ECFC 4-1 Swindon Town

Scorers:
Kellow 2 (1 p), Neville, Stroud (og)

Attendance: 5,442

Match Report by Gordon Hines
Sunday Independent 06/04/80


TONY Kellow, his left arm slung across his stomach to ease the pain from a shoulder injury, didn't quite make it to the end of this glorious Exeter City double over Swindon at St. James' Park yesterday. Not that missing the last seven minutes mattered, because by then Kellow had combined in a brilliant striking partnership with Peter Rogers to tear the Wiltshire side to shreds. In particular Swindon had no answer to the Kellow-Rogers combination during the first half and City's 3-1 interval lead would have been five or six but for 'keeper Jimmy Allan. Kellow began the Wiltshire wobble in the 11th minute with a simple far post tap in after Martyn Rogers, Steve Neville and Peter Rogers had dissected Swindon along the right. Rogers' ability to shrug off two tackles along the left led directly to Exeter's second goal seven minutes before half time. Needless to say, it was Kellow who sent Rogers away, and the cross was inch-perfect for Neville to head into any part of the goal he chose. The game was as good as over 60 seconds later when Swindon defender Roy Carter conceded a penalty for hand ball after Peter Hatch had steered a header towards goal from another Rogers' cross. Allan didn't move as Kellow drove in his second goal of the game, his fourth since returning to St. James' Park from Blackpool last month, and his 17th of the season. That Carter should have been the player to have given the penalty away, was unfortunate to say the least. For, like Kellow, Carter is Cornish born he hails from Torpoint and also - played for Falmouth before moving to Swindon via Hereford. Carter was booked in the second half for a foul on Neville to make it a thoroughly miserable West Country homecoming, although at that stage, Swindon had crept back into the game and were providing Exeter with some anxious moments. Their goal, in fact, came at just the right psychological time before the interval when outstanding midfield player Chris Kamara headed the ball beyond Ian Main after the Exeter 'keeper had done exceptionally well to push out a shot from Andy Rowland.

Main also performed heroics to save from 26- goal Alan Mayes, and Phil Roberts cleared off the line from the former Watford striker with the ball having sped under Main's diving body. But Swindon's all-out second half assaults were mostly well held in check by another competent defensive performance in which Roberts and Jimmy Giles kept the twin threat of Mayes and Rowland to an absolute minimum. Swindon threw in one last card in an attempt to make in-roads. They replaced winger Brian Williams with Ian Miller, but three minutes later - after 75 minutes - it was Exeter who had the final say when Neville forced Kenny Stroud into an error and the Swindon skipper hooked the ball into his own net. It gave City their biggest and most satisfying win of the season satisfying because of the formidable opposition. For Swindon were never push overs and only a really good side could possibly have beaten them on the day. With Kellow and Rogers in such devastating form up front, however, there was never any doubt about which way the result would go. The crowd knew it too, for Kellow's disappearance down the players' tunnel to make way for substitute Ray Pratt in the 83rd minute, produced the biggest of the many rounds of applause from the crowd. Kellow will however, be fit to face Plymouth Argyle at Home Park tomorrow

Exeter City 

City team: lan Main, Martyn RogersPeter HatchJohn HoreJimmy Giles, Phil Roberts, Steve Neville, Peter Rogers, Tony Kellow (Ray Pratt)John Delve, Dave Pullar.

Swindon team: Allan, StroudPeach, Cockerill, Lewis, CarterAbbley, Kamara, RowlandMayes, Williams.

Referee:- A. J. Hamil (Wolverhampton).

Attendance: 5,442.