RETURN MATCH ON BOXING DAY AT EXETER. A DIFFERENT STORY THIS TIME.

Thursday, December 26th 1946.
EXETER CITY 2 (Cutting, Blood)
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION 1  (Sim)
Half-time City 2 Brighton 1.

Exeter City: Singleton; Thompson, Blood; Cutting, Hanford, Walker; Granville, Wardle, Holman, Wright, Regan.
Referee:- Mr F.V.Searle, of Salisbury.
Brighton:- Ball; Bamford, Willemse; James, Barker, Darling; Gotts, Wilson, Sim, Chapman, Hanlon.

Attendance 12,000.

Fresh from their six-one triumph at Brighton the City had no easy passage in the Boxing Day return game at St James's Park. They had to defend grimly in the closing stages to maintain their slender advantage. And when James crashed a 20 yards drive against the City crossbar with one minute remaining the rebound was safely and gratefully clutched by Singleton. Cutting undoubtedly earned the distinction of being the City's best player by virtue of an accomplished performance in both defensive and constructive arts. He also scored Exeter's opening goal with a capital shot, the other being a penalty kick by Blood.
Blood almost scored with a second penalty, his cannonball shot, six minutes from the end, knocking out the goalkeeper. The ball returned into play, however, and was cleared. Introduced at outside right Granville gave a promising display in a forward line which had few opportunities after the interval.