F.A. Cup Third Round:
Grimsby Town v Exeter City.

Saturday, January 9th 1932.

The colour question as between Exeter City and Grimsby Town was settled last night at the Yarborough Hotel. Exeter City, it was agreed eventually, would play in white and Grimsby Town in red. Normally Grimsby's uniform is black and white stripes, and Exeter's red and white stripes. By common consent stripes are apt to be confusing in sunny or bright weather. Grimsby yesterday announced that they would play in white, and Exeter in red, but when Mr Pearce, the "Mariners" Chairman, called on the Exeter City party at their hotel last night Mr M.J.McGahey pointed out that in addition to their usual stripes Exeter City had white shirts only. The club chairmen then tossed for it and Mr McGahey won.

The Journey to Grimsby.
Exeter City's journey to Grimsby was easy and uneventful, although in Euston Road, London, when walking to King's Cross Station, the players were hailed by workmen perched high up on the steel skeleton of a huge new building. "Are you Exeter City?" shouted the workmen. "Yes." "Then jolly good luck boys!" A billiards handicap at the Yarborough Hotel, between the City players last night was won by Doncaster, Davies being second, and Miller making the biggest
break, an unfinished 26. This morning several members of the City party took a walk to see the famous Grimsby fish market. Said one wily old salesman: "If your team is as good as our fish you would win the Cup!"

The weather was frosty and fine, and the City supporters who had journeyed up by the earlier of the two excursion trains stated that they had enjoyed a most excellent railway run.
Exeter City set out by motor coach from their Grimsby to reach the Blundell Park, which is actually in Cleethorpes, not Grimsby, by 1.30 o'clock. The sun was hidden by clouds and the ground was soft after the frost had thawed. The wind was blowing from goal to goal, keen and cold.

Billy Armfield Fit.
Armfield having come through a final test satisfactorily this morning, it was decided that the right wing pair should be Woodward and himself. As Whitlow had not recovered from the kick on the thigh which he received in last Saturday's match against Thames, the City attack was led by Varco. The team, therefore, with the exception of Gray for Baugh at right back and Woodward for Purcell at inside right, was the same as the famous "giant-killers" of last season. It is interesting to note that Woodward once had a month's trial with Grimsby Town, and that Martin Golightly, an Exeter City player of pre-war days, is the assistant trainer at Grimsby.  
In their dressing room the City players received scores of telegrams from old friends and other Devon football clubs, including Torquay United. One was from the Seagulls and due mention was made of Dido, the City mascot, who came in for a lot of crisp comment in the club programme. The people of Grimsby seemed to be facing this match quietly, and the only signs of the Cup tie in the streets of the town were the red and white favours worn by the Exeter excursionists, one of whom brought along the model of Dido, which bird travelled last season to Coventry, Bury, and Sunderland.

Good Wishes and Omens.

Among many messages received by the Exeter City Football Club, expressing the best wishes to the players in Cup and League, was one from "the Devonians in London." Part of Exeter City's Cup training diet has consisted of oysters, which have been sent to the ground through the generosity of a local tradesman. There is an amusing aspect to this in that they have been packed in a box bearing the name and address of a firm in Grimsby. The spectators were not numerous at Blundell Park by 2 o'clock, but from then onwards they streamed in steadily. Grimsby had Alec Hall, a local, at right half and Priestley for Betmead in the pivotal position. Glover led the attack in place of Coleman, and Marshall in his old berth on the extreme wing, with Cooper inside. The teams were:
GRIMSBY TOWN (Red shirts)
Read Wilson Jacobson Hall Priestley Buck Prior Bestall Glover Cooper Marshall.

