GRECIANS BOGGED DOWN IN THE MUD Close Passing Methods Fail to Beat Swindon Town

Saturday, November 14th 1931.
EXETER CITY 1 SWINDON TOWN 1.

Rain fell heavily all the morning at Exeter and continued unabated through the afternoon. St James's Park was waterlogged, therefore, when the teams appeared at two minutes to three o'clock. Swindon, handicapped by an injury to Morris, had to come to Exeter without their goalkeeper, Cope, who met with an unlucky injury to his hand yesterday at his home. An amateur, S.Giles, stepped into the vacancy, and Starsmore, the centre-forward from Coventry City, deputised for Morris. The attendance of 2,500 was the lowest of the season.

Exeter City: Davies; Gray and Miller;
Clarke, Angus, and Barber; Armfield, Varco, Whitlow, Houghton, and Doncaster.

Swindon Town: S.Giles; Dransfield and Girvan; Godfrey, Greenwell, and Braithwaite; Lawley, Eddleston, Starsmore, Laycock, and Kirby.

Referee:- Mr A.J.Jewell, of London.

Swindon Town were lucky to take away a point, but Exeter City have themselves to blame for not winning. Their attempt to play fairylike football on the wettest and muddiest ground of the season was doomed to failure from the start. For too long the Grecians persisted with dribbling and close passing methods instead of swinging the ball about on the heavy ground, and so played into the hands of the Town defenders. Exeter showed a lot more skill than their opponents, but it got them no-where, and the spectators were bitterly disappointed at the way in which the game ran, a game which, when the merits of the respective teams were considered, Exeter should have won with ease, but in which they failed badly. Miller having lost the toss, Exeter kicked off towards the St James's Road end, and progressed by close passing work down the middle. The Swindon defence was soon in difficulty, and Doncaster captured a ball which had come over from the right, and centred, but Whitlow, slithering through the mud, failed to gain possession. Davies saved a long shot from Kirby, and Miller stopped Starsmore in his stride when Swindon threatened danger. Midway through the first half Exeter secured the lead. Whitlow, receiving from Clarke, sped goalwards, showing fine control in his manipulation of the tricky ball. Having drawn Giles out from his goal Whitlow carried on at little more than walking pace and accurately steered the leather into the empty net.
Fifteen minutes after the interval Kirby splashed his way past Gray and gave to Braithwaite, who tried a long shot. Davies threw himself across the goalmouth, and thrust the ball against the post whence it turned into the goal. In the closing minutes Exeter applied very keen pressure, numerous free kicks being conceded by the desperate Town defenders, but the ball just would not go into the Swindon net. Just before the finish only a miraculous save by Davies kept out of the Exeter goal a header by Gray which took the wrong direction. 

Southern League
SWINDON TOWN RESERVES 3
EXETER CITY RESERVES 3.

Southern League match at the Wiltshire County Ground. Played in a downpour of rain before an attendance of 2,600. Exeter enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and took the lead in the first five minutes, Woodward scoring. Swindon had to play Stansfield, a full-back, in goal through the accident to Cope and the calling up of Giles to go to Exeter. After ten minutes Purnell scored for Swindon, and when Exeter again attacked a series of thrilling saves was made by Stansfield from Halliday, Woodward, and Gumm. Exeter took command after the interval, and Swindon were subjected to heavy pressure. Woodward headed in from Gumm's centre to give the City the lead, but Keeling equalised following a free kick. This goal revitalised the Railwaymen, and Sullivan from Bailey's centre gave them the lead. Exeter fought back, and Graham levelled the scores ten minutes from time. Stansfield did wonderfully well in goal for Swindon.

The Exeter team was: Godbeer; Hill, Baugh; Purcell, Ditchburn, Robinson; Gumm, Graham, Woodward, Halliday, and Keen.