SATURDAY 9th SEPTEMBER 1989

BURNLEY 1 EXETER CITY 0

Attendance: 5443

"Another convincing away win for City, who preserved their unbeaten record with a fine display of attacking football at Turf Moor. An entertaining first-half saw chances aplenty for both sides, with City thankful on several Occasions for Dave Walter's bravery at the feet of Burnley's pacey attack. At the other end Dazza and Nevs might have put City ahead, and with better service from Brian McDermott in particular, Exeter might have created even more goal-scoring chances. Shaun Taylor and Lee Rogers had to work very hard in the centre of the City defence, and they coped admirably during prolonged bouts of Clarets' pressure. Both of City's full backs also passed a severe test, Vinnicombe was always in for a tough afternoon at the hands of Burnley's Tony Hancock (he certainly did prove to be something of an armful!). One moment of worry for the 120 or so travelling Grecians came just before half time when Clive Whitehead and Burnley's Peter Mumby challenged for a high ball hoisted into the City penalty area. However, the referee correctly Ignored one or two protests from Clarets' players who claimed that Mumby had been unfairly challenged, and both sides went in level at half-time. City's second half performance was one of their finest forty-five minutes of football under Terry Cooper. The Burnley fans were silenced as wave after wave of City attacks kept the Lancastrians firmly entrenched in their own half. So it was no surprise when Exeter took the lead which their performance so richly deserved. About a quarter of an hour into the second half, one of many second-half goalmouth scrambles saw Darran Rowbotham, sporting a Terry Butcher style headband, force the ball home. This opened the floodgates, and a panicky Burnley defence witnessed an Exeter display of attacking football of the highest quality. City's second goal was a fitting example of the side's thrilling display, a half-cleared corner fell awkwardly to Danny Balley who unleashed a volley of remarkable speed and accuracy into the top left hand corner of the net. Minutes from the end came City's third, Lee Rogers header evading the dive of both goalkeeper and defender to give Exeter their second consecutive 3-0 victory over the Clarets. The final whistle came, with City leaving the field to a mass ovation from their noisy and appreciative following, and everybody was left wondering how we'd only managed to score three."

Yes, childish I know, but I just had to write the report as it should have read. The referee did give the penalty just before half time (Winston White slotted it home) and Rowbotham couldn't quite snatch that equaliser. Bailey's incredible volley went inches wide and Lee Rogers' header evaded the diving keeper, but not the defender. A mass of other chances could not quite be converted into a goal, and we returned back to Devon having lost 1-0. However, the players did leave the field to a mass ovation and along with all but the most demanding City fan, was very, very proud of my club. There were seven away wins in the Fourth this weekend, and I suspect that none of them (maybe even including Southend who won five-nil at Aldershot) deserved the three points as much as we would have. It's all too easy to be bitter when you're 'robbed' of a win, or even a draw, as we were but as far as I'm concerned this was far more satisfying and encouraging than our victories over Hartlepool and Doncaster. What more can I say?

BURNLEY TEAM: Pearce, Measham, Deakin, Deary, Monington, Harris, White, Mumby, Hancock, Jabub, Grewcock.

CITY TEAM : Walter, Hiley, Vinnicombe, Rogers, Rowbotham (Young 86), McDermott, Neville, Dryden. Taylor, Whitehead, Bailey,

SCORERS: 1-0 White (pen) 44.

ATTENDANCE: 5,443 (150 City fans).

DAVID'S MAN OF THE MATCH:
Lee Rogers.