GRECIANS FIRST WIN ON FOREIGN SOIL Varco the Complete Leader

Saturday, October 25th 1930.

CLAPTON ORIENT 2 (Cropper Sanders) 
EXETER CITY 3 (Doncaster Armfield Varco)
Half-time: Clapton 0 Exeter 2.

Clapton Orient: Wood; Morley and Evans; Broadbent, Edmonds, and Bolton; Ames, Cropper, Sanders, Fowler, and Townley.
Exeter City: Jones; Baugh and Miller;
Clarke, Dennington, and Barber; Armfield, Purcell, Varco, Houghton, and Doncaster.
Referee:- Mr C.F.Moon, of Bristol.

Rain fell in torrents at two o'clock, but the weather was fine when the teams appeared on the field. Dennington, who captained the City, won the toss, and the Grecians played with a strong wind at their backs in the first half. The attendance was 4,000 when the game started. When Clapton Orient took a bold course and moved from the Clapton Stadium to the Speedway in Lea Bridge Road the officials of the club had every reason to believe they would prosper. Anticipations have not been realised, however, for the number of people attending matches at the present moment is far below the ones at Millfields Road last season. At outside right in the Orient team today was Leslie Ames, the Kent and England
cricketer, and Jack Fowler, once of Plymouth Argyle.

Too Good for the Orient.
A strong wind had a lot to do with the destination of the points in the match between Exeter and Clapton at the Lea Bridge Road Speedway, for the City, ever on the attack with the elements in their favour in the first half, scored two goals, through Doncaster and Armfield, in the last three minutes prior to the interval. So was enterprise rewarded, for the Grecians' front rank, well supported by the half backs, who knew their work, proved too good for the home defence. Varco has for some years been recognised as a centre forward with a fine shot and a dangerous man near goal. Here he showed himself to be very nearly the
complete leader, for he plied his wingmen with perfect passes, and contrived on every occasion to make the best possible use of his colleagues' returns. With the gale behind them in the second half the Orient began to press, but a wild shot at goal by Fowler was very wide of the mark. After 28 minutes of the second half had elapsed the Orient made a haphazard sort of raid, and Cropper scored a goal from long range. But within a minute the City had increased their lead. Armfield got away, brushed Bolton aside and then outpaced Evans. He then centred to Varco, who banged the ball past Wood at a terrific rate. Miller was forced to leave the field, his knee being injured, and during his absence the Orient scored, Sanders heading neatly past Jones. Near the end Wood turned the ball aside for a corner from a shot by Varco.

Comments.

Taking into account the conditions, the combination of the Exeter forwards and half-backs was amazingly accurate. In the first half the Grecians outplayed the
Orient, and Wood had to save at least thirty shots. The interval lead was a just reward for all the pressure Exeter had applied. All the City forwards played sparkling football, with Doncaster outstanding. Varco distributed the ball well, and was always on the look-out for a chance of scoring. Armfield had the opposition completely beaten for speed, but placed his centres too near to Wood. Baugh and Miller were resolute defenders, and Barber the pick of an excellent half-back line. For Clapton Orient, Ames's weakness is that he lacks punch, also speed, and the club will have to find another centre-half. Edmonds played in that position to day, and trier though he is, he has his limitations, and these were revealed, mostly by Varco.

Southern League
CITY RESERVES 5
EBBW VALE O.

There were two thousand spectators at St James's Park this afternoon to witness the return Southern League match between the City Reserves and the Valiants. In the first half Exeter had to face the wind and sun, Ditchburn having lost the toss.

City Reserves:- Davies; Gray and Shanks; E.Keefe, Angus, and Ditchburn; J.Gumm, McCosh, Allison, Halliday, and Lister.
Ebbw Vale: Dutnall; Hooper and Quantick; Brain, C.Powell, and Ashman; G.Powell, Morgan, Davies, Phillips, and Williams.
Referee:- Mr C.F.Linnitt, of Weymouth.

For a couple of minutes the Vale showed some sprightly football, but the City quickly took command, and by means of quick and forceful forward play secured a lead of two goals within eight minutes. Halliday netted first, and in the next City attack he hit the crossbar from a centre by Gray. Then Allison robbed Hooper of the ball and scored with a shot which the goalkeeper never saw till he picked the leather out of the net. Nearly half an hour had passed when the Vale carried through their first good attacking move, their forwards being repeatedly held up by Angus. Then a fast centre from G.Powell flew right across the Exeter goal and went behind. The City's reply was prompt, and from a penalty for "hands," Allison netted with a swift low shot.
Half-time
City Reserves 3 Ebbw Vale 0.

Clever combination by Gumm and McCosh led up to Exeter's fourth goal, scored by Lister, and Lister's centre provided Allison with the fifth and final goal.

• The news of the City "chiefs" victory on the Clapton Orient ground was greeted with great joy when it was announced on the "Football Express" board.