Saturday, March 19th 1932.
EXETER CITY 4 CLAPTON ORIENT 3.

The Grecians have secured only three points in their last five matches prior to today's game with Clapton Orient, mainly due to poor finishing by the forwards, and to a large degree by the absence of Houghton in some of the matches. The club's promotion chances as a consequence have been reduced almost to vanishing point. Six thousand spectators were present this afternoon when Miller won the toss and Exeter occupied the St James's Road end.

CITY:- Davies; Gray and Miller; Clarke, Childs, and Barber; Armfield, Roberts, Whitlow, Houghton, and Doncaster.
ORIENT:- Emery; Broadbent and Jones; Edmonds, Fowler, and Peacock; W.Hales, Jack, Best, Mills, and Fletcher.
Referee:- Mr W.E.Russell, of Swindon.

This was a very remarkable match. There were times when Exeter played brilliant football and looked like piling up a big score, and there were other times when they appeared to panic in the face of mild pressure from Clapton Orient. The visitors were very weak in defence, but lively in attack, Fletcher being the smartest of the line. Exeter were at their best in the first half, even though the teams were level at the interval. In the second chapter the City's defence would have a very ragged and erratic one had it not been for the consistently sound work of Miller. For Childs was below form, and Clarke, facing one of the cleverest wings in the Southern Section, was not in his happiest vein. The brighest feature from the the Exeter standpoint was the return to form of Whitlow and Doncaster. Whitlow got the opening goal in the first half, this being equalised by Best right on the interval, Rollo Jack having previously driven the ball against the crossbar. Early in the second half, following smart crossfield passing between Doncaster and Armfield the ball was stabbed into the roof of the net by Roberts. As this was his first goal for the Grecians he was given a very special cheer. Further keen attacking by Exeter followed, and Doncaster scored the third goal for them with a remarkable shot. The ball was aimed towards the far angle of the goal but at the last moment dropped into the net, completely deceiving Emery. The Orient then staged a revival, and after Davies had made a marvellous save from Fowler the ball was netted by Edmonds. Miller was the mainstay of the Exeter defence all along, his cool efficiency and well judged clearances being a fine feature. The Orient worked eagerly for the equalising goal, and they repeatedly gave the ball to Fletcher in the hope that he would prove their trump card. Exeter seemed to lose confidence for a time, and there was a lot of wild kicking by certain of the home players. Five minutes before the finish the City were awarded a penalty for hands in the penalty area by Jones, and Houghton netted from the "spot." This penalty came in very handy, because in the next minute Jack shot a third goal for Clapton. It is a long time since the Grecians have scored so often in one match. If their finishing had been better they would have got not four goals but eight today.

Southern League
EBBW VALE 3
EXETER CITY RESERVES 0.

Exeter City Reserves gave a mixed display at Ebbw Vale and lost by three goals to none, this being the Vale's third Southern League victory in 21 games. The Grecians had as many scoring chances as the home side, but they were weak in front of goal, and failed every time.

City Reserves:- Jones; Ditchburn, Baugh; Purcell, Angus, Robinson; Keen, Varco, Woodward, Halliday, and Courtney.

• CLIFFORD BASTIN IN THE INTERNATIONAL TRIAL. The former "Ladybird" and Exeter City forward, Clifford Bastin, played in the International trial match at Huddersfield on Wednesday last for England versus The Rest, and scored a goal.