Saturday, October 13th 1934.
CITY FALL AWAY AFTER BRIGHT OPENING
Blunders In All Departments READING'S DRAMATIC RECOVERY

Exeter City 2 Reading 3.

At St James's Park this afternoon Reading, two goals in arrears at one stage of the game, made a dramatic recovery and rallied their forces so well that they defeated Exeter City by the odd goal of five. Thus they achieved their first victory at Exeter since the 1921-22 season, when they won by 3 1.

EXETER CITY
Chesters
Gray Smith
Clarke Angus Lewis
J.Scott T.Scott Hurst Wrightson Tierney

Referee:- Mr E.C.Mills, of Warminster.

Fielding Chandler Oxberry McGough Butler
Wright Hayhurst Johnson
Rowe Gregory
Whittaker
READING

The City made a splendid opening, but little can be said in favour of their second half display. A quick goal by Lewis gave the Grecians every encouragement, and there were indications at that time that Reading were in for their usual drubbing on the Exeter ground. But the City fell away so badly that they were never in the picture after the interval. There was no cohesion and no method in the play of Exeter during the second half, and spectators were streaming out of the ground in hundreds with a quarter of an hour of play still remaining. Two of the Reading goals were scored by Exeter players, and an afternoon that had promised so much proved another unhappy episode in the City's disappointing sequence of home failures. Furthermore, although the season is young there is some anxiety concerning the League position, Exeter now being in 20th place with only Southend and Bournemouth beneath them.

EXETER CITY'S NEW PLAYER:
SCOTT OF NORWICH.

The transfer was completed yesterday of Thomas Scott, an inside forward, from Norwich City to Exeter. The new player comes to Exeter with sound credentials, and his record indicates that he is a brainy and constructive forward, though not necessarily a high goalscorer. Scott, who was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne, is 27 years of age, and has played for Sunderland, Bristol City, Darlington, Liverpool, Preston North End, and Norwich City, with whom he won a Third Division championship medal last season. It will be remembered that Exeter City were keen on securing the services of Scott last March as part and parcel of the dealing between the two clubs in connection with the transfer of Happy Houghton, but the East Anglian organisation, with their eye on promotion, were not prepared to release the player at that time. Now Scott, who is 5 ft 10 ins tall and weighs 12 st 6 lbs, has at last joined the Grecians.

A PANG OF REGRET.

Exeter City went all "B.B.C." today, and microphones connected to loud speakers were in use for the first time at a football match at St James's Park. Most people, however, missed the familiar figures of the military bandsmen, and the absence of Mr George Newman's combination, for so many years the regular dispensers of musical selections at the Park, caused a pang of regret. But if the absence of the band was regretted, everyone was glad that "Nobby" Clarke was operating in his accustomed position, for his presence this afternoon was a pleasant surprise in view of the recent developments, and his selection followed closely upon an official announcement that he had terminated his contract with Exeter City and indeed with football altogether. Difficulties had arisen regarding the player's intention to go into the licensing trade, which is in contravention to the rules of the Exeter City club.

SENSATIONAL START.

Six thousand spectators saw the Grecians make a sensational start this afternoon. Scott (J) was in the picture with a clever pass forward to Wrightson, and the tall "Geordie" set the attacking machinery in motion by means of a perfectly placed transfer to Tierney. The winger, however, delayed a fraction too long, and his attempt to centre was intercepted by Gregory. A throw in resulted, and this was followed by Tierney passing the ball back to Lewis, who from twenty yards out crashed in a terrific shot. Whittaker made a belated effort to leap across the goalmouth but was beaten by the pace of the ball, which flashed into the top corner of the net. Exeter, who were captained by the new player, Tom Scott, had thus made the best start to any match so far this season. But after continuing in this vein and being a goal up at the interval the City had the galling experience of seeing the game veer round in Reading's favour in the second half. Within ten minutes of the scoring of their first goal a second one was obtained by Wrightson from a headed pass by T.Scott, and very nearly a third came about when a drive from an oblique angle by J.Scott was pushed round the post by Whittaker. Reading were by no means discouraged by these early reverses, however, and in the twentieth minute their persistence was rewarded when a low shot by Oxberry hit Gray, and the ball rebounded directly into the opposite corner of the net to that anticipated by Chesters. This goal for Reading was a very soft affair, but neither Gray nor Chesters was really to blame, and the City did not take the incident to heart.

Half-time: Exeter City 2 Reading 1.

SECOND HALF.

Exeter resumed strongly and had a fair proportion of the play, but found the Reading defence in better form than it had been before the interval. The game was contested at a great pace from end to end, Chesters and Whittaker being frequently in action. Midway through the second half a curling centre from Fielding was volleyed into the Exeter net by Butler, the former Bolton international right winger. Reading now made a spirited rally, and the game underwent a dramatic change. With Exeter's defence all at sixes and sevens many blunders were made, and after two easy chances had been missed by Fielding and McGough a free kick by Hayhurst was deflected into the net by Tom Scott. The City played very badly all through the second half, yet Reading, who had two of their goals accidentally scored for them by Exeter players, were rather lucky to capture both points.

Wednesday, October 17th 1934.
WESTERN LEAGUE MATCH AT BRISTOL
City Reserves' Second Defeat at Eastville
BRISTOL ROVERS RESERVES 4 EXETER CITY RESERVES 1

In the first five minutes at Bristol this afternoon Exeter City Reserves had to fight desperately hard to keep their goal intact. Berry got through and dribbled round Davies, and shot, but Lewis in the very nick of time dashed back and kicked clear. Davies in the next attack by the Rovers saved miraculously from Postin. Exeter got away and McArthur shaved the crossbar from V. Hoyle's centre. Prout gave Bristol the lead with a penalty kick, given against Lewis for charging Berry, but the incident did not warrant a penalty. Davies saved the spot-kick but could not hold the ball, and from the rebound Prout netted. Berry scored a second goal for the Rovers with a strong cross-shot. The game was scrappy, and in the City defence Lock and Lewis were shaky when under pressure. McCambridge headed Bristol's third goal shortly before half-time. Play was livelier during the second half, in which one goal was obtained by each side.

City Reserves:- Davies; Lock, Lewis; Keefe, Webb, McClure; V.Hoyle, Dudley, Hurst, McArthur, Dryden.