AIMLESS KICKING AND CARELESS PLAY AT ST. JAMES'S PARK. 

ALDERSHOT BEATEN BY EARLY GOAL.

Monday, April 22nd 1946.
EXETER CITY 1 (Ebdon)
ALDERSHOT 0
Half-time score:- City 1 Aldershot 0.

Attendance 8,000.

Exeter City:- Lambton; Blood, Gadsby; Cutting, Coles, Eastham; Wardle, Walker, Ebdon, Wright, Regan.
Referee:- Mr W.E.Plyer, of Weymouth.
Aldershot:- Reynolds; Rogers, Sheppard; Morris, Summerbee, Marshall; Hobbs, Palmer, Bell, Russell, Hassell.

Exeter City beat Aldershot by the only goal, scored by Ebdon in the first few minutes, but the team gained two points from as dull and uninspiring contest as has ever been witnessed between rivals of the 3rd Division grade. Like most of the play in this match the goal itself was one of the scrambling variety. Reynolds misjudged the flight of a high bouncing ball under pressure from Ebdon. In the subsequent mix-up the Exeter centre forward forced it over the line. Aimless kicking and much careless and slow motion play were the main ingredients of this lifeless Easter Monday encounter. Ebdon, who was the most energetic member of the City team, was cautioned during the second half for charging the Aldershot goalkeeper.

Saturday, April 27th 1946.
CITY RESERVES LOSE AT HOME. ARGYLE GET THREE GOALS; CITY TWO.

CITY RESERVES 2 (Vaughan, Cutting) ARGYLE RESERVES 3 (Mitcheson, Carter, Hurst)
Attendance 2,000.

City Reserves:- Bryant; Murray, Tattardell; Angus, Miller, Haddock; Lovell, Cutting, Tough, Vaughan, Challis.
Argyle Reserves:- Wright; Tugwell, Hill; Jenkins, Warren, Grimes; Carter, Boyd, W.Smith, Mitcheson, Hurst.

Exeter City Reserves failed to fulfil their first half promise and so lost by 3 goals to 2 after a dull display in the second half. There were times before the interval when the City Reserves, who profited largely by the sterling constructive play of Angus, looked to be heading for a substantial victory, but chances were wasted by weak and inaccurate shooting in the later stages of the game. Plymouth Argyle Reserves on the other hand improved as the game went on. Tough, who wrote to Exeter City for a trial, displayed some clever touches and kept his wingers well supplied with passes, while Haddock, of the Royal Air Force, and Miller, a young player from the Midlands, were sound defensive half backs.


Wednesday, May 1st 1946.
EXETER CITY AND ROYAL MARINES AT TIVERTON. MATCH IN AID OF THE "WELCOME HOME" FUND.


EXETER CITY 4 (Wright 3, Jones)
ROYAL MARINES 1 (Harper)
Attendance 3,000.

Exeter City:- Turnbull; Murray, Tattardell; Barnes, Coles, Pile;Cutting, Challis, Jones, Wright, Regan.
Royal Marines:- Hannaford; Green, Tallis; Dunn, Hayes, Vickery; Astall, McBeath, McGinty, Gallagher, Harper.

A "hat trick" by Ray Wright was the highlight of Exeter City's win over the Royal Marines in a match played at Tiverton for the town's "Welcome Home" fund. The City's inside left scored twice before the interval. His third goal was a well directed header from a corner ideally placed for him by Regan. Jones, amateur centre forward of Friernhay, who replaced Walker at the last minute, completed the City's tally when he beat Hayes for speed and ran on to score from close range a quarter of an hour from time. The Marines tried hard throughout, but their only goal was a penalty converted by Harper.

• An enjoyable game was witnessed by a large crowd, the gate receipts amounting to well over £50.

Saturday, May 4th 1946.
A POOR SHOW BY EXETER CITY.
TORQUAY WIN THE DEVON CHAMPIONSHIP.

EXETER CITY 0
TORQUAY UNITED 4
(Smith, Conley 2, Kernick)

Half-time score City 0 Torquay 1. 

Attendance 7500.

Exeter City:- Lambton; Blood, Gadsby; Cutting, Coles, Haddock; Wardle, Walker, Ebdon, Wright, Regan.
Torquay United:- Joslin; Keeton, Calland; Cothliff, Head, Markham; Smith, Phillips, Conley, Kernick, Mercer.

Luckless up to a point, Exeter City were also a poor side against Torquay in the Devon Championship Final at St. James's Park. While sympathy is due to the Grecians on account of the injury which reduced Wright to a limping passenger for two thirds of the match, it does not condone the general lethargy which characterised Exeter City's display. The only Exeter player who emerged with any credit from this sorry end-of-the-season slump was Gadsby, for he was a towering figure in an otherwise slow and faltering defence. Gadsby was to Exeter what Calland was to Torquay, a strong and resourceful left back. Lambton, who could not be blamed for the defeat, was the victim of bad refereeing when he conceded a penalty from which Conley scored, for charging whilst in possession of the ball. Ebdon had a few chances to score but missed them all. Wardle failed to make any use ful impression either on the wing or later at inside right following Wright's injury.

2nd Report 

CHAMPIONSHIP FOR TORQUAY

EXETER CITY WELL BEATEN

By EXONIAN.

Beaten at home by four clear goals in the Devon Professional Championship. Exeter City were a poor side against Torquay United. Though a twisted knee reduced Wright to a limping passenger, and so disorganized the attack for two-thirds of the game, I could not overlook the lethargic methods which formed so irritating a feature, of the City's performance. In contrast to the casual Exeter team, Torquay treated the encounter seriously They were manifestly superior in team work and yards faster on the ball individually. Only goal of the first half was scored by Smith, but nearly all the credit must go to Mercer, who ran haif the length of the field before creating the easiest of chances for his right-wing colleague. Torquay almost scored again just before the interval, when a shot from Comley, a quick-moving centre-forward, re-bounded from the crossbar.

TORE BIG GAPS.

The lasted longer the game the more pronounced Torquay's superiority became Their pro- gressive attack frequently tore big gaps in an unsteady defence, in which Gadsby alone remained capable of offering effective resis- tance. A border-line penalty, awarded because Lambton, the Exeter goalkeeper. bundled into Comiley, placed Exeter further on the slippery slope to defeat. Comley succeeded from the spot, and within a minute he had scored again this time from Markham's centre. Nearly all the fight went out of Exeter in the closing stages, and Torquay's forwards, playing polished football, crowned one grand move- ment with the best goal of the match. The ball was passed all along the line, and finally Smith centred per- fectly for Kernick to dash in and beat Lambton with a close-range header. There was not a weakness in the United ranks. They had a magnificent full-back in Calland, as good as any Third Division defender I have seen since the war. He kept the Exeter right flank in complete subjection and made Wardle appear very ordinary. All three half-backs were good with Markham the pick because of the grand service he gave to his front-rank comrades.

CRAFTY SCHEMER.

Forward Torquay were always better than their rivals, Smith was the best wing man on view, Phillips was a crafty schemer, and Kernick, Comley, and Mercer supplied the thrust. As for Exeter, the only players who came through with distinction were Gadsby and Lambton. The injured Wright and the persevering Haddock and Regan were the pick of the remainder.

The attendance was 7,500.