Saturday, October 29th 1949.

EXETER CITY 3  NEWPORT COUNTY 3

GOALS SPATE DUE TO BAD DEFENSIVE PLAY.

City sacrificed a point they could not afford to lose and were a team with several individual weaknesses in this drah struggle. Six goals were scored and prima facia, that could be evidence that there were two competent thrustful attacks in opposition. The true story however is that the scoring rate was due to rank bad defensive play. Both teams Goalkeepers were far from blameless. Singleton erred when Newport County scored their 2nd soul following a poor clearance, Comley shot from 25 yards range to fire home. The Newport Goalkeeper Fearnley completely misjudged McClellands corner kick which cave the City the lead.

City were two goals up after 20 minutes, Smart scoring the 2nd. They should have been capable of maintaining their advantage, defensive lapses however enabled Newport to fight back. Parker and Comley scoring. Regan put Exeter back in front but Newport equalised again through Griffiths. Exeters Halfbacks failed with one exception, the burly Doyle, He had no superior in defensive play, a relentless tackler. His long throw ins were useful and reminded one of Nobby Clark in his heyday.

Half-time City 2 Newport 2.
Attendance 8,000.

City: Singleton; Johnstone, Rowe; Doyle, Davey, Greenwood; Mitchell, Smart, Smith, McClelland, Regan.
Referee:- Mr C.P.Jacobs, of Bath
Linesmen:- Messrs G.W.Stevenson and C.G.Porter.
Newport:- Fearnley; Stansfield, Amphlett; Roffi, Depear, Newall; Payne, Comley, Parker, Griffiths, Lewis.

Scorers
Exeter City McClelland, Smart, Regan. Newport C. Comley 2. Parker.

Southern League
CHELTENHAM TOWN 0
CITY RESERVES 1 (Harrower).

• Exeter City have signed James Murphy, outside-left, from Stirling Albion, and
• Albert Greenaway (amateur), outside-right.