Exeter City  v Gillingham 
Saturday, March 2nd 1929.

EXETER CITY 4 (Doncaster Hick Purcell Cameron) GILLINGHAM 2 (Taylor 2)

When the City received a three-goals lead in thirteen minutes it looked as though they would have a very easy and satisfying victory. The whole team, however, relaxed their efforts most unwisely, and so gave Gillingham the chance of recovering from their bad start. Then came Exeter's usual bad luck in the way of injuries, and with Miller and Hick both in the wars, and the Gillingham side showing much enterprise, the Grecians' job became difficult. Luckiest of all for Exeter was the fact that Gillingham are the poorest side yet seen this season in the League competition. The City scraped through with very little to spare, but the two points will be as valuable as any in the series. Closing play was mostly very poor, but when the City secured their fourth goal a minute before the end and put the issue beyond doubt there was an enthusiastic demonstration on the part of the crowd, which was 4,000.

Exeter City: Holland; Lowton and Miller; Phoenix, Pool, and Clarke Purcell, Doncaster, Hick, Houghton, and Cameron.
Gillingham: Hebden; Robertson and Tyler; Forsyth, Bruce, and Ellis; Millington, Dominy, Taylor, Dowell, and Picken.
Referee:- Mr J.H.Collins, of Birmingham.

Owing to the great Rugby attraction at the County Ground, the semi-final of the County Championship between Devon and Middlesex, which was attended by a crowd of ten thousand, the following at St James's Park was the smallest for many a long day for a first-eleven match. Lowton won the toss and set Gillingham to face the sun from the far end in the opening half. Houghton, returning to the side after his injury at Leeds in the F.A.Cup-tie, and a game with the Reserves during the week, was early in the picture with clever play, and it was he who enabled Exeter to make their first attack, but when Pool tried a long shot the spinning ball went a long way wide of the Gillingham goal.

Exeter's Sensational Start.

Hebden saved good shots from Hick and Doncaster, and Doncaster tried another, but the range was too great. What happened in the next eight minutes was nothing short of sensational, for during this time the Gillingham defence was pierced not once but three times. In the fifth minute a neat advance by the City was rewarded, for Hick crossed the ball to the front of the Gillingham goal, and Doncaster lobbed it over the custodian's head and beneath the crossbar for a very pretty goal. Dowell at the other end and from Dominy's centre drove wildly over the bar when only a miracle, it appeared, could prevent him scoring, then with the game in its tenth minute Hick scored Exeter's second goal with a high shot from the edge of the penalty area. Three minutes later the "Hoppers"" defence got itself into a tangle, and a corner was the outcome. Cameron took this, and from the centre Purcell darted in and drove strongly into the bottom comer of the net. Three goals to the City in eight minutes' play! Exeter then proceeded to relax their efforts and the Gillingham forwards were seen to a certain advantage. Holland saved from Millington and was injured in the melee that followed, but resumed. The City continued to treat the opposition too lightly, and although Houghton delighted the crowd, dribbling as only he can, it was generally Gillingham at this stage who commanded most of the attention. Eight minutes before half time Taylor scored for them, forcing the ball into the net from close in.

Second Half.

Hick, who had been injured and then gone on to the right wing, resumed in the centre. A dangerous attack was developed by Houghton, but the Gillingham backs were sound, and play settled in midfield. The game was an hour old when Miller was injured and had to leave the field. Taylor gained possession and shot for goal, and although Phoenix booted clear from the line the referee ruled that Gillingham had scored. From their commanding position of the first quarter of an hour the Grecians were now only a goal in the lead, and with Miller off the field with a back strain it was clear that Exeter would have to fight hard to save their two points. Robertson shot over the Exeter goal from a free kick against Pool. A quarter of an hour from the finish Miller returned, and Exeter's hopes revived. Hick played his share in some rousing attacks, and Hebden saved brilliantly from Purcell. Only one minute was left for play when Phoenix took the ball forward and passed to Cameron, who scored the City's fourth goal with a lovely shot all along the carpet.

Western League
BRISTOL ROVERS RESERVES 3
EXETER CITY RESERVES 1.

Two thousand people at Stapleton Road witnessed some lively exchanges in the early stages of this Western League match between the Rovers Reserves and the City Reserves, and both goalkeepers were kept busy. Death was brilliant on the Exeter left wing but was poorly supported, and just before half-time Hathway scored for Bristol Rovers. Resuming, Falconer kept a shot from Streets out of the Bristol goal with his hands, but Streets from the resultant penalty kick shot a yard wide of the posts. Rotherham, the Rovers' back, put through his own goal, but Dando and Dix scored for the Bristolians.

The Exeter team was Campbell; Pollard and P.Noble; Sheffield, Dennington, and Christie; J.Bluck, Streets, Wade, Bastin, and Death.