Christmas Day Soccer

PILGRIMS BEAT THE GRECIANS AT HOME PARK

Fifteen thousand people were attracted to Home Park on Christmas morning to see the "Devon Derby" between Exeter City and Plymouth Argyle. The Grecians fielded a weak forward line, McDevitt being an absentee owing to a family bereavement, while Compton and Walker were nursing injuries.

Plymouth Argyle.
Craig; Cosgrove, Titmuss; Logan, Russell, Hardie; Matthews, Forbes, Cock, Leslie and Black.

Exeter City.
Bailey; Pollard, Charlton; Pullan, Pool, Potter; Purcell, Phoenix, Blackmore, Dent, and Parkin.

Referee: Mr A.Richards, of Bristol.

The Argyle scored six minutes before the interval, and again in the last minute of the game, both points following on corner kicks. There was no reply from the Grecians, and so the Pilgrims won by two clear goals, thereby maintaining their unbeaten "ground record," and achieving their first League victory at the City's expense in three years. Accurate football was well nigh impossible, owing to the fact that there was a gale of wind, and although the play was always keen and clean it never reached a high standard. Plymouth were the more effective team in the opening half, Black giving a most exhillarating display at outside left and paving the way for many good attacks. The City halves and backs, however, stuck to their work resolutely and well, and with Bailey very sound in goal, for more than half an hour the men in the green and black, who had the wind in their favour, could not claim any advantage. So stoutly and cleverly did Pollard and Charlton defend that the Argyle forwards abandoned their characteristic short passing methods for the open game, and with five very dependable and skilful men in their forward line they played this sort of football admirably, and made it pay in the end.

Shots That Grazed the Bar.

Bailey stopped a couple of terrific shots from Black, another shot had dropped on to the top of the crossbar, and another from Russell had grazed the bar during an exciting scramble, with Bailey out of his goal. The opening goal, after thirty-nine minutes, came from a corner taken by Black, his centre going right across the goalmouth to Forbes, who hooked the ball back for Leslie to head into the net. It was a very pretty score. Exeter started the second half in such energetic and enterprising fashion as to greatly hearten their following. For twenty minutes the Grecians set the pace, and an equaliser appeared likely at almost any moment. In one attack by the Pilgrims, however, Bailey made a remarkable save from one of Leslie's best shots. Exeter again took up the running, and with the end of hostilities in sight the Argyle were hard put to it to preserve their slender lead. At the same time, the City forwards never really shaped effectively, and the only occasion on which Craig was seriously troubled was when Blackmore sent in a characteristic drive from fifteen yards, the goalkeeper diving to clear. Then, right on time, Cock went through cleverly and forced a corner. Black placed the ball perfectly and Forbes headed it into the net. This was, like the opening goal, a very spectacular score, and it sent the Plymouth crowd away in extremely happy spirits. Charlton and Pollard were in magnificent form, while the halves did very well in defence. The forwards were not well together, and the inside men lacked power to penetrate. Parkin played neat and clever football on the extreme left.
Result:
Plymouth Argyle 2 Exeter City nil.

CITY RESERVES 2
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE RESERVES 2
Southern League match at St James's Park, Exeter.

The City Reserves, with L. Burrows at centre forward, R.Hutchings at outside left, and R.L.Clarke at right half-back, delighted a crowd of 4,000 at St James's Park in the afternoon by outplaying Plymouth Argyle Reserves. But the City forwards finished so moderately that they scored only two goals, where they should have had at least twice as many, while the Argyle also scored twice, Randall being at fault each time. The Pilgrims took the lead in twenty-five minutes, when Randall failed to move in time to save a shot from Baker. Burrows equalised almost directly afterwards when Lievesley placed a free-kick nicely into the goalmouth and Burrows and Thompson prevented Thomson, the Argyle goalkeeper, from clearing. The City Reserves took the lead just after the change of ends, Burrows combining with Hutchings to work out an opening from which Thompson netted with a splendid cross-shot. The nimble Grecians made things very lively for their opponents after this, but Newman blundered badly more than once when well away with the ball at his toes, and once, following a corner the ball appeared to have gone under the bar before Thomson hooked it back and cleared. The Argyle goalkeeper saved brilliantly more than once under severe pressure and eventually became a casualty, Livingstone taking his place in goal for a few minutes till the regular custodian recovered. A bad mistake by the Argyle backs let Burrows clean through, but with Thomson the only man left to beat he placed the ball outside. Ten minutes before the finish Mays equalised with a very neat shot. Lowton was in a position to head away a centre from Healy, and did so, but Randall left his goal to support Lowton, and before Randall could get back Mays had scored a soft equaliser.

The City backs played exceedingly well, Miller giving a faultless and skilful display against his old club. The half backs, too, were a strong trio, Clarke's good work all through being a very pleasing feature. The forwards were nimble and hard-working, and Burrows and Hutchings were among the successes of the day.