CITY'S BEST PERFORMANCE SO FAR
Hurst's Dashing Leadership Gives Him Two Goals
Shrimpers Sunk on Their New Ground

Saturday, September 1st 1934.
SOUTHEND UNITED 1 EXETER CITY 2.

A number of "scouts" from big clubs attended this match, and it was understood that their chief interest was the form of Hurst, Exeter's young centre forward. The City team, which left Exeter early this morning, arrived at their destination in plenty of time, and discovered that the new Southend United ground in Grainger Road was an exceptionally big and spacious affair. The enclosure is admirably appointed, there being liberal covered accommodation, and not one club in the whole of the Southern Section can boast of a better ground. The newly-laid turf looked a picture, and the whole scene contrasted vividly to the old and rather cramped space available at the Kursaal. Bright and warm weather prevailed, and there was every prospect of a good "gate."

SOUTHEND UNITED
Whitelaw
Stevenson Robinson
Robertson Wilson Donovan
Oswald Jones Stevens Johnson Clark

Referee:- Mr F.W.Wort.

Dryden Dudley Hurst Wrightson Scott
Lewis Angus Clarke
Miller Gray
Chesters
EXETER CITY

Exeter's "new" team impressed with their workmanlike style and their excellent understanding. In comparison Southend were at sixes and sevens, and did not do themselves anything to justify the enterprise of the club in establishing themselves at their handsome new ground. Exeter, with Hurst in dashing form in his first appearance of the season, won well and deserved to. Not
very long after the commencement of play it was evident that the Grecians held a slight advantage in team-work, for they quickly asserted themselves and took command, and then established a lead. Hurst was the successful marksman, his header from Scott's beautifully placed centre flashing past Whitel aw and into the top of the net at express speed. Miller had previously won the toss, and set Southend to face a very strong sun. Against this handicap the "Shrimpers" tried the best they could to put a better complexion on the game, and they eventually equalised a few minutes before the interval. Oswald's corner kick from the right wing landed in the goalmouth, where Chesters went to gather the ball but was charged over by Jones. Nine players were mixed up on the goal-line, and Chesters was in the centre of this kicking group. After a few seconds the ball was forced into the net by Clark.

HURST SCORES THE WINNING GOAL.

The second half was a repetition of the first, Exeter regaining the lead. They had to wait, however, until fifteen minutes from the end before they could do so, and it came immediately after Chesters had brilliantly stopped a hard low drive from Johnson, which looked odds-on a goal. From the goalkeeper's clearance the ball was helped on by Angus towards Dryden, who passed forward to Hurst. Exeter's centre-forward was the right man in the right place. He snapped up Dryden's pass, took a few strides forward before swinging round and slamming the ball hard into the net. Whitelaw, who could do nothing as the leather sailed into the top left-hand corner, stood looking on helplessly. Southend now made a number of team changes, but they were ineffective. Jones did all he could to infuse some life into the home attack, but with Gray and Miller forming a rocklike defence, with Chesters a brilliant goalkeeper, and with Angus controlling the middle of the field Exeter held the mastery to the end.

NOTES ON THE GAME.

Exeter with several team changes gave their best performance of the season to date. The whole team did well, and discovered that the correct tactics, namely meeting the ball first-time instead of waiting to see what the other side was going to do, as they did at Northampton, will win matches. Hurst's two goals were a fitting reward for his fine display. He was a glutton for work and appears to have speeded up compared with last season. Exeter's defence was resourceful and well-knit, and Chesters in his League debut proved a capable and often brilliant goalkeeper.


Western League
EXETER CITY RESERVES v YEOVIL.

With the prospect of Davies, Webb and Poulter occupying the key positions the City Reserves belied their title in their opening appearance before the home crowd with Yeovil the visitors in a Western League match. Further emphasis (if wanted) could be put forward in the presence of McClure and McArthur. The relegation of Davies was due to the fact that he has sprained his wrist and the displacement of Poulter in the first team by Hurst was not altogether unexpected, but Webb's dropping caused some surprise.

City Reserves:
Davies; Lock and Smith; Keefe, Webb, and McClure; F.Jasper, Risdon, Poulter, McArthur, and Tierney.

Yeovil and Petters.
Lynch; Wood and Birks; Page, Smith, and Parle; Holbeach, Savidge, Taylor, McNeil, and Cook.

Smith (Exeter) won the toss, and Yeovil had a lucky escape right in the first minute when a shot from Tierney just scraped by the angle of the goal with Lynch overbalancing. Continued pressure by Exeter resulted in Poulter nearly scoring, Lynch keeping the ball out of the net with his foot. McArthur, meeting a rebound from Lynch, scored for Exeter, but Yeovil came more into the game as an attacking force, McClure giving their right wing too much scope, and McNeil scored. Goals by Savidge and McNeil in the second half won the game for Yeovil.