Southern Leaders Beaten
Saturday, February 20th 1932.
EXETER CITY, FULHAM AND BRENTFORD LOSE AWAY FROM HOME

CARDIFF CITY 5 EXETER CITY 2.
Northampton 3 Brentford 0.
Southend United 4 Fulham 1.

Exeter's first defeat of the year was sustained at the hands of a side which is now playing at the top of its form. From the first kick the game was full of incident, and it cannot be said that Exeter, despite losing five goals, played badly. Poor shooting was the greatest fault, and a little more steadiness in front of goal might have turned the scales the other way. This was especially so in the second half, when Cardiff's defence showed signs of wilting under the strenuous pressure the Grecians were exerting at that stage. Another goal before the Cardiff revival might have knocked all the heart out of the Welshmen, but it was not to be, and the Bluebirds gradually regained a grip on the game that they seemed to have lost.

Cardiff City:- Farquharson; Morris, Roberts; Harris, Galbraith, Ronan; Emmerson, Keating, Jones, McCambridge, Robbins.

Exeter City:- Davies; Gray, Miller; Clarke, Childs, Barber; Armfield, Purcell, Varco, Halliday, Doncaster. Referee:- Mr A.S.King, of Swindon.

After a lapse of many seasons Exeter City re-visited Ninian Park, Cardiff, this afternoon, and encountered the once famous Welsh side in a match was was quite expected to have a vital bearing on the League championship. The Grecians have never got more change from their previous excursions to the Welsh metropolis, and it was unfortunate that they were still without Houghton and Whitlow. Dull, but dry, weather prevailed, and the attendance at the start was 8,000. Farquharson, the Irish international goalkeeper, is the only member of Cardiff City's cup winning team of 1927 still with the club. Both sides were very slow in settling down, a fact that was attributable to a very light and lively ball. Exeter were the first team to show to any advantage, long swinging passes from Childs to both wingers enabling the Grecians to make ground dangerously. Morris and Roberts were very hard pressed in stemming these early advances, and Barber nearly brought about the downfall of the home goal with a long ball which dropped judiciously in the goalmouth.

Cardiff forged ahead in the fifteenth minute with a goal they scarcely deserved. Davies came out of his goal to stop McCambridge, and the ball went to Robbins, whose shot from the left was not a hard one, but Gray, doubling back to make, a clearance only succeeded in booting the leather rather harder into the net. Cardiff went further ahead through Jones, and further ahead still through Emmer son. Shortly before half-time Barber beat Farquharson with a fast drive from a pass by Armfield.
Half-time: Cardiff City 3 Exeter City 1.

The Grecians made determined efforts in the second half, and after twenty minutes Purcell scored with a hard rising shot well out of Farquharson's reach. Chances were, however, missed by Varco and other forwards in front of goal, and two more goals, by McCambridge and Robbins, were credited to Cardiff City.


EXETER CITY RESERVES 3
NEWPORT COUNTY RESERVES 1. Southern League match at St James's Park.

Exeter's forward line was led by Stanley Hurst, the Tipton St John player, who signed amateur forms for the City yesterday. He has scored 42 goals for Tipton this season from the centre-forward position, 37 of them being obtained in the local League games. Newport attacked from the kick-off, S.Jones shooting outside. Exeter then pressed persistently, and Hurst drove the ball against the goalpost with Blakemore well beaten. The ball was directed strongly to the goalmouth again, and Blakemore got down smartly to parry the shot. He could not hold the ball, however, and Hurst promptly gained possession and netted, to be warmly congratulated by the other Exeter players on opening his scoring account with the City within five minutes of the kick-off in his first match. Exeter then scored again through Woodward, and S.Jones replied for Newport. In the second half Hurst increased Exeter's lead following good play by Courtney on the left wing.

Exeter City Reserves:- F.Jones; Baugh and Ditchburn; Johnson, Angus and Robinson; Gumm, Risdon, Hurst, Woodward, and Courtney.


Thursday, February 25th 1932.
BATH CITY 1
EXETER CITY RESERVES 1.

In this rearranged Western League match at Bath on Thursday afternoon, the City Reserves surprised the home team by the strength of their attacks and quickness on the ball. Many dangerous raids were made by the Exeter forwards, who were led by Whitlow, playing for the first time since being injured nearly two months ago. Bath started well but Exeter took the lead in seven minutes when Woodward struck the crossbar and Whitlow, who was well placed, drove the ball home before Prout could recover. Whitlow nearly scored again with a hard ground shot, but Prout just managed to stick his leg out and divert the ball around the post. In the second half Guyan, the old Exeter centre-forward, scored for Bath City, the ball going into the net off Baugh. Whitlow strove hard for a second goal, and was once robbed by Hall when almost through, and further shots were saved by Prout.

City Reserves:- Jones; Ditchburn, Baugh; Johnson, Angus, Robinson; Gumm, Risdon, Whitlow, Graham, and Courtney.