Northampton v Exeter City

Saturday, March 4th 1950.

Lowly placed teams in the Third Division are battling with splendid courage as the fight for safety approaches. Most of them avoided a defeat today, when Exeter City consolidated their position by saving a point at Northampton in an exciting game which produced six goals and as many near misses.

NORTHAMPTON TOWN 3
(English, McCulloch 2)
EXETER CITY 3
(Smith, Regan, Mackay)

POINT FROM NORTHAMPTON FOR THE CITY

TWO GOALS down at the end of nine minutes' play, Exeles City did well to effect a 3-3 draw at Northampton on Saturday.

The City were without the services of their leadiing goal-scorer, Smart, who was on the injured list. In the Grecians' ranks Goddard was magnificent at centre-half and Singleton was an accomplished goalkeeper. After McClelland had dribbled through for Exete and drawn the goalkeeper out, only to shoot inches wide of a gaping net, Northampton replied with devastating attacks, which brought goals in the seventh and eighth minutes, and almost brought a third, just afterwards.

Mitchell, the Northampton outside- left, centred hard across the goal- mouth to English, who headed the first goal. It was Mitchell who paved the way for the second home success, but McCulloch, the scorer, was for- tunate in beating Singleton with a low shot after his first attempt had misfired.

CITY FIGHT BACK

Fighting back with grand courage and no mean skill, the City reduced the margin through Smith, whose close range shot passed the ad- vancing goalkeeper and crowned a clever combined movement in which Mackay and McClelland had also participated

Regan's equalising goal was a masterpiece of quick thinking. The outside-left darted into the middle. hooked the ball past the hesitating McCoy, and then netted with powerful right-footed shot.

Forced to defend desperately after the interval, the City rallied and took the lead for the first time when McKay profited from a misunder- standing between McCoy and Ansell to run the ball into the net. Three minutes from the end Northampton restored equality, McCulloch scoring in a goalmouth scramble.

Half-time 2-2.

Attendance 11,571.

Northampton:- Ansell; Smalley, Barron; Candlin, McCoy, Hughes; English, Dixon, McCulloch, Murphy, Mitchell.
Exeter City:- Singleton; Johnstone, Clark; Fallon, Goddard, Davey; Mackay, McClelland, Smith, Greenwood, Regan.

Southern League
City Reserves 1 (Durrant)
Headington United 0.

RESERVES WIN NARROWLY

Exeter City Reserves just deserved their narrow victory at St. James's Park by 1-0 against Headington United. In a game which lacked real interest, the City did more shooting than Headington who always appeared to be trying to work the ball in with too orthodox passing movements. Durrant, the home centre-forward, who had a recurrence of recent knee trouble, but did not leave the field until three minutes from time, scored the only goal shortly after the interval. Warren had a great game in Exeter's defence, and centre - half Thompson was best of the visitors. 

Wednesday, March 8th 1950.

EXETER CITY RESERVES 0 

MERTHYR TYDFIL 3 (Hullett 2, McIlvenny)

Half-time City 0 Merthyr Tydfil 1.
Attendance 2,266, receipts £63. 9s. Od.

City: Hoyle; Warren, Rowe; Crouch (St Luke's), Carter, Squires; Rickard (St Luke's), Harrower, Walker, Digby, Murphy.

Merthyr:- G.Davies; Avery, Phillips; Lloyd, Tabram, Richards; R.McIlvenny, S.Davies, Hullett, Jarman, Powell.

Bill Hullett, a centre-forward who has travelled the Soccer rounds and played in every division of the Football League, is 34 years of age, but still packs a hefty shot in either foot, has lost scarcely any of his fleetness of foot, and remains a spear-head of no mean ability. He was the best player on view at St James's Park on Wednesday, and he led Merthyr Tydfil to a three- nothing victory over the Exeter City Reserve team, which was too slow to offer a serious challenge. Merthyr, given time and room, were much superior in the constructive arts. Passes were low and accurate, and most of the visiting players realised the importance of moving into the open space. A weak partial clearance by Hoyle was seized upon by Hullett in the first half, and the old Argyle leader shot on the half-turn, driving the ball high and hard into the net. In the second half another mistake by Hoyle, who failed to come out and cope effectively with a right-wing cross, enabled McIlvenny to increase Merthyr's lead. Hullett completed the visitors' tally with a close range shot after he had received the ball in an unmarked position. In an otherwise unstable City defence Rowe played an excellent game. His tackling was strong and well timed and his clearances were good in length and accuracy. Carter did some good work, but would have had greater success had he maintained closer contact with the wily Hullett. The two St Luke's College students, Rickard and Crouch, played well and made satisfactory debuts in the Southern League, and both are likely  to be seen in the team again this week-end.Though Rickard shot over the bar to miss the easiest of chances in the first half he was beyond doubt Exeter's best forward. The others were poor.