Match 10
3rd October 1931
Third Division
Luton Town v Exeter City
Friendly:-
Exeter City Reserves v East Devon and Victory League X1

Luton Town v Exeter City
GRECIANS TAKE TOO LONG TO SETTLE DOWN Baugh and Miller Unable to Cope with Rennie and Company

Saturday, October 3rd 1931.
LUTON TOWN 6 EXETER CITY 3.

Exeter City, who travelled up to London yesterday, have gradually got over a heavy casualty list, and were able to field the same side which beat Brighton on Wednesday and Gillingham last Saturday. Hodgson (Luton) was injured in the week, playing at Northampton, and Wilson, who was signed from Hull City in the close season as a half-back, replaced him at left-back. The weather was fine and sunny, but the attendance at the start was below six thousand.

Luton Town:- Imrie; Kingham and Wilson; Kean, McGinnigle, and Hale;
McNestry, Tait, Yardley, Rennie, and Slicer.

Exeter City:- Davies; Baugh and Miller; Clarke, Childs, and Barber; Armfield, Purcell, Varco, Houghton, and Doncaster.

Referee:- Mr A.J.Attwood, of Newport.

Luton just about deserved their success, for their defence was stronger, and their forwards more penetrative. Exeter took too long to settle down, and neither Baugh nor Miller could cope with the Luton attack. The half-backs were not so resourceful as usual, although Barber and Childs
improved in the second half.

Clarke was never happy against Rennie and Slicer, and allowed them far too much scope. In the second half, however, Exeter made a wonderful recovery, and looked like saving the game when Houghton scored's the City's third goal. Luton's first-time and accurate shooting mastered Exeter. Of the City forwards, Doncaster and Houghton revealed admirable understanding, while the right wing pair, although not so prominent, did much useful work. Varco had plenty of the ball, but in McGinnigle he was up against one of the strongest defensive centre halves in the Third Division. Luton opened the scoring in two minutes through Yardley, and Houghton put the City on level terms five minutes later. Rennie then scored for Luton and Varco for Exeter, but Luton went ahead through goals by Yardley and Rennie, and were leading at the interval by four to two. Ten minutes from the end of the game Houghton scored for Exeter, who were then pressing heavily, and it looked as if they might force a draw. Imrie saved two shots from Varco and one from Purcell, but Luton were not done with and in the closing stages scored twice more through McNestry and Rennie.


Friendly, CITY RESERVES v 
EAST DEVON AND VICTORY LEAGUE.


Without a League match today, Exeter City Reserves were at home to a team which was picked from the best players in the East Devon and Victory League, and on a beautifully fine afternoon there were about one thousand spectators to see the start. The teams were:
Exeter City Reserves:- 
A. Bond L.Phillips, Fox, A.Johnson, Angus, Hill, J.Gumm, Graham, Whitlow, Halliday, Courtney.

East Devon and Victory League XI
Grigg (City Brewery)
Anthoney (Moreton)
Snapes (Devon General)
Brewer (Alphington)
Penn (Y.M.C.A.)
Wills (Devon General)
Bluck (Dawlish Town)
Smith (Friernhay)
Morrish (Exminster)
Wakeham (Heavitree United)
Weeks (Chagford)

Referee:- Mr S.B.Bates.

Exeter took things easily at the start, and several of the League players took the opportunity of showing their pace and craft to advantage. Twice Whitlow was just wide of the target with ground shots, but after ten minutes's play he got a goal with a cross shot well out of Grigg's reach. Halliday next beat Grigg with a splendid header just below the crossbar, and a third goal was scored by Whitlow, also with a header. Early in the second half Morrish scored for the League, but four goals in quick succession were obtained for the Grecians by Halliday (2), Graham and Whitlow. Wakeham led a promising League attack but held on to the ball too long so that he was eventually crowded out, and although the League had more of the towards the end Graham scored for Exeter, who won by eight goals to one.

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