ECFC 4-2 Brighton & Hove Albion Scorers: Mackay 3, McClelland Attendance: 10803

City fits and starts-but another home win
By NOMAD

The Choice of Exeter City's forward line to play against Brighton at St. James's Park to-day was deferred until the eve of the match, when Duggie Regan was declared unfit.
Regan developed a muscular strain yesterday. In his absence, the selectors decided to shift Archie Smith from centre forward to the right wing and introduce Reg Dare as leader of the attack. Dare, who has scored 16 goals in 13 outings with the Reserve side, thus made his Football League debut. His promotion was justified in view of an impressive series of performances he has had in Southern League games.
Similarly, the onlookers were pleased that Archie Smith was re tained in the side. There was a pre-match feeling that this always-earnest player would fit in on the right-wing a position he often filled with Hamilfon Academicals, the club with whom he played before coming to Exeter.

The Line-up

City: Singleton; Clark, Rowe; Fallon, Goddard, Davey: Smith, Mackay, Dare, Lynn, McClelland.
Brighton: Baldwin; Tennant, Hansell; Willard. South, Wilson; Reed, McNichol Thompson, Hassell, Keene.
Referee: C. P. Jacobs, Bath.

Two coach-loads of Brighton sup porters arrived in good time for the game, after a six a.m, departure. When the City kicked off, Mackay tried to find Smith with a long pass, but Mansell anticipated smartly, moved across, and forced the ball into touch.
City Raiding
Hands against Rowe brought Brighton a free kick from midfield, and Singleton ran out to make an easy clearance from Willard's lob into the penalty area. City attacked on both wings, and Fallon's dangerous centre was headed clear in the nick of time by Smith. Sound clearances by Rowe enabled Exeter to raid again, and from Mackay's shrewd pass, Smith closed in and shot. Unprepared, Baldwin was almost beaten. The ball hit the goalkeeper on the knee and he cleared at the second attempt. Clever ball control by McNichol was the biggest menace the City defence had to face, but the visiting forwards were seldom allowed to get within shooting range. The first real chance came to the City 12 minutes after the start.Lynn, Dare and Mackay led a lively movement, and when the last-named centred, the ball flashed across the goalmouth. Baldwin came out and failed to punch away. Dare ran in and headed outside the near upright, and then referee Jacobs, noticing that Smith was pushed in the goalmouth skirmish, at once pointed to the penalty spot. Clarke took the kick and shot wide. The spot kick failure re-acted badly on the City right-back. He was rattled and made several mistakes before MCNICHOLL gave Brighton the lead 17 minutes after the start. Standing almost underneath the crossbar, he headed Keene's corner kick into the net. City, yards slow, were all at sea. Brighton, once they had gone in front, were much the smarter side, and nearly all the play was at the wrong end. The speedier and cleverer Brighton forwards were at constant grips with an erratic City defence. In a brief City rally McClelland shot powerfully from just outside the penalty area, and Baldwin did well. to fist away with one hand. A second attack drew Baldwin out, but the danger passed when the ball was returned wide of an unguarded net. Exeter's marking from throw-ins was atrocious, and the defence was lacking its usual certainty. At length, however, there was an improvement, and the City came into the game with a series of rousing attacks.