December 16th 1933.
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 5 EXETER CITY 3.

The Grecians left Exeter yesterday and stayed in London overnight, the remaining stage of the journey being completed this morning. At Northampton the weather was mild, and the conditions were much more congenial than when the City were last there. The attendance, how ever, was very disappointing, and there were less than five thousand people present when the teams came out, Exeter wearing white.

Northampton Town. Allen; Park, F.Dawes; Riches, McGuire, Davies; Dowsey, Boyle, Henson, A. Dawes, Wells.

Exeter City. Davies; Gray, Hughes;
Clarke, Webb, Hardie; Scott, Wrightson, Poulter, Houghton, Hurst.

Referee:- Mr A.S.King, of Swindon.

Wells scored for Northampton after 15 minutes and again ten minutes later. The ground was becomg very slippery, and Exeter were unable to adapt themselves to the strange conditions. Their players slipped and slithered in all directions, and were nothing like so nippy and confident as the Cobblers at this stage. Both the Northampton wing men were allowed too much room in which they could operate Dowsey being especially fortunate in this respect.

Nothing seemed to be going right for Exeter, and another goal was scored against them after 35 minutes when following a swinging attack by the Cobblers Riches shot blindly. All would have been well (for Exeter) if Gray had not been in the line of flight, for Davies had the shot covered. But the ball rebounded from Gray's chested effort to clear, changed direction abruptly and rolled into the net. The City goalkeeper was thus powerless to save, and he shook his head in either amazement or disgust. The City continued to play admirable football in midfield, as they had in fact done from the start, but all the sting went out of their attacks when the penalty area was reached. Just before the interval Poulter fed Scott, who drove the ball a foot over the bar. The score at the interval was:
Northampton 3 Exeter City 0.

SECOND HALF.

Exeter's football had been ineffective throughout the first half. It was of an exhibition rather than of a thrustful character, and their dainty attacks were easily dealt with by the robust home backs, who were quicker to the ball, and who did not stand on ceremony when it came to clearing their lines. Houghton, easily the best of the City forwards, tried hard to get his team going, but he was not well supported. Eventually the City got into something like their proper stride, and from a clever piece of dribbling by Houghton the ball was passed out to Hurst, from whose centre Poulter headed nicely into the net. The game then underwent a sensational change and two minutes later Exeter scored again. Houghton dribbled forward, well into the penalty area and Clarke, following up, shot first time and scored with a finely placed drive into the bottom corner of the net.

THE ANTI CLIMAX.

The City now had an inspired spell and a quick burst through on the left by Hurst and Houghton almost brought the equaliser. There was a hectic melee inside the Cobblers' penalty area, and with Allen under a perfect fusilade of shots the home defence was lucky to survive. Then came the anti-climax. Henson picked up a loose ball in midfield and passed out to Wells. The Northampton left winger evaded three attempts to tackle, passed along the ground to A. Dawes, who drove the ball home with a great shot from twenty yards. The goal, which made the score 4 2 to the Cobblers, did not upset Exeter, who again reduced the margin, fifteen minutes from the end. Houghton had beaten three men very daintily and was in full flight for goal when he was tripped by Riches. The free kick was lobbed by Hardie into the goalmouth and Wrightson ran in to beat Allen from close range. Hurst then put Scott through, but the winger shot weakly and wide from a favourable angle. This proved to be the turning point of the game. In gathering darkness Northampton attacked persistently, and with less than a minute remaining Riches passed across the penalty area to Wells, who streaked in while the Exeter defence hesitated and crashed the ball into the net for a really fine goal.

EXETER CITY RESERVES 4
LLANELLY 0.

The meeting of Exeter City Reserves and Llanelly at St James's Park was invested with considerable interest. Chesters, who has already given manifestations of his pluck, made an unexpected appearance, playing with a strip of plaster on his severely injured lip. Exeter gave a trial to a newcomer from Scotland, Robert Tait, a half back from Glasgow Parkhouse. He is 22 years of age and well built. Fred Jasper of Budleigh Salterton was at outside right.

City Reserves:- Chesters; M.Lock, Miller; Ditchburn, Angus, Tait; F.Jasper, Risdon, Boundy, Whitlow, Barnes.

Llanelly:- Owen; Hale, K.Evans; Richards, Williams, Cope; J.Evans, Jones, Curwood, Cochrane, McNab.

Boundy scored for Exeter with a good shot after receiving the ball from Jasper. Tait, the new half back from Scotland, was not happy against the wiles of Jack Evans, the old Welsh International, and much of his tackling was rather crude. Jasper, Angus (from a penalty and Boundy scored for Exeter in the second half. The City's outstanding players were Risdon, Miller and Ditchburn.