Saturday,
September 9th 1933.
CHARLTON ATHLETIC 4 EXETER CITY 1.

Two of the Southern Section's best fancied promotion teams, Exeter City and Charlton Athletic, met at the Valley, London today. The match was one of the most attractive on the Football League card, and the City players realised that nothing but their best would be good enough. The teams were:

CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Wright
Ivill Oakes
Harris Jobling Pugsley
Wilkinson Yardley Pearce Boulter Hobbis

Referee:- Mr J. M. Wiltshire, of Sherborne.

Barnes Houghton Whitlow Walters Welsby
Webb Angus Clarke
Hughes Gray
Davies
EXETER CITY

The home forwards took a long time to settle down, but once they did all five worked to one purpose, and that was to get the ball to Exeter's goal. Yardley and Pearce again proved themselves as goal-getters. Gray and Hughes carried off the honours in Exeter's team, indeed, their excellence and reliability never faltered. The same cannot be said of the halves, and the forwards missed several easy chances. A first-rate thriller was served up when Clarke saved a certain goal with Hobbis standing close in and waiting to score. Then the play was so rapidly transferred that one touch by Houghton's boot sent the ball flying narrowly wide of the Charlton goal. When a header by Walters found Whitlow unmarked Wright rushed out of his goal and saved. Charlton had hard luck when a low drive by Boulter hit the foot of the upright with Davies beaten. A fine effort by Pearce was thwarted by Angus only a yard from the Exeter goal. Ten minutes before half-time a rare gallop along the left wing by Barnes ended in his shooting from a difficult angle, and Wright turned the ball into his own net in trying to save. At half time the score was: Charlton 0 Exeter City 1.

SECOND HALF.

In Charlton's second attack after the interval Wilkinson scored, a fine drive beating Davies all the way, and the ball touching the upright on its way to the net. Exeter's goal was subjected to heavy pressure. With Charlton doing all the attacking Whitlow was left to act as a lone spearhead for the City, whose attack gradually faded away. Davies saved in magnificent style from Yardley. Then Pearce, having previously fired wildly over the bar when well positioned, atoned for his error by scoring a fine goal to give Charlton the lead, in twenty minutes. Exeter's play fell away considerably. Charlton Athletic were alert and swarmed to the attack. One easy chance was provided by Whitlow for Houghton, but Exeter's inside-left, usually so sure with his shooting, fired several yards wide. Yardley for Charlton failed an even easier chance, spooning the ball wide from five yards. Wilkinson and Yardley paved the way for Pearce to score number three for Charlton. Then Pearce made a hash of a clear opening, but with Davies out of his goal Yardley ran in to lob the ball into the top of the unguarded net for Charlton's fourth goal. Charlton in fact dominated the whole of the second half and hardly anything was seen of the City forwards, and considering their reputation Exeter City played very poorly in this half.

There were ten thousand spectators to welcome the teams at 3.15 o' clock, but even so the spacious enclosure at the Valley was far from full. Many improvements have been carried out to the ground since Exeter City last played there, but the bank of the disused quarry still remains to identify the headquarters of the Charlton club. When the teams entered the field at the start Exeter had by far a more cordial reception than the home side, and Whitlow received an ovation all to himself.

EXETER CITY RESERVES 4
MERTHYR TOWN 0.

The City Reserves at last recovered some thing like their form, and Merthyr Town were beaten comfortable at St James's Park. S.Risdon, the local amateur, who usually operates in the forward line, was at right back. His partner was Maurice Lock of Newton Poppleford, who has shown promising form this season.

City: Chesters; S.Risdon, M.Lock; E. Tappin, Ditchburn, Kenyon; Scott, Wrightson, Hurst, Kennedy, A.Flood.

Merthyr: Williams; Thomas, G. Davies;
L.Davies, Smith, Lewis; Jenkins, Martin, Alden, A.Coles, Hughes.

Referee:- Mr F.W.Reeve, of Devonport.

There were only six hundred spectators when Merthyr kicked off in brilliant sunshine from the east end. Wrightson hit the cross-bar with a full blooded drive after 24 minutes and six minutes later Scott scored for the Grecians. Hurst, Ditchburn, and Hurst again obtained the goals in the second half by which the City won a comfortable victory.