Exeter City v Southend

GRECIANS WELL BEATEN: BRILLIANT PLAY BY SOUTHEND

Campbell's Grand Goal-Keeping

Wednesday, September 5th 1928.

EXETER CITY (Cameron) 1

SOUTHEND UNITED (Shankley 2) 2 

Referee:- Mr C.F.Moon, of Bristol.

Exeter City:- Campbell; Pollard and Miller; Taylor, Mason, and Clarke; Purcell, Streets, Cameron, C.Bastin, and Kirk.

Southend: Moore; French and Robinson; Dixon, Binks, and Sayer; Morris, Townsend, Shankley, Donovan, and Clenshaw.

Exeter City were outplayed and at times quite outclassed at St James's Park on Wednesday evening by Southend United, who, winning by two goals to one, have secured an early "double" at the Grecians' expense. Cameron opened the score in seven minutes from Bastin's pass; Shankley ten minutes after the interval equalised, heading in from a corner kick taken by Clenshaw; and Shankley scored the deciding goal one minute before the finish when he rounded off neat work by Clenshaw and Morris.

Game Ends in Darkness.

Five minutes before the finish it was too dark to see the length and breadth of the field, and in this fading light Shankley swept in a terrific cross shot, and when Campbell saved this one it looked as though the City would at least retain one point. But only one minute from time Clenshaw captured a strong pass and crossed the ball right over to Morris. Morris closed in to the penalty area and worried the ball past three defenders who met him in a bunch, and Shankley in almost total darkness applied the final touch which sent the leather into the net. Although the Shrimpers' winning goal came very late in the game it had long been foreshadowed by the run of the play, and as a matter of fact only the grand goal-keeping of Campbell saved Exeter from a severe reverse. Campbell's play was the redeeming feature of the game from Exeter's point of view. His masterly saves and clearances in the first half alone enabled the City to cross over with the lead. Nor did he fail to maintain this splendid form during the second period. Exeter have never been served better in goal in any match since Dick Pym left for Bolton Wanderers. Pollard captained the City in the absence of McDevitt, and he won the toss, but this carried no advantage. Exeter set a great pace from the start, and took the lead before their opponents had got into their stride. Pollard with a strong clearance sent the ball well down the field to Kirk, who gave a short pass inwards to Bastin. The young inside-left instantly slipped the ball down the middle for the ready Cameron to fasten on to it, and just as Robinson closed in to tackle, shoot low past Moore into the net. It was a splendid goal, cleverly worked for and dashingly gained. It raised hopes which, unfortunately, were all too soon extinguished.

Initiative Passed to Southend.

Bastin, who had registered the first shot of the match long before Cameron scored, was the most skilful of the Exeter forwards, and for some time he did quite the best work. One very pretty inter-passing movement on the left between Bastin and Kirk roused the spectators to high enthusiasm. But soon the initiative passed from Exeter to Southend, and from that period Bastin received hardly any workable passes, and was rarely able to get the ball for himself. He was clearly out-weighted. Trouble started for Exeter when Miller began to fail the side at critical moments. Campbell in fact made his first difficult save from Miller, who in a fast Southend attack headed perilously towards his own goal. After Exeter had taken the lead Miller made two mistakes in the space of a minute, and following the second of these Morris gained possession and sent in a grand shot which all but beat Campbell, the ball screwing out of his hands to be hurriedly kicked clear by Pollard.

Southend Strong in Every Department.

The effect of this was to thoroughly unsettle the home defence, and with the Southend forwards now the outstanding force in the game Pollard fell back on the defensive, a move which left Taylor, an inexperienced youngster playing his first Football League game, rather much "in the air" in his efforts to hold up the smart Southend left wing pair. Clenshaw and Donovan, too, were splendidly backed up by Sayer, the Southend captain, as fine a purveyor of the ball and as keen a tackler as anyone could wish to see. Southend, strong now in every department with French and Robinson settling down to a confident game, launched attack after attack. Shankley, the burly centre-forward, was a dashing and skilful leader, and there was not a weak spot anywhere in the line. Exeter struggled free and fought back every now and again, but Binks had a big physical advantage in relation to Cameron, and although Streets was a forceful thruster at inside right, and opened well, the Exeter line gradually fell apart and went to pieces. Purcell was not at all happy in his work on the extreme right and Kirk on the other wing could not repeat his clever work of last Saturday. Moore was rarely tested. Southend were a good side last season, and from what has been seen of them in their two matches against Exeter, they bid fair to become one of the leading exponents of the game in the Southern Section this year. They outplayed the City in practically every department in this match, and in fact looked quite a brilliant team during most of the second half.

Attendance 7,000.

Thursday, September 6th 1928.
CITY RESERVES AT ILFRACOMBE

Probably owing to the showery weather Ilfracombe Town's friendly match with Exeter City Reserves at Ilfracombe on Thursday evening failed to attract a crowd anything like as large as was anticipated. The Exeter side included eight professionals, while in the ranks of the home team was A.H.Chadder, the Corinthian and English Amateur International, who served up a capital game. Exeter City Reserves won by six goals to two, and thoroughly deserved their victory.

Scorers for Exeter were Mason (2), Redler (1), Streets (1), Wade (1) and Erridge (1), while for Ilfracombe the goal-getters were Prouse (1) and Thomas (1). Mason missed the goal with a penalty kick for Exeter.
The City team was:- Holland; Noble, Miller; Phoenix, Mason, and Sheffield; Redler, Streets, Wade, Doncaster, and Erridge.