EXETER CITY (White shirts)
Davies Gray Miller Clarke Angus Barber
Armfield Woodward Varco Houghton Doncaster

The sun blazed out shortly before the kick-off, but it was shining directly across the playing pitch, so there could be no hardship to either team on this score. Grimsby Town came out first, with 14,000 spectators present. Miller won the toss, and the City had the advantage of the breeze in the opening half. Play opened at a tremendous pace, Grimsby making strenuous efforts to snatch a goal before the Grecians had settled down. In one rush by the home side Bestall placed the ball nicely across to Cooper, but Angus intervened in the nick of time to prevent the Grimsby man going through in possession. Exeter, however, were the first to become really dangerous. With Barber giving strong support, Houghton and Doncaster made ground at a fast pace, and only a great clearance by Jacobson under pressure saved the Town goal when Doncaster whipped the ball low across the penalty area. Again Exeter attacked on their left wing, and Grimsby had moments of anxiety until Priestley relieved with a powerful kick. Glover was too hurried in his work to be effective in the early stages, and when Marshall crossed the ball finely the spectators were disappointed to see Bestall shoot tamely over the bar from about twenty yards. Again clever play by Houghton sent Doncaster away, and this time the ball was centred accurately to the goalmouth, but Read fisted clear. Doncaster centred again a minute later but a free kick was given against Varco for barging into Wilson. Grimsby then made their best attack to date, and Davies saved a header from Bestall and a shot from Cooper.

Dangerous Attacks by Grimsby Town.

The Town left wing was very troublesome at this stage, and mainly on account of the fine understanding between Cooper and Marshall the Mariners were attacking persistently. Grimsby were also very quick to drop back in defence and Exeter were mostly crowded out before they reached the opposing penalty area. Prior got clean away with the ball and eluded Gray, but with only Davies now to beat he hesitated, and the Exeter goalkeeper advanced to meet him and effected a brilliant one-handed save, turning the ball round the post for a corner. Offside against Woodward nullified a promising Exeter move, and at the Exeter end Davies made a glorious save from Glover. Two more grand saves were made by Davies from the Grimsby forwards, and although the defence of Gray and Miller was good, it was the goalkeeping of Davies which was Exeter's finest asset. Exeter pressed for a while and Angus tried to force his way through for a shot, but was shouldered off the ball. Woodward was the weak link in the City attack, his inexperience of the inside right position proving a big handicap. Play became very ragged towards the interval, but Glover revived excitement by veering to the left and placing the ball forward to Marshall, whose shot was well saved by Davies. The hefty tackling of both sides militated against good attacking football.

Four minutes before the interval shots by Marshall and Cooper were kept out of the Exeter net by the brilliant Davies, and then Houghton received an injury to his leg, but was able to resume after treatment by Ed Jones.

Interval: Grimsby Town 0 Exeter City 0.
In the first half the Grecians had been unbalanced in attack, only Houghton and Doncaster playing up to normal form, but their defence had shaped excellently. Grimsby people were confident that when the teams changed ends the Town, with the wind at their backs, would get on top. The City supporters, however, were content with the half-time position. Directly after the resumption Bestall placed the ball neatly down the centre, and Glover shot across the Exeter goal as he was charged by Gray. In the next move another shot was sent in by Glover, and this time Miller diverted it for a corner, which was cleared by Davies. Houghton was the shining light of the Exeter forward line, and his cleverness at directing the ball to the various points of attack was admired. Woodward attempted to put Armfield through, but Jacobson got to the ball first. Exeter had begun the second half well, and Doncaster thrilled the crowd with a speedy and typical dribble a couple of yards inside the touch-line. From his centre a melee developed several yards from goal, and Barber, moving up, shot wide. Houghton was fouled five yards outside the penalty line, but Clarke's direct shot from the free kick was capably dealt with by Read. Another foul on the City inside left resulted in Clarke's free kick being quickly cleared, and the ball was sent by Bestall to Glover with a finely judged pass between the City backs. Gray recovered at top speed and dispossessed the Grimsby leader. Two marvellous saves by Read, one each from Varco and Doncaster, prevented the Grecians from taking the lead twelve minutes after the interval. The goalkeeper had not up to this point had much to do, but he proved by these two fine saves that if he was tried he would not be found wanting.

Grimsby's Rejoinder.

