Charlton Athletic v Exeter City 

DEATH AND HOUGHTON A FINE WING:
BASTIN'S SHOOTING INEFFECTIVE

Charlton's Fine Football in Second Half

Saturday, September 22nd 1928.

CHARLTON ATHLETIC (Astley Whitlow 2) 3 
EXETER CITY (Pool) 1 

Referee:- Mr R.O.Rees, of Swansea.

Charlton Athletic: Lindon; Smith and Langford; Hird, G.H.Armitage, and Pugsley; Wyper, Astley, Whitlow, Rankin, and Horton.

Exeter City  Campbell; Lowton and Miller; Phoenix, Pool, and Clarke;
Purcell, McDevitt, C.Bastin, Houghton, and Death.

Cameron was unable to play owing to an injury, and Clifford Bastin, the local sixteen-year old, led the City attack. The weather was bright and sunny, but a strong breeze suggested that the ball would be difficult to control on the hard ground. Winning the toss, the City gained a slight advantage, and the ten thousand spectators saw a sensational start.

Two Goals in the First Four Minutes.

Each side scored within the first four minutes. Lowton checked one Charlton
advance, but the home side came again and after two minutes took the lead by means of a curious goal. Horton had broken away and lobbed the ball into the goalmouth, and when Whitlow followed up it struck him on the back of the head and fell at the feet of Astley, who drove it low into the net. Two minutes later a corner was forced by Exeter, and Death placed the flag kick nicely for Pool from twenty yards' range to score a brilliant goal. The City were playing some good football at this stage, Purcell especially, and when the ball came his way he beat Langford every time. On one occasion, when the ball came across from him Bastin headed just over, and another time Smith conceded a corner.

City Monopolised the Play.

That strong half-back, G.H.Armitage, the amateur International, initiated one clever Charlton attack with a swinging pass to Wyper, who tapped the ball past Miller and made ground dangerously. Campbell then demonstrated his ability by coming out to meet the centre and punching clear. The City retaliated, and the left wing forced a corner, McDevitt from the flag kick shooting just wide. An excellent move was carefully built up by McDevitt and Houghton, and from 25 yards Houghton shot over the bar with a curling drive. Purcell and Mc Devitt next collaborated cleverly, and the City were monopolising the play. A fine tackle by Lowton stopped Wyper on the edge of the penalty area, and in an instant the City inside forwards had again taken up the running. However, after 32 minutes Charlton took the lead. Phoenix headed a shot from Horton over the line to give Charlton a corner, and into the net from about eight yards. from Horton's kick Whitlow fire.

Half-time:
Charlton Athletic 2 Exeter City 1.

It had been a splendid first half with the Grecians the better team, despite being a goal in arrears, but Charlton rose to the occasion after the change of ends, and in ten minutes had added to their tally of goals. Horton, who wa a constant source of danger whenever in possession, beat Phoenix and Lowton, and passed forward to Whitlow, who appeared to be offside. With the Grecians defence standing still expecting the whistle Whitlow was allowed to go on an beat Campbell with a beautiful rising shot. Charlton in this half played fine football, strong in defence and lively in attack, and Exeter were forced back on the defensive. Bastin, playing in the unaccustomed position of centre forward, was largely subdued by Armitage, an his shooting on the rare occasions that he did get within range, was either wide of the goal or over the bar, and mostly ineffective. Whitlow and Horton were the "live wires" of the Charlton attack.


Southern League
EXETER CITY RESERVES 2
BATH CITY 0.
In this Southern League match at St James's Park the City Reserves were minu Bastin, for whom Sheffield deputised. Bath City had Long for Torrance at lef half. Because of the continuance of fine sunny weather the playing pitch was as dry as a bone and just about as hard.
Attendance 2,000.

City Reserves:- Holland; Pollard, Davies; Taylor, Mason, Christie; L.Turl, Streets, Wade, Sheffield, and Doncaster.

Bath City: Garrett; Howson, Staples; Neesam, Waite, Long; Smith, Bird, Brittain, W., Graydon, and Brittain, H.

Referee:- Mr J. J. Hughes.

Pollard was prominent in defence of the Exeter goal when Bath made some bris advances, but in helping to repel these invasions Davies fell and twisted hi knee, reviving an old injury. He retired to the side of the field for massag and resumed at outside right, although limping. Nothing was scored till the end of an hour's play, Wade rounding of an eager attack with a perfectly placed header to the top corner of the net. Another lovely header by Wade, this time from Streets's centre, gave Wade and Exeter their second goal. Christie, Pollard, Doncaster, and Wade were prominent in a good Exeter team, while Garrett, who was overworked, was a fine goalkeeper for Bath City.

Exeter City
SMALL DEFICIENCY ON LAST YEAR'S WORKING FINANCES 

Big Drop in "Devon Derby" Gates

Exeter City Directors, in their twentieth annual report, for the year ended April 30th last, and published on Tuesday, September 25th, state that while the playing season was one of the most successful in recent years the accounts show a small loss of £226. 08. 8d., this being mainly due to a difference of £600 on the Boxing Day match with Plymouth Argyle as compared with the previous year's "gate," and to the necessity of providing interest on the grand-stand loan, £1,000 of which has now been paid off. Thanking the players who did so well in last year's matches, the Exeter City Directors point out that in the F. A. Cup Competition, the ultimate winners were only successful against the Exeter club after extra time in a replay at Blackburn, and Exeter scored more goals against the Rovers than all their other opponents in the competition.

Directors Look Forward to a Successful Year.
Although not starting too well, the report adds, this season's first and second teams should be up to the previous high standard, and the Directors look forward to a successful year. Under the Articles of Association Messrs M.J.McGahey, J.I.Pengelly, and F.P.Nichols retire, and offer themselves for re-election.
The revenue account shows total receipts of £14,329. Match and ground receipts and guarantees (after payment of share of gates) amounted to the sum of £13,377 as compared with £11,780 the year before, but sale of season tickets fell by £64 to 2706, the net increase of income from these items, therefore, being £1,533.

On the other hand, whereas in 1927 a sum of £1,775 was credited in the annual report by way of transfer fees, this time the income from the same source is nil; on the contrary the club is shown to have spent £100 under this heading.

Expenditure for the year, amounting to £14,552 included for salaries and wages, plus bonuses, the sum of £8,553. 198.6d., which represents an increase of over £600 on the previous year, while travelling expenses were £101 more than the previous year, the figure being £765, and hotel expenses were up by 291 to £596. Referees' and linesmens' services cost the club 2270. 15s. 2d., while the sum of £239. 18. 2d. was paid away in the shape of compensation to other clubs for postponed League matches.

The profit and loss account shows a total deficit of £3,605. 98. Od., as compared with the last year's figure of £3,297. 198.10d., while the general balance sheet shove capital and liabilities amounting to £10,847. 68.7d. and on the other side capital expenditure and assets of £7,241. 178. 74. The annual meeting of the company will be held at St. James's Park on the Wednesday of next week.