GRECIANS FINE GAME AT CRAVEN COTTAGE

Mason Almost Snatched Victory in Final Minute

Saturday, February 1st 1930.

FULHAM 2  (Hammond Penn)
EXETER CITY 2 (Houghton Guyan)
Half-time 1-1.

Fulham: Beecham; Barrett and Gibbon; Henderson, McNab, and Lawson; Temple, Hammond, Haley, Murphy, and Penn.
Exeter City:- Alderson; Gray and Shanks; Clarke, Mason, and Dennington; Armfield, Houghton, Guyan, Hemingway, and Doncaster.
Referee:- Mr E.C.Sambrook, of Swansea.

With Oliver and Price unavailable through ankle injuries and Craig unwell, Fulham were forced to re-shuffle their team. Henderson crossed over to the right half position to allow Lawson to come in on the left, and in the attack Hammond played inside right and Murphy inside left. The Grecians also made changes, Clarke and Mason displacing Sheffield and Ditchburn in the half back line, and Armfield, the old Aston Villa winger, whose form all the season for the Reserves has been far above the standard required for Southern and Western League football, was preferred to Purcell on the right wing. Armfield's only previous match for the "Chiefs" was at Brentford on November 23rd, and on that occasion he was the best of Exeter's forwards.

EXETER CITY'S GREAT GAME.
It was a most stimulating and exciting match at Craven Cottage, although the weather in London was wet, and the attendance only ten thousand. Fulham were much the cleverer side, their ball control and footwork being masterly, but the City played a great game in their rousing "Cup-tie style," and right at the end nearly brought off a sensational victory, Mason's long range shot being fumbled and dropped by Beecham and the ball recovered and hurriedly scrambled round the post for a corner, which was never taken, as just then the referee blew for "time." Houghton scored for Exeter after ten minutes with a shot which struck Barrett on its way to a goal deserted by Beecham, who had advanced too far attempting to clear. Fulham equalised after 38 minutes, following the best scientific movement of the game, in which Haley and Murphy combined before the centre, from Penn, was headed through by Hammond. Gibbon in the second half took it for granted that the ball would roll over the goal-line, but reckoned without the exceptional speed of Armfield, who centred for Guyan to give Exeter the lead for the second time. Ten minutes from time, after Armfield had left the field (injured) Fulham forced a corner. From Temple's flag kick Murphy shot and Gray saved on the goal-line, but Penn got possession and equalised. The absence of Armfield was badly felt, Exeter being compelled to concentrate on their left wing, where Doncaster was not clever or fast enough for Barrett.


Southern League
EXETER CITY RESERVES 4
TAUNTON TOWN 2.

St James's Park had had its share of rain, and was full of water when today's Southern League match between the City Reserves and Taunton was played. The attendance was 1,000 when Ditchburn won the toss and Burrows kicked off in a sea of mud and water.

City Reserves: Holland; Howson and Bright; Sheffield, Ditchburn, and Gurkin; Purcell, Mc Devitt, Gumm, McMullan, and Hutchings.
Taunton Town: Bristowe; McLean and E. Curtis; Walker W.Curtis, and Clemett; Smith, Bryant, Burrows, Jones, and Frankland.
Referee:- Mr W.J.Lambshead.

In the seventh minute Purcell struck the crossbar with a powerful drive, and from the rebound Gumm headed wide. Three minutes later McMullan scored for Exeter with a finely judged shot just inside the post, and this was quickly followed by a goal from Purcell, who beat two defenders and netted with a low shot to the far corner. In streaming rain the players slipped and splashed, but some surprisingly good play was seen, considering the conditions. Smith scored for Taunton from Burrows's pass, and Purcell converted a penalty kick for Exeter, given against McLean for bring Gumm down unfairly. At half time the City led by 3 goals to 1. In the second half McMullan for Exeter and Burrows for Taunton completed the scoring. W.Curtis was admonished by the referee for "arguing."

• VARCO JOINS EXETER CITY.
  
  

Norwich City have transferred Percy S.Varco, the well known centre forward, to Exeter, the necessary papers reaching the Devon capital this morning and thus completing the deal. No transfer fee was paid. Varco, who is a native of Fowey, enjoyed much success with the "Canaries" in season 1927-28, when he scored 29 League goals for them, but did not keep up his form last season. He has been out of the limelight in the present season, but there is good reason for thinking that he is just the man to give Exeter additional tone to their attack. Strongly built, energetic, and very thrustful, Varco should be an outstanding success again between the type of scheming inside forwards Exeter City possess in Houghton and Hemingway. He will probably make his debut for the City next Wednesday, when Clapton Orient are due to appear at St James's Park.