And then came Grimsby's telling rejoinder. Twice in the space of three minutes they scored a goal. Marshall, standing isolated over on the far touch-line, received a long pass from Priestley and centred high into the middle. With a jump and a quick turn of his head Glover, the tall Grimsby leader, sent the ball flashing into the net past Davies at express speed. The move was repeated precisely three minutes later, and Glover scored again amid tumultous cheering. Woodward and Varco changed places, and to the great joy of the Exeter part of the crowd the move was rewarded with a goal. Doncaster made the opening, and when he centred the ball was hooked into the net by Woodward, who was warmly congratulated by his colleagues. Twenty-five minutes remained for play and there were hopes of Exeter pulling the game round, but Grimsby's two quick goals were a splendid tonic, and they kept up a strong attack, mainly on the left wing. Bestall, the master of unorthodox moves, was in fact more often on the left of the field than the right. Davies cut out centre after centre magnificently, but was eventual beaten by a long shot from Hall. The referee, however, disallowed the goal on account of an infringement that was seen by him alone.

Two More Goals by Glover.

Exeter took up the cudgels again but were dispossessed by Wilson, while Grimsby in their turn were foiled by the cool play of Miller and the dogged defence of Gray and Clarke. For ten minutes Exeter made gallant efforts to equalise, and at times the home backs had a difficult task, but they never faltered, and each Exeter move was capably countered. Ten minutes from the end Glover, who was lying well up the field, received an inwards pass from Marshall, and forcing his way through, shot into an unguarded net after Davies had advanced in a last-ditch attempt to save the situation. Exeter City's defeat was complete when, four minutes before the final whistle, Glover took advantage of another fine pass from Marshall. Instead of making the expected transfer to Bestall he veered out to the left, turned inwards and once more beat Davies with a stunning shot. This was the big Grimsby, leader's fourth goal of the match, and each time the move was instigated by Marshall. Closing play in rapidly fading light was difficult to follow.
Grimsby 4 Exeter City 1.

Exeter City put up a gallant fight at Grimsby and in the second half came very near to forcing a replay after Woodward had scored. But the two inspired moves by Marshall and Glover, who co-operated skilfully to score a brace of quick goals, proved Grimsby's trump card. Apart from these superb efforts the Grimsby Town attack was finely held by the City rearguard. Ten minutes from the finish the City were still only one goal behind, and with the score as close as that anything could have happened. But the Marshall and Glover combination sprang into action again, resulting in two more quick goals, and the City's fate was settled.

Glover and possibly Marshall excepted, Houghton was the star forward, and with Doncaster provided many thrills. Exeter made great efforts to equalise Glover's second goal, but the home backs were too good. Davies was the hero of the first half, some of his saves bordering upon the miraculous. Charlie Miller, interviewed in the Exeter dressing room directly after the end of the match, said: "The better team won. We fought hard and we died fighting, but Grimsby were too good for us on the day's form." Mr McDevitt said the City put up a very good fight, and Grimsby were not four goals to one better than Exeter. The decision to play Woodward at inside right, especially as Varco has filled this position admirably during much of the season, was a mistake. Within a few minutes of these players changing positions the City scored their goal. The attendance was 12,000, and the receipts £760.

LOVELL'S ATHLETIC 4
EXETER CITY RESERVES 1.
Western League match at Newport.

The day was dull and the ground on the soft side. Exeter Reserves set the pace
at the start and Keen and Courtney were early in evidence.

LOVELLS:- Wright; Hillman, Brittain; Williams, Elwell, Hill; Horton, Cook, Gardner, McGill, and Hiles.
CITY RESERVES:- Jones; Baugh, Hill; Ditchburn, Childs, Robinson;  Keen, Graham, Purcell, V.Cann, and Courtney.

Exeter had started off with a rush, but they were later compelled to remain in defence, chiefly on account of the varied and forceful play of the Welsh half backs, who were definitely on top for a period and plied their forwards with a great many useful passes. After Jones had saved from McGill he was beaten by Horton, who opened the scoring for Lovells two minutes from the interval. McGill increased the home side's advantage with a smart goal early in the second half, then Graham ran through on his own and beat Wright with a cross-shot. In the closing stages Horton and Hill added further goals for Newport.