Bristol Rovers v Exeter City EXETER AND BRISTOL ALL SQUARE AT STAPLETON ROAD

Grecians' Late Rally Was a Stirring Feature

Saturday, November 17th 1928.

BRISTOL ROVERS (Phillips) 1
EXETER CITY (Cameron) 1

Referee:- Mr E.C.Sambrook, of Swansea.

Rovers: Whatley; Rotherham and Bennett; Cosgrove, Pirie, and Smith; Reay, R.W.Dix, Phillips, Murray, and Compton.

City: Holland; Lowton and Miller; Ditchburn, Pool, and Clarke; Purcell, McDevitt, Cameron, Doncaster, and Houghton.

The matches between Bristol Rovers and the Grecians are usually very hectic, and it was expected that the first meeting of this season between the clubs, at Eastville today, would prove no exception. Both clubs are desperately in need of League points. The Rovers had Billy Compton, the former City outside left, in that position, Ronald Dix, a locally born Bristol Schools player and a schoolboy International, at inside right, while two players who had been recently recruited were also in the attack. They were Phillips, late of Merthyr Town and Brentford, who joined the Rovers from the last named club on September 27th, and Murray, the South African International, late of Everton, who was transferred from Bristol City to the Eastville brigade only seventeen days ago.
Rovers the Better Team.

In the Exeter team Ditchburn was introduced at right half for his first senior match of the season, replacing Pollard. Several hundred supporters journeyed up from Exeter in the Great Western Railway excursion train, and they brought a colourful display of red and white favours with them. The weather was fine, although there was a strong breeze sweeping the ground from goal to goal, and the pitch was soaking wet, and muddy in places. At the start there were seven thousand spectators, but the crowd was still coming in at a good rate. McDevitt won the toss, and placed Exeter with the wind behind them. The wind turned out to be more of a handicap than a help to the City forwards, and the ball was frequently carried too far in front and over the goal-line. At the interval no goal had been scored, and Exeter had had plenty of defending to do. After five minutes of the second half had been played Phillips scored a neat goal for Bristol from Cosgrove's pass, and in subsequent play, with the Rovers well on top chances of further goals were missed by Dix and Phillips. The Exeter forwards, who had been poor throughout the match, faded right out of the picture, and Bristol's task appeared simply to hang on to their lead for the remainder of the match. Ten minutes from the end, however, just after Dix had missed another inviting chance, the City equalised through Cameron. The game then underwent an amazing transformation, and Exeter piled on the pressure in an exciting and stirring rally, very nearly taking the lead in a series of storming attacks. Whatley saved his side in the last minute when he pulled a goal-bound shot from Purcell down from beneath the crossbar.

Comments.
The Rovers were a better team and deserved their point, but Exeter's closing rally was a stirring and heartening feature. For three quarters of the game Bristol made by far the more thrustful attacks, and at three quarter time, due to the weakness of the City forwards looked to have the game well won. Ditchburn did well in his first game of the season, and Holland's brilliant saves in the first half were invaluable to the Grecians.

Southern League
EXETER CITY RESERVES 3
BRISTOL ROVERS RESERVES 0.

Wet weather, coupled with the fact that some of the regulars had gone on the railway excursion to Bristol, kept the attendance down to below 2,000 to-day at St James's Park, where the Rovers played the City in a Southern League game.

City Reserves: - Campbell; Pollard and P.Noble; Sheffield, Phoenix, and Christie; J.Bluck, Streets, Wade, C.Bastin, and J.Salter.

Rovers Reserves: - Densley; Perry and Haydon; Britton, McCaig, and Roberts; Homer, Paterson, Dounds, King, and Walker.

The Exeter forwards were extremely poor, and singularly lacking in combined work, but took the lead in half an hour all against the run of the play, Wade scoring. Just before the interval the lead was increased. The movement began on the right wing and Street by means of a perfect pass put Wade through. As the centre forward was in the act of shooting he was tripped from behind and a penalty kick was awarded. Streets easily scored from the spot with a low shot to the left of the goalkeeper. About fifteen minutes after the change of ends Wade put the City further in the lead, although Bastin deserves much of the credit for this goal. He dribbled right through the defence and his final shot was too strong for Densley to hold. The goalkeeper pushed the ball out, and Wade, following up, had merely to tap it into the net, which he did.