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)

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.

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.
SATISFACTORY DEBUTS.

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.