Saturday, January 3rd 1931.
EXETER CITY 2  (Varco Wilkinson own goal).
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION 2 (Nicol 2)

Half-time: City 2 Brighton 0.

Exeter City:- Davies; Baugh and Miller; Clarke, Dennington, Barber; Armfield, Purcell, Varco, Houghton, and Doncaster.
Brighton: Webb; Moffat and Brett;
Wilkinson, Mooney, and Dutton; Farrell, Kirkwood, Nicol, Smith, and Wilson.
Referee:- Mr R.G.Rudd, of Croydon.

The weather at Exeter was wet and gloomy, and the pitch was saturated. There were 5,000 spectators present when the players appeared. Dennington won the toss, which carried hardly any advantage at all, and Exeter defended the St James's Road end in the first half. Brighton sustained pressure in the early stages by means of clever combination and accurate passing, but their goal had a very narrow escape when Doncaster fed Varco in the penalty area. Varco shot hard and true, Webb just managing to pull the ball down and clear his lines. The home goal then had a very close call, Kirkwood sending the ball fast and low across the front of the posts. A mere touch by Nicol or Smith would have served, these forwards missing by a fraction. Mooney fouled Houghton in midfield, and the free kick, taken by Clarke, helped the Grecians to set up an attack which brought them the opening goal, Houghton passing to Purcell, who tried a shot. It was only a half-hearted effort, and the ball went to Varco, the centre-forward scoring from twelve yards' range. Within a minute the City increased their advantage. Armfield using his speed captured a ball which appeared to be running out of play over the goal-line. When he centred Varco and Houghton each tried to turn the leather into the Brighton goal, but it was Wilkinson who applied the touch which beat his own goalkeeper. After nine minutes of the second half had been played Nicol, receiving the ball from Farrell, beat Davies with a lovely cross shot from 25 yards' range. Purcell was making tracks for the Brighton goal when he was brought down in the penalty area by Dutton. Much to the disappointment of the crowd Baugh put his spot kick wide of the goal. After 32 minutes a mis-kick by Barber let Kirkwood through. The big inside-right forced his way through the mud in the penalty area and whipped the ball across to Nicol, who scored from close range.

Western League
BRISTOL CITY RESERVES 2
EXETER CITY RESERVES 3.

In this Western League match at Ashton Gate Hathway gave Bristol the lead ten minutes before the interval, but in the second half Halliday equalised. After Johnson had put the "Babes" in front for the second time Allison scored twice to give the Grecians a well deserved victory.