December 23rd 1933.
EXETER CITY 4 TORQUAY UNITED 0.

The City made one change compared with the team defeated last week at the Northampton County Ground, Miller, the former captain and the oldest servant on the club's books, displacing Hughes. The "gate" was disappointingly small, and the crowd was as subdued as it was lacking in numbers. Indeed, it is difficult to recall such a sparse and disinterested assembly for a match in which local rivals were engaged. There were barely 4,000 present when the teams came on to the field, and although the turnstiles were still clicking there appeared little prospect of the attendance reaching 6,000.

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

Torquay United. Langford; Fowler and Rees; Lievesley, Welsh, and Pickersgill; Ryder, Kennedy, Stabb, Hutchinson, and Bird.

Referee:- Mr W. J. Lewington, of Croydon.

The Torquay team included Jack Kennedy, transferred from Exeter just a few weeks ago, but it was understood that Walters was excluded in favour of Hutchinson. Torquay won the toss, but it was Exeter who first threatened danger, and when Scott centred Welsh had difficulty in clearing. The ball rebounded to Hurst, but Fowler intervened and cleared well upfield before Hurst could get a shot in.

EXETER ON TOP.

Bird and Hutchinson both shot outside with only Davies to beat, but the play ran mostly towards the Torquay end and Exeter appeared well on top. Wrightson initiated an attack from which the City almost got the lead, feeding Scott with a delightful pass, Langford being in great difficulties when the ball came back to the centre. Houghton and Hurst were just too late to apply the finishing touch, with the goalkeeper fumbling the ball from Scott's centre. Exeter were by now almost toying with the opposition, who appeared a very weak side. Persistent attacking by the Grecians resulted in the first goal to them nine minutes after the start. Pickersgill was penalised for hands some distance outside the penalty area, and from the free kick by Clarke the ball was headed by Poulter against the cross-bar. It was retrieved by Wrightson, who although standing well to the right of the goal volleyed instantly into the net before Langford could move. This early success no more than did justice to the City, who, faster and cleverer in all departments, extended the United defence to the fullest degree.

CRUDE OPPOSITION.

Scott and Wrightson were prominent in Exeter's earnest endeavours to increase the score, and there were several thrilling moments in the United goalmouth. Against crude opposition the City dominated all the exchanges, and Torquay survived luckily when a thundering drive from Wrightson flashed inches past their goal. A triangular move between Houghton, Hardie and Hurst ended with the ball being once more lodged in the United net, but for some reason the goal, scored by Poulter, was disallowed. It appeared at a later stage that Poulter had handled the ball. Better fortune awaited the City after half an hour's play, for a bad lapse on the part of Langford almost presented Poulter with a goal which counted. The quickness of Clarke paved the way, for when the half-back shot from an oblique angle Langford failed to gather the ball cleanly, and the dashing Poulter charged into him. The ball dropped loose in the goalmouth and Poulter crashed it into the back of the net. This further success roused the enthusiasm of the crowd no end, and the cheering was renewed when Poulter chased out to the right, dispossessed Rees and centred low to the goalmouth. Hurst was waiting, but to the consternation of his colleagues he kicked over the ball when a touch would have sufficed. Over-eagerness had cost the City a certain goal that time, and Hurst looked crestfallen as he trotted back down the field to take up position for the Torquay goal kick which followed. Half-time: Exeter 2 Torquay 0.

SECOND HALF.

It was learned during the interval that Walters was out of the side because of a pulled muscle, and in his absence the brunt of Torquay United's attempts to attack had fallen upon Kennedy. Kennedy in the first half had been about the only Torquay player to have anything approaching a semblance of method, but he had had to plough a lonely furrow with the result that all his efforts were in vain. The first incident of note in the second half was a shot by Houghton that whistled past the side of the Torquay goal. Torquay, relying on energy, but almost devoid of science, were never very dangerous, and it was not long before the City scored their third goal. Miller had broken up a spasmodic Torquay attack and Gray completed the clearance with a long kick down the centre. Poulter pounced on the ball, giving a lovely ground pass to Scott, and once more the United defence was on the run. Scott dazzled his way past Rees, flicked the ball across to Hurst, who drove the ball past the hapless Langford into the net.

PENALTY MISSED.

Although no foul had been committed Torquay were awarded a penalty in one of their rare attacks, but Fowler, usually so sure from the spot, drove the ball yards wide. From the subsequent goal kick Exeter got their fourth goal. Poulter chased the ball and captured it, dribbled last the advancing Langford and joyfully crashed the leather hard into the net.