Exeter City 2-1 Burnley

Joyous night for Exeter

by PETER SLATER at St James' Park

THE celebrations beforehand may have oversha- dowed the football, but Exeter City did enough last night to finish their season undefeated at home and merit the title of champions. Shaun Taylor was presented with the Barclay's League Division Four trophy in front of almost 8,000 appreciative fans at St James' Park. The size of the turnout may have been slightly disappointing, but those who did come were not dis- appointed when two second half goals gave their idols victory, albeit after visitors Burnley took a surprise lead. Exeter took the field to a guard of honour from the Lancastrian side which, with the exception of a couple of Clive Whitehead lunges that eventually earned a booking, was a gesture typical of the sport- ing spirit in which the game was played. Hands were shaken and heads patted after fouls. It was smiles all round until City, having played all the football, found themselves a goal down on 22 minutes, Taylor, after a season of almost flawless performances, was guilty of over-generosity when he missed a tackle on Burnley's John Francis. The mistake allowed the stiker to progress into the box where he calmly slotted the ball past the advancing Kevin Miller from 15 yards. City tried to hit back and came close on 40 minutes when Richard Young rose imperiously to head a cross towards goal, but Chris Pearce dived to his right and clung on to the ball. The Burnley 'keeper, who arrived late at the ground after witnessing the birth of his baby son, had already guaranteed his side safe delivery to half-time. Scott Hiley was prominent in City's opening flourish. In the sixth minute he took the ball from the edge of his own penalty area to the limits of the Burnley box before crossing to Paul Batty whose drive was well stopped by Pearce.
Pearce saved with more ease a moment later when Hiley tried an ambitious header from 18 yards but the right-back was not done. On nine minutes he picked Young out on the right with a defence-splitting ball but Neville just failed to connect to the low cross. Burnley warning shot put another across the home bows just before the break when Miller parried a Nigel Smith cross and Hiley had to clear John Deary's drive off the line with the City defence in disarray. But with the second period barely three minutes old, the danger of defeat receded with a move of great simplicity snd deadly effectiveness. McDermott swung a free-kick in from the right, Taylor nodded it back, and Whitehead appeared unmarked to head the ball over the line from three yards.

Burnley then appeared to bow to the inevitable - a trait which may explain their poor season, and City took advantage of slack defending to take the lead on 59 minutes. An innocuous through ball was met by by Andy Farrell, but his misdirected header fell to Neville 30 yards out on the right. He beat the defender to the by-line before whipping in a low cross. Young arrived before the rest of the defence to turn the ball in at the near post.

The final whistle brought the now familiar sight at St James' Park of a peaceful pitch invasion. The City players were again carried shoulder high from the field.

EXETER CITY: Miller, Hiley, Whitehead, Rogers, Taylor. Batty, Kelly (Harrower, 92), Bailey, McDermott, Neville, Young. Sub not used: Rowe.

BURNLEY: Pearce, Measham, Deakin, Deary, Farrell, Davis, Smith (White, 56), Mumby, Francis, Jakub, Hardy. Subs not used: Atkinson.

REFEREE: David Atkinson (Middlesex).

Scorers: Whitehead, Young

Attendance: 7544