Luton Town v Exeter WINTRY SCENE AT LUTON: PITCH CLEARED OF SNOW

City Overplayed: Rennie Scores a "Hat Trick"

Saturday, January 5th 1929.

LUTON TOWN 4 (Clark Rennie 3) .
EXETER CITY  0 


Referee:- Mr W. Musther, of London.

Luton Town: Abbott; Graham and Harris; Black, Fulton, and Fraser; Daly, Yardley, Rennie, Clark, and Bedford.

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

Snow fell for hours before the start of today's game at Kenilworth Road. The surrounding countryside nestled beneath its blanket of white, and at the football ground the lines had to be swept before play could be proceeded with, and with the teams on the field for their preliminary shooting-in practice there was an amusing incident when one of the sweepers was struck by the ball and knocked off his feet to slide several yards on the slippery surface. The crowd was slow coming in, no doubt due to the wintry weather, and the attendance at the start was barely five thousand. Luton Town won the toss and Doncaster kicked off for Exeter facing the breeze. It was soon evident that the players would have the utmost difficulty in keep ing their feet on the bone hard ground with its covering of trodden down snow, but the City right wing soon got into action until Purcell was given offside.

Applause for Holland.
Lowton had to concede a corner in checking Daly, and when the centre came in Holland caught the ball and cleared upfield. The combination of the Luton Town forwards was very smart, and Holland made two good saves from Yardley and Rennie. The goalkeeper won applause for his next save, when he dived at full length to turn a swift low shot from Bedford round the post for a corner. Exeter were being overplayed in these stages, and after ten minutes Holland was beaten by Clark, from point-blank range, following a short scrimmage in the City goalmouth. Eight minutes later Rennie scored from Daly's centre. Apart from one or two efforts by Doncaster to force his way through the City attack was not much in evidence. Luton were quicker on the ball, and adapted their play to suit the conditions by swinging the ball about from wing to wing,
and their pressure was rewarded just before half-time when Fulton gave a long pass up the middle to Rennie, who took the ball in his stride and went on to score Luton's third goal. Throughout the first half Luton had played brilliant football, and, what is more, had finished their admirable approach work with strong and forceful shooting. With a lead of three goals after forty-five minutes of play, Luton appeared to have had the game already won.

Second Half.
Owing to the fading light the half-time interval was dispensed with. Luton began the second half with an attack that threatened to overwhelm the Exeter defence, but when Rennie dribbled through and shot Holland brought off yet another masterly clearance. The City at last got going, and set up some thing like a concerted attack, the ball being passed from man to man with splendid accuracy until Purcell spoilt the move by running into an offside position. Exeter in fact were the stronger side in the second half, and with steadier and stronger shooting could have had a couple of goals, but after twenty five minutes Luton, who had been defending, broke away on their left. Holland came out to a high ball from Bedford, but Rennie was too quick for him and hooked the leather over his head. Yardley in turn struck the post, and from the re bound Rennie netted to complete the "hat-trick."

Southern League
EXETER CITY RESERVES 1
TAUNTON TOWN 2.

St James's Park was dry and hard for today's Southern League match between the City Reserves and Taunton, and the air was bitterly cold. The Taunton eleven travelled by road, and had to change 'buses at Wellington and Cullompton, due to engine trouble, and were late in arriving, only reaching the ground at the time fixed for the kick-off.
City Reserves:Campbell; Pollard, Noble; Sheffield, Ditchburn, Christie; Phoenix, Streets, Wade, Bastin, and Turl.
Taunton Town:- Bristowe; Day, E.Curtis; Ford, W.Curtis, Clemett; Smith, Whittear, Burrows, Broad, and Follett.

Exeter City Reserves were beaten today by the most remarkable and ridiculous goal ever scored on the St James's Park ground. Shortly after the interval the ball was driven hard down the field by Taunton in their own half, and Smith gave chase. Noble, who was too quick for Smith, decided to pass back to the goalkeeper, which he did, from outside the penalty area and without taking his off the ball. The move would have been admirable if Campbell had stayed at home, but he was in need of a sprint to restore his circulation (the air being very keen), and he had run smartly to the edge of the penalty area to field the ball, from Taunton's long punt down the field. Noble was astonished when he saw Campbell almost at his elbow. Campbell looked disgusted as he saw Noble tap the ball so promptly and accurately towards the goal. Together the two players stood and watched the ball roll gently into the empty net to give Taunton the winning goal. Streets (penalty) had previously scored for Exeter and Broad for the visitors.