Gillingham v ECFC (W 1-0) Scorers: Varco Attendance: 7000

Saturday, February 6th 1932. GILLINGHAM O EXETER CITY (VARCO) 1.

EXETER CITY THIRD IN THE TABLE.

The weather was ideal at Gillingham, where 7,000 spectators attended, although the turf was soft on top. The "Hoppers" were forced to make a change in their team through Jamieson being injured, and Williams was selected for the extreme right wing position. Collins won the toss and Exeter faced a bright sun in the opening half. Exeter had to wait until threequarters of the match had been played before they were able to claim victory, but after 68 minutes Clarke sent Armfield off, the winger centred, and Varco, capturing the ball, forced his way past Gellatley and McGregor and sent the ball into the net from twelve yards.

The Grecians are in the promotion race with a vengeance now, being two points behind the joint leaders with the same number of games left.

The teams in today's match were:

Gillingham:-  Buckle; McGregor and Gellatley; Beacham, Collins, and Jones; Williams, White, Vallance, Bethell, and Scott.
Exeter City:- Davies; Gray and Miller; Clarke, Childs, and Barber; Armfield, Purcell, Varco, Houghton, and Doncaster.
Referee:- Mr J.M.Wiltshire, of Sherborne.

Gillingham were soon aggressive, Miller heading away a dangerous centre put in by Williams. Houghton then dribbled through and passed to Armfield, who was brought down unfairly by Jones. Buckle saved Clarke's free kick. Childs then set the City forwards in motion but Varco shot wide from a good position. Exeter's movements were more constructive than those of Gillingham, although on one occasion Gray had to make a timely last-minute clearance from Vallance, and Davies had to save two shots from Vallance. Houghton in turning wrenched his knee and had to leave the field. He returned, limping, and exchanged places with Doncaster. Varco hurt his back, but quickly recovered. Houghton was limping painfully on the left wing, and was indeed only a passenger. He retired from the game ten minutes before the interval. Houghton was found to have cartilage trouble, and he did not return after the interval. Gillingham attacked on the resumption, and Gray checked Scott finely as White was running in to anticipate the winger's pass, and at the other end shots by Varco and Doncaster just missed the posts. After Varco had gained the lead for the City it was very nearly increased in the next minute when Doncaster drove the ball against the angle of the goal with the goalkeeper beaten. Gillingham are always a difficult side to beat at Priestfield Road, and Exeter's victory was highly commendable in view of Houghton's injury.

EXETER CITY RESERVES 3 BARRY 2.

Southern League match at St James's Park.

Barry thought themselves badly served at St James's Park when after a quarter of an hour's, play, the referee allowed a goal by Woodward which appeared to have been scored from an offside position. But the visitors were foolish to allow this to upset them to the extent it did. Having equalised goals by the Grecians on two occasions the side from South Wales seemed to think a third equaliser too much to ask of themselves, and in the end it was a wonder that Exeter did not win by a wider margin than 3 to 2. Halliday got the opening goal for Exeter, and W. Davies replied with a tremendous shot, the ball whizzing past Jones at express speed into the back of the net. Then Woodward scored from Courtney's centre, this being the goal that the Welsh team objected to. Half-time: City Reserves 2 Barry 1. Soon after the interval Ward scored Barry's second equaliser after Jones lost possession of the ball in trying to save from Shelton, and Woodward then broke through on his own to register the third goal for the Grecians. Hill strained a muscle of the groin early in the game and did not turn out for the second half.

The City Reserves' team was:- Jones; Baugh, Hill; Ditchburn, Angus, Robinson; Keen, Graham, Woodward, Halliday, and Courtney.

• EXETER CITY AND PROMOTION.
  However much the early exit of Exeter City from the Cup is regretted, there is still the consolation that the club has a decided opportunity of finishing at the head of the League, and it is one that may not recur for many seasons. With Brentford yielding three points to the City, Fulham faltering, the Palace inconsistent, Reading giving away too many goals, and Watford still engaged in the F. A. Cup, Exeter's chance certainly looks rosy. But will the Directors seize it, and make the second half of this season exceed in thrills anything that happened in last year's memorable Cup successes? A glance at the fixture card will show that, to say the least, the next three matches (at home) should not cause the City undue trouble, and the leadership should not be impossible of attainment. But to fill positions that are or may be weakened by injuries, the club needs at least the following additional experienced players:- Back, two extreme wing men and an inside forward. If the Directors would announce their determination to go "all out" for promotion and do all in their power to achieve that object it is certain that their enterprise would be amply rewarded by the enthusiastic support not only of the usual regular crowd but of thousands of others in Exeter and district interested in the welfare of the club.