EBDON AND WARDLE TRIUMPH IN BRIGHT CITY DISPLAY. CLEVER AND CONSTRUCTIVE FOOTBALL AT ST JAMES'S PARK.

Saturday, September 28th 1946.
EXETER CITY 4 (Ebdon 3, Wardle)
BOURNEMOUTH & BOSCOMBE 1 (Macdonald)
Half-time City 2 Boscombe 1.

City: Singleton; Thompson, Coles; Cutting, Hanford, Fellowes; Mustard, Wardle, Ebdon, Wright, Regan.
Referee:- Mr G.H.Hann, of Glastonbury.

Boscombe:- Bird; Marsden, Sanaghan;
Woodward, Wilson, Gallacher; Burke, Hutchinson, Kirkham, Paton, Macdonald.

Attendance 12,000.

Ebdon's hat-trick, Wardle's brilliant goal, and the easy ascendancy of the rival attacks were highlights of today's match at St. James's Park. An entertaining contest, it produced clever and constructive play by both teams, and the City's win was well deserved, although possibly the margin was slightly flattering. Territorially Bournemouth had as much of the exchanges as the City. Their movements were well planned and the approach work was pleasing, but the visiting forwards had no persistent match-winning forward to compare with Ebdon.

Ebdon's best goal was his first. He had to sidestep three men, push the ball forward a couple of yards and then drive it past the goal keeper. It was a grand goal and only overshadowed by Wardle's better one later in the match. Wardle got the ball in his own penalty area from a Bournemouth corner kick. By brilliant and seemingly effortless ball control he emerged from the ruck. At top speed he careered past man after man in an electrifying 70 yards run. The perfect ending came when he, noticing that Bird was advancing from his goal, timed his shot exactly. From the edge of the penalty area Wardle lobbed the ball over the head of the goalkeeper and into the empty net.

Southern League:
Cheltenham 8
City Reserves 3 (Holman, Challis, and Smart).

Team: Todd; Gingell, Long; Holcroft, Angus, Haddock; Holman, Bowden, Smart, Vaughan, and Challis.