Plymouth Argyle v Exeter City PLYMOUTH MAINTAIN THEIR UNBEATEN RECORD

City No Match for Pilgrims at Home Park

Saturday, October 26th 1929.
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 4 (Bowden 3 Black)
EXETER CITY 1 (Hemingway)

Half-time 3-1.

Argyle: Craig; Bland and Titmuss; Mackay, Pullen, and Hardie; Grozier, Sloan, Bowden, Leslie, and Black.
Exeter City: Alderson; Howson and Miller; Clarke, Ditchburn, and McMullan; Purcell, Houghton, Guyan, Hemingway, and Doncaster.
Referee:- Mr A.J.Attwood, of Newport.

There were over sixteen thousand people present when the teams appeared on the field for the latest in the long series of "Devon Derbies" between the "big two" of the South-West. The weather was bright and cold at Home Park, and the ground ideal for football. A light breeze blew from the Devonport end. Charlie Miller, recovered from his knee trouble, made a welcome return to the City team as captain and left-back against his old club, but Craig beat him in the toss. Exeter kicked off facing the wind. Unbeaten this season and having secured the maximum points from their two Derby games with Torquay United, the Pilgrims naturally fancied the chances of their adding Exeter's scalp to their collection. Yet the City and their following felt quite optimistic as to the outcome of the game, especially with Ditchburn in such commanding form at centre-half, the forwards having recently demonstrated their goalscoring capabilities, and the return of the skipper, Charlie Miller, stiffening up the defence.

THE GAME.
With a four to one win over Exeter City at Home Park this afternoon, Plymouth Argyle finished the first two months of the season with an unbeaten record. They were entitled to their success, although perhaps not by such a wide margin. They were, however, always the better side, not merely by the goals they scored, but also by their classy play. Exeter City in fact made a poor show, their backs being hesitant in their efforts to counteract the smart open football of the Argyle forwards, who were excellently supported by Mackay, Pullen, and Hardie. In the second half the Grecians did better, the whole side displaying greater confidence, and at one stage even looked like gaining the mastery, but the "snap" that serves to drive home the advantage was missing, and gradually the Argyle again got the upper hand. To Grozier belongs the credit of providing Bowden with the opening by which he scored the Argyle 's first goal after four minutes, although it was made far easier than it should have been through Howson miskicking, thereby allowing Grozier room to manoeuvre. To make matters worse Howson then called Alderson to come out and clear, not realising the speed with which Bowden moves on to the ball. The lithe Cornish centre-forward rounded Howson, kicked the ball aside out of Alderson's reach and then put it into the unguarded net.

HEMINGWAY'S EQUALISER.

For the next few minutes it was all Argyle, their forwards, from Grozier to Black, playing very pretty football and giving the City defence plenty of work to do. Alderson saved an oblique shot from Grozier, then Black rounded Howson with ease but was successfully tackled by Miller. Three minutes after the Argyle had scored Exeter equalised in dramatic fashion. McMullan from a free kick for "hands" against Hardie placed the ball in front of the Plymouth goal. It was cleared but promptly kicked back again by Clarke. Bland tried to head clear, but directed the ball to Hemingway, who drove hard into the net from point-blank range. Sensation followed sensation, and direct from the kick-off on the half way line Plymouth regained the lead. This goal, scored by Bowden, can only be described as a "fluke," for Bowden, who appeared to be crowded out, flicked the ball rather aimlessly towards the Exeter goal. Alderson stooped to pick up the leather, and to the amazement of the crowd let it slip over his arm and roll gently into the net. Alderson saved one shot from Black, who was delighting the Home Park crowd with his sparkling play on the left wing, but could not keep out the next one which from the left foot of the little Scottish winger swung in and rattled the rigging like a shot from a gun. In 25 minutes the Argyle were therefore leading by three goals to one. Leslie put in another great drive, Alderson saving under the crossbar, and Miller blocked a fierce shot from Mackay. And just before half-time Black with one more powerful left-footer drove against the angle of the Exeter goal.

