Exeter City v Newport County
Wednesday, March 20th 1929.

EXETER CITY 6 (Hick 2 Purcell Death Clarke Bastin)
NEWPORT COUNTY 1 (Richardson)

Less than a month ago Newport County beat Fulham in London by three goals to two, last Saturday Fulham beat Exeter City 4-1 at St James's Park, and today at St James's Park the City beat Newport by six goals to one, such is the unpredictable and topsy-turvy form of football.

EXETER CITY: Holland Lowton Miller
Sheffield Dennington Clarke Purcell Houghton Hick Bastin Death

Referee:- Mr A.S.King, of Swindon.

NEWPORT COUNTY: Maidment, Anderson, Hinton Riley Nairn S.Richardson Thomas Buckler G.Richardson Gittens Wardell

Exeter City's big success this afternoon against a side whose need of points is almost as great as the Grecians' own, must give considerable encouragement to the local club in their efforts to avoid relegation. The introduction to the team for the first time of Sheffield, the Schoolboy International right half-back, who has been patiently waiting for his chance to play in senior football, proved a very good move, as also did the putting together of Bastin and Death as the left wing pair. All three players were definite successes in the City's triumph. The play in the first half seemed extraordinarily lifeless, bearing in mind the importance of the game to both clubs, and there was an astonishing lack of punch in the respective attacks. Exeter took the lead in twenty minutes when Hick suddenly left the Newport backs standing and went on to score at close quarters, the County vainly appealing for offside. Dennington later put Houghton through with a perfect pass, but the inside forward's shot hit the face of the crossbar. Close on half-time, however, the City increased their lead. Bastin cleverly sent Death away, and Purcell from the ex-Sunderland man's centre closed in and drove the ball low past Maidment and into the back of the net. Half-time: City 2 Newport nil.

Second Half.

Seven minutes after the interval George Richardson shot a fine goal for the County from 25 yards' range. For a time it looked as though Exeter may have cause to regret several chances they had missed in the first half, but they steadied themselves again, and a characteristic dash down the wing by Death, and his strong centre whilst on the move, enabled Houghton to score with a brilliant header just under the bar. The goal of Houghton's was the turning point of the game. Two minutes later Clarke ran to the edge of the penalty area and netted with a terrific right footed shot. Then from Sheffield's pass Bastin put the next goal into the net with his left foot, and seventeen minutes from the finish Bastin gave Hick a perfect pass in the penalty area from which the centre forward was able to score Exeter's sixth and last goal. The attendance was 1,500.

THE "SPOONER" CUP MATCH AT PLYMOUTH.
20th March 1929 

The City Reserves were beaten by three goals to one in the Spooner Cup Match with Plymouth Argyle Reserves at Home Park this afternoon. The first-half play was fast and keen and the City had the better of the exchanges.
Ten minutes before the interval Stanbury saved from Doncaster but was unable to hold the ball, and Streets dribbled round the goalkeeper and netted. A little later Exeter were awarded a penalty, but Doncaster's shot was saved by Stanbury. In an Argyle breakaway immediately afterwards Noble was adjudged to have handled, and Pullen scored from the penalty spot. Exeter protested that the ball had hit Noble in the chest, and that there had been no infringement, but the referee stuck to his decision. In the second half a goal by Wade was disallowed, and the Argyle took the lead through Sloan, who beat Campbell from about thirty yards. Ten minutes later a well placed shot by Richards found the net and made the game safe for Argyle. The success of Plymouth Argyle was the more meritorious owing to the fact that Cosgrove, the captain, became injured early in the second half. He had to go on the right wing, and after a few minutes became almost a passenger.