Saturday, April 3rd 1948. 

EXETER CITY 1 (Evans) 

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION 0

Half time City 0 Brighton 0
League 3rd Division South, at St James's Park.
Attendance 7,000.
Exeter City: Singleton; Johnstone, Rowe; Bartholomew, Davey, Jeffrey; Hutchings, Evans, Dymond, Mackay, Regan.

Brighton:- Baldwin; Marriott, Morrad; James, Dugnolle, Darling; Willard, Lancelotte, Moore, Willis, Small.

If Exeter City had taken half the reasonable chances they had to score goals against Brighton their faithful followers would have been spared many shocks in the last 15 minutes. The City, with a line of forwards who lost all idea of where the goal was in the second half, were leading by one goal against a moderate team which had been greatly outplayed. From virtual dictators of the contest Exeter were reduced in the closing stages to a struggling formation. The spectators gasped when Willis equalled some of the City's poor marksmanship by shooting wide when it looked easier for him to have scored. A minute later Singleton had to dive quickly to his left to smother a goal-bound shot by Willard. Seldom were so many opportunities squandered in one match. The worst failures were Dymond and Mackay, each of whom shot wide from right in front of goal and at short range, and who between them could easily had half-a-dozen goals. Evans won this match for his side with a spectacular goal, but it was insufficient to atone for the laboured nature of his general display. Dymond hit the crossbar with a good shot in the second half and had another robust drive punched over the bar by Baldwin. Hutchings had a poor game apart from a touch of brilliance when he crossed a per fect centre which preceded the scoring of Evans's goal.


Monday, April 5th 1948.

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 2 (Rawlings, Edds)
EXETER CITY 1 (Thompson)

Half-time Argyle 1 City 1.

Devon Professional Championship, first round.

Played at Home Park, Plymouth.
Attendance 5,406.

Argyle:- Shortt; Silk, Ratcliffe; L.Jones, R.E.Warren, Rundle; Rawlings, Smith, Edds, Murphy, Buist.

City: Hoyle; Thompson, Blood; P.Fallon, D.B. Warren, Walker; Dymond, Grant, Smart, Mackay, Regan.

Exeter City, fielding several reserves, were beaten by 2 goals to 1 by Plymouth Argyle in the first Devon Professional Championship game for two years. Last season the draw for the first round was made on February 28th, 1947, resulting Plymouth Argyle v Torquay United, at Home Park, with Exeter drawing the bye, but due to the bad weather at that time and the consequent congestion of postponed fixtures the competition was never played off. In last evening's match at Plymouth the City had more scoring chances than the Argyle, and Dymond in the last few seconds ought to have levelled the scores. He was clear of all opposition except the goalkeeper, and although he made a good attempt it was not good enough to foil Shortt, who made a masterly save when needed, and thus enabling the Pilgrims to secure their place in the final, against Torquay United next week. Two penalties were taken before the interval, and each was successful, the scorers from the spots being Rawlings and Thompson. Plymouth Argyle's winning goal was netted by Edds in the 13th minute of the second half.