SECOND HALF.
Bowden and Ditchburn were prominent for their respective sides after ends had been changed, but Miller was feeling the effect of his old knee injury and it was as much as he could do to raise a gallop, neither was he able to kick with his customary strength and direction. The pace of the game slackened, with the Argyle seemingly content to hold on to their comfortable lead, and play was featureless for a time. When the second half was a quarter of an hour old Ditchburn was penalised for kicking Leslie, and Pullen came up to take the penalty. Alderson anticipated the shot perfectly and beat the ball out. It went to Black, who drove wide. Exeter now improved, and at this stage played their best football of the match, the Plymouth defence being in sore straits more than once against the wiles of Hemingway and Houghton, the speed and trickery of Doncaster and Purcell, and the forcing tactics of Guyan. Craig had difficulty in stopping a shot from Houghton, and conceded a corner in saving from Purcell. Then in another sharp attacl Hemingway skimmed the crossbar with a flashing drive, and there were cries of "Wake up Argyle" from the terraces. Plymouth must have heeded the advice of their followers, for ten minutes from the finish a strong attack ended with Bowden scoring their fourth goal.

Comments.
While it would be ridiculous to quarrel with the result, the fact remains that despite their fine play in the first half the Pilgrims were lucky to collect three goals before the interval. The opening goal was due solely to serious blunders on the part of Howson and the second one was a pure fluke. Nevertheless, the Argyle are to be complimented on a very workmanlike display, in which they showed superior skill in all departments, especially at back, and on the left wing. Exeter were best served by Alderson, Ditchburn, and McMullan, whilst Houghton and Hemingway were clever forwards. Miller's old injury reasserted itself in the second half, but he very pluckily remained on the field till the end.

SOUTHERN LEAGUE
EXETER CITY RESERVES 3
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE RESERVES O.

Counter-attractions at the other end of Exeter (Devon v Gloucestershire, for the Rugby Union County Championship) and at Plymouth (Argyle v City chiefs) affected the attendance at this afternoon's Southern League match on the St James's Park pitch between the reserve teams of the City and Argyle. The ground and weather conditions were more or less ideal, and there prospect of a keen struggle.
Teams: 
City Reserves:- Holland; Baugh and Shanks; Sheffield, Gurkin, Dennington; Armfield, McDevitt, J.Gumm, Henderson, and Corrigan.
Argyle Reserves:- Cann; Cosgrove and Price; Thompson, Deacon, and Hamlett; Healy, Findlay, Borley, Fellowes, and Channon.

There was little to enthuse over in the early stages, during which the ball was too much in the air. When the City half-backs began to use the ball to greater advantage play brightened up considerably, and Cann was none too safe in his handling of one or two shots which were sent in. Gumm, the St James's amateur, was attempting to cut through on his own when he was barged into and bowled over by Deacon, but no free kick was given. Armfield then drove in a difficult dropping shot which Cann punched over the bar. At the other end Holland saved at full length from Healy. Cosgrove, whos play was more than ordinarily robust, was repeatedly booed by the spectators towards the interval, but there was nothing about the tactics of the Plymouth right-back to call for such treatment. With but a few minutes left before the interval, however, a palpable foul by Cosgrove on Gumm resulted in the award of a penalty kick to Exeter. Gumm took the kick himself, and left Cann helpless with a fast shot to the bottom of the net, right in the corner. At half-time the City led by this goal to nil. Gumm opened out play on the resumption by giving Armfield a beautiful pass, but the old Aston Villa winger after cutting in splendidly spoiled his good work by lifting the ball over the bar from eight yards. Channon almost equalised with a dangerous shot which flew across the Exeter goalmouth, then McDevitt fooled the Argyle defence with a typically shrewd pass to Gumm, who, from twelve yards, easily be at Cann with a shot into the corner of the net. Cosgrove slipped on the turf and let in Armfield, who shot against the side netting, and Cann brilliantly saved a powerful header from Henderson. With Henderson and Corrigan in splendid form the Argyle defence was given a hard time, and Armfield rounded off a fine combined move by scoring the last of Exeter's three goals.