BOURNEMOUTH AND BOSCOMBE 4
EXETER CITY 3.

Played at Dean Court; Saturday, March 12th, 1927.

Exeter City paid their fourth visit to Dean Court, Boscombe, on Football League business, and although lacking the services of Miller and Dent, who were injured in the Devon Professional Championship match, they hoped to improve on previous performances on the Bournemouth ground. The weather was perfect, and the ground in good, firm condition. Exeter turned out in white shirts and blue knickers, and Charlton was beaten by Smith in the toss up. Blackmore kicked off, with the City facing a stiff breeze.

Bournemouth:
Robson; Saxton, and Blair; Halliwell, Miles, and Smith; Clifford, Readman, Eyre, Stringfellow, and Thomson.

Exeter City:- Randall; Lowton, and Charlton; Ditchburn, Pool, and Potter;
Purcell, McDevitt, Blackmore, Lievesley, and Compton.

At half time the City were three goals to nil in arrears, and it looked like a repeat of the Brentford match at Griffin Park recently. But the great second half rally was the sensation of the day, and the Grecians played so well after the interval that they fulley deserved finish level. There was a rare sparkle about all the Grecians' play fore and aft, and it was almost unbelievable to see the contrast between the early and late play. McDevitt was the "master schemer," and the best forward on the field. Blackmore also had a great second half. Slips by the defence, however, proved too costly for the forwards to recover lost ground, valiantly though they tried. Play was fast, keen, and clever all through, and it was voted one of the best games seen at Dean Court this season. Stringfellow, Ditchburn (through his own goal) and Smith scored for the Cherries in the first half, during which Lievesley netted the ball but was ruled offside. Three minutes from the restart Blackmore scored for Exeter, and this goal gave the Grecians some encouragement, Lievesley following with a second scoring shot a few minutes later. In the tenth minute Blackmore levelled the score, whereupon a tremendous struggle for the winning goal took place, and it was obtained ten minutes from "time" by Stringfellow, who headed in brilliantly from Clifford's centre.

FRIENDLY
CITY RESERVES 4
PLYMOUTH & DISTRICT LEAGUE 2.

An interesting trial of strength between the professional and amateur element was staged at St James's Park this afternoon, when the City Reserves opposed a useful Plymouth and District League side (selected). About two thousand people attended.
Pullan won the toss, but it was left to the League representatives to mount the first attack. Bravin broke through cleverly, but shot weakly behind, and later cross shot by Vid was safely fielded by Stanbury. Exeter's reply was a smart combined move, initiated by Shute, the North Devon player, who placed the ball well for Thompson by means of a shrewd pass down the middle. Thompson in turn sent Newman away, but his centre was intercepted by Stratton, and cleared. Back came the League team, and Demellweek, who scored three goals for Plymouth Argyle Reserves against the City in the Spooner Cup Final on Wednesday, wormed his way through cleverly, and centred for Dexter to open the scoring with a neat header from close range. The City seemed unable to get into their stride, and when Demellweek again got away it seemed that another goal would accrue, but his centre was fisted out by Stanbury, and the Exeter goalkeeper completed a remarkable double save from the rebound, fired in by Hore. This seemed to rouse the Grecians from their listlesness, and a raid on the left ended with Parkin netting the ball. Dexter was fouled by Powell in the penalty area, but Dexter, from the spot, was unable to beat Stanbury, who made a sensational save. Vidler should have given the League XI the lead, but shot weakly and straight at Stanbury.

Second Half.

Stanbury made another brilliant save, from Hore, following a pile-driver on to the crossbar by Dexter. Eventually Dexter raced Pullan to the ball, and scored in the bottom corner, giving Stanbury no chance. In the closing stages the amateurs were seen to tire, and play remained almost continually at their end. Thompson, Walker, and Phoenix scored for the City.

Wednesday, March 16th, 1927, at St James's Park.
Exeter City Reserves 4
Lovell's Athletic (Newport) 0.

The return Western League match between the City Reserves and Lovell's Athletic of Newport took place this afternoon at St James's Park, and was witnessed by a crowd of six hundred people. The following teams lined up.

City: Bailey; Pollard, and Charlton; Pullan, Good, and Clarke; Newman, Thompson, Phoenix, Walker, and Parkin.

Lovells:- Hughes; Hillman, and Williams; Jones, Jenkins, and Davis; Cook, Mackay, Howarth, Macdonald, and Harrison.

Thompson gave Exeter the lead with a fine low shot after ten minutes, although most of the early moves had come from the Welsh side. Stanley Charlton was, of course, a great source of strength to the City Reserves, and he and Pollard soon had the measure of the Lovells' forwards. Phoenix missed with a header, but followed his error in the next minute with a well earned goal, and just before half time he rounded off a persistent Exeter attack with a hurricane shot which all but broke the net. Thompson scored for the Reserves in the second half.