of the third division.
At the time Coventry were commonly known as the peepers, but on this particular afternoon they would not be able to believe their eyes as the Grecians forward line fulfilled their promise by running riot on the visitors beleaguered defence.
The opening goal came in the fourth minute, when Dent opened his account for the Grecians by heading the ball past Randle and running round him to strike home from close range. A second came soon after when McDevitt played a perfect through ball into the feet of Blackmore, who hit a fast rising shot into the roof of the net.
As the game approached the 20 minute mark, City were awarded a penalty, but this was spectacularly saved by Newton, who dived full stretch to palm out Charlton’s powerful effort.
Despite this save, and his subsequent heroics throughout the match, things did not get any better for the visitors, and in the 29th minute Compton made it 3-0 by hammering in the ball of of the far post.
Coming out in the second half, City could have taken it easy, but they continued to put on a performance that was described in the papers as ‘pure unadulterated football’. Showing greater pace and intelligence to a man, and peppering the peepers goal, the score was soon 5-0 as Dent and then Blackmore added to their tallies with precision finishing.
Numbers Six and Seven came through tidy combinations between the forward lines, and while McDevitt could not get on the score-sheet himself, it was his genius that led to Compton and Purcell bagging easy goals from close range.
With just five minutes left to survive their ordeal, Coventry grabbed a goal of their own as Heathcote headed home from a corner, but their misery was not completed until the very last minute when Purcell snuck in to make it 8 (eight).
The home crowd was ecstatic, shouting “one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight”, reflecting the goals that matched the club’s highest ever league win, and the setting of a club record victory in the Football League that remains to this day.
Final Score: ECFC 8 Coventry 1
Exeter City: Bailey; Pollard, Charlton; Pullan, Pool, Garratt; Purcell, McDevitt, Blackmore, Dent, Compton.
Coventry City: Newton; Randle, Gay; Brown, Ramage, Gardiner; Daily, Dunn, Heathcotte, Herbert, Ferguson
Man of the match: William McDevitt
Attendance: 6,000
Written by: Will Barrett
Western League
Weymouth v Exeter City Reserves
The City Reserves drew their Western League match at Weymouth. Haig put Weymouth in front with a penalty and Phoenix equalised with but a few minutes left.
Creator
Paul Farley, from Alex Wilson's research.
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