March 12th 1932.
TORQUAY UNITED 2 EXETER CITY 1.

There was a big influx of visitors from Exeter to Torquay by rail and road. The weather was beautifully fine, and the only flaw was that Torquay people were not present in such large numbers as might have been expected. The attendance at the start was only about 5,500, about one third of this number having journeyed from Exeter. Hemingway was absent from the Torquay team on account of an injury. Fowler won the toss and Torquay faced the sun but had the advantage of playing down the slope. Cooper scored for Torquay in three minutes, his shot beating Davies for pace.

Torquay United:- Millsom; Fowler and Webster; Hewitt, Hutchinson, and Tapp; Birkett, Clayson, Cooper, Miller, and Waller.
Exeter City:- Davies; Gray and Miller;
Clarke, Childs, and Barber; Armfield, Roberts, Whitlow, Houghton, and Doncaster.
Referee:- Mr C.F.Moon, of Bristol.

Birkett increased Torquay's lead early in the second half, receiving the ball
from Clayson on the edge of the penalty area and beating Davies with a glorious shot. This goal came as a shock to Exeter, who had been the better side, and who had been almost continuously on the attack since Torquay's first goal. Whitlow reduced the City's arrears, heading in from one of many corner kicks. Houghton's cleverness and Barber's strong play were big factors in the Exeter team's play, but the finishing of Whitlow and Armfield was disappointing. Houghton was fouled on the edge of the Torquay penalty area, but from the free kick Childs shot over the goal. Exeter continued to do most of the attacking, and Millsom, from Torquay's point of view, was the hero of the game, with Fowler also a strong defender. Houghton was the cleverest player on the field, and inspired nearly all Exeter's best moves. A strong shot from Childs was travelling direct to the net, but the ball hit Millsom in the face and went over the bar. Millsom was stunned and had to receive the trainer's attention. The result was a great disappointment to the big contingent of supporters from Exeter, as it was to the Grecians themselves. Had Exeter showed the same zeal in covering up as was shown by the Magpies, the City's task would have been much simplified. The Grecians rather under-estimated the difficulty of the task in hand, and were inclined to take things for granted. Exeter played admirable football, but their moves often contained one pass too many, and then the honours went to the Torquay defence. Millsom was the home team's trump card. Both Torquay's goals came about through weaknesses in the City defence. Childs and Gray left the ball to each other in the case of the first goal, while Miller was late in moving forward to tackle Birkett, allowing the winger a clear field and time to aim correctly for goal. Torquay have struck a blow at Exeter's promotion prospects.

EXETER CITY RESERVES 1
TORQUAY UNITED RESERVES 2.

The Grecians were strongly represented at St James's Park against the Magpies'
Reserves, who included five amateurs. There was a poor attendance, due in some measure to the Plainmoor match.

City Reserves:- Jones; Ditchburn and Baugh; Purcell, Angus, and Robinson;
Keen, Varco, S. Hurst, Woodward, and Courtney.
Torquay Reserves:- Wright; Maycock and Smith; R.Beer, Butler, and H.J.Kellow; E.Knott, Freer, Parkin, G.H.Stabb, and H.F.Rogers.

In checking Exeter's first advance, initiated by Varco, the United defence gave away a corner, but nothing came of the kick. Wright fumbled a shot by Courtney, but saved at the second attempt, and Varco shot wide of an open goal when given the opening by Hurst. A beautiful left footed shot by Woodward crashed against the underside of the ba and the ball returned into play. Angus miskicked in front of the City goal, and let Stabb through, but his shot was too hurried and passed over the bar. At the interval the score was:
City Reserves 0 Torquay United Res. 0.

With four of last season's "giant killers" in the team Exeter should have done better, but after Hurst had secured the lead Stabb and Parkin scored for the visitors.