CARDIFF CITY A SUPERIOR FORCE. EXETER LOSE FIVE GOALS AT NINIAN PARK.

Saturday, February 2nd 1946.

CARDIFF CITY 5 (Rees 2, Lever, Clarke, Wright)
EXETER CITY 1 (Regan) 1
Half-time score:- Cardiff 3 Exeter 0.
Attendance 8,000.

Referee:- Mr W.T.Strainge, of Bristol.

Beaten by five goals to one, the Exeter City team was so much the inferior force except for a brief spell just before half time and a spirited rally towards the close that the margin of defeat could have easily been greater. For Exeter were outpaced and outplayed for the larger part of the game. Their slow, orthodox football suffered badly by comparison with Cardiff's enterprising, speedier, and more intelligent methods. Cardiff had youth and virility in every position; Exeter appeared stale and sluggish and were a team almost devoid of cohesion and combination. The home team enjoyed the run of the ball and derived inspiration from an early goal made possible mainly because the Exeter defence did not react with sufficient alertness to the imminent danger of the situation. That was a fatal mistake against the fleet-footed Cardiff youngsters. In fact Cardiff were the complete team at Ninian Park. The spacious playing pitch suits their style. They were able to cover up defects in combination by the persistent follow-up methods they made against an Exeter side that was far too slow.