GRECIANS' FAILURES AGAINST MODERATE OPPOSITION.

LIFELESS DISPLAY BY CITY FORWARDS.

Saturday, January 14th 1950.

EXETER CITY 1 (Smart)
LEYTON ORIENT 1 ( Clark own goal)

Half-time City 1 Orient 1.
Attendance 9,000.

Exeter City: Singleton; Johnstone, Clark; Fallon, Goddard, Powell; Harrower, Smart, Smith, Greenwood, Regan.
Referee:- Mr A.W.Smith, of Aldershot. Orient: Hobbins; Banner, Davidson; Taylor, Rooney, Trailor; Dryden, Blair, Sutherland, Pullen, McGeachie.

Exeter City missed a big opportunity today. They badly needed two points, and ought to have got them against a moderate Leyton Orient side at St James's Park. Instead, they had to be content with a division from one of the poor est matches seen on the ground since the war. The partial failure was a big disappointment to the spectators, and so was the lifeless display given by several members of the Exeter team. Regan and Greenwood fell ready victims to Leyton's quick - tackling backs, while Harrower was guilty of inexcusably bad marksmanship on three occasions when he looked odds-on to score. The mainstay of Exeter's defence was again Goddard, who effectively demonstrated his strength and experience by closing the gap down the middle. He was incisive in the tackle, and possessed the extra touch of class which enabled him to come through with the ball. Goddard is without doubt the best post-war signing the City have made. Orient scored their goal, or rather, Exeter scored it for them early in the game when Clark kicked the ball into his own net. Smart scored the equalising goal from close range after Regan had headed a centre from Harrower into the goalmouth.

Southern League 
CHELMSFORD (Plunkett 2)
CITY RESERVES (McClelland) 1.


OPPORTUNIST PLUNKETT SCORED TWO FINE GOALS

By J. C. Chaplin (Essex Newsman) 

The return of Frank Soo to skipper Chelmsford City in their Southern League game with Exeter City Res. at New Writtle Street on Saturday certainly brought about some improvement over the previous week's desuitory performance against Gravesend.

But in the end Chelmsford had to fight hard to get a 2-1 win. Truth was that the early promise faded out towards the end, when Exeter were hammering at at goal. There was an improvement in play. but it was not pronounced. Soo's shrewd passes in the first salf had a lot to do with Chelmsford early superiority. Chelmsford had a re-arranged side, even though full-back Bidewell did not, after all, take over the centre-forward position. Peter Hutton had been taken ill with tonsilitis, so Bidewell took his place at right back as partner to Len Wager. Alexander returned at right-halt, with Frank Soo on the left. Plunkett partnered McCormack on the right wing, and Denny Foreman was brought in at centre-forward. An outstanding City player was Leslie Wicks, whose dour work at centre-half was a feature of a rather poor game, which deteriorated towards the end. Exeter were certainly not as strong an opposition as Gravesend of the previous week. The hardest working forward on the field was Plunkett, whose two goals were fine examples of opportunism. Harry Binks generally had a con- üdent game in goal, being especially good with the many high shots that came his way. Exeter were the first to get away, Binks pulling down a swift one from centre-forward Rew. Foreman slipped the ball through to Mc- Cormack, but Rowe robbed the winger of a good chance. Chelmsford's first goal came after four minutes. McCormack retrieved the ball and put it through to Plunkett, whose first shot hit Walker and rebounded. Fastening on, PLUNKETT rammed the ball into the top of the net, with Hoyle helpless. Plunkett, put in possession by Foreman, netted close in, but the referee gave Chelmsford a free kick right on the edge of the penalty area. Soo's kick was charged down -a dual effort between Walker and Davey. One of Chelmsford's best shots so far came from Alexander, who swept the ball towards the corner of the net. Hoyle was there to a thrilling clearance for a corner. When Soo put Suttle through and the ball was hovering dangerously in the goalmouth, centre-half Walker seemed to beat down the ball with his hands. Referee C. V. Baxter waved piay on as City men were appealing for a penalty. Chelmstord deserved their 1-0 half-time lead, although, on play balance, there wasn't much in it. Soo paved the way to the second goal, He slipped the ball through to Foreman, who turned it smartly to PLUNKETT. Running in, the inside-right sliced it into the corner of the net. This was one of Plunkett's best goals of the season, for both Davey and Rowe were racing for the ball. Plunkett slipped through smartly, and Hoyle had little chance.

In a smart Chelmsford raid, Foreman was brought down from behind. Plunkett's free kick was charged down. Something of the best in McCormack was seen when ne eluded two defenders to put Foreman in possession. The centre- forward was narrowly beaten in a race for the ball by Hoyle, who just got there first. MCCLELLAND scored a good goal for Exeter. From an un-marked position he went on to smash the ball into the top of the net. A defensive mistake here. In the closing minutes McCor mack put across a couple of deadly centres, but they were not improved upon.

Teams:-

Chelmsford City: H. Binks: Bidewell L. Wager: Alexander. Wicks, Soo,  McCormack Plunkett. Foreman. Lane, Suttle 

Exeter City Reserves Hoyle, Warren Rowe: Squires, Walker, Davey, Hutchings, MacKay, Rew, McClelland, Murphy