TEN THOUSAND SPECTATORS AT ST. JAMES'S PARK. CITY DRAW WITH BRISTOL ROVERS.

Saturday, September 29th 1945.

EXETER CITY 2 (Challis, Haddington) BRISTOL ROVERS 2 (Mills, Clark)
Half-time score:- City 2 Rovers 0.

Attendance 10,000.

Referee:- Mr C.Kearse, of Reading.
Exeter City:- Staveley; Roughton, Brown; Walker, Blood, Jordan; Challis, Haddington, Ebdon, Mitcheson, Sutherley.
Bristol Rovers:- Weare; Topping, Watkins; McGahie, Warren, Whitfield;
Butterworth, Mills, Lambden, Talbot, Clark.

Smart combination by the City forwards promised an early success, and the crowd of over ten thousand roared as Ebdon raced out to the left and drove only inches over with Weare well beaten. Next Sutherley darted through and closed to within a few yards of the Bristol goal. As he was preparing to shoot, however, he was tackled from behind and went headlong as Weare came out to gather and clear. But Exeter were not to be denied, and after fifteen minutes they took a deserved lead through Challis, who scored with an accurate low shot from Ebdon's pass. The City scored a second goal through Haddington, a guest player from Bradford Park Avenue, and at half time the Grecians were two up. Exeter were a disjointed side after the interval and were then greatl outplayed by a faster moving Bristol side. Facing the glaring sun was also a big handicap. Bristol scored three minutes after the restart and again two minutes before the close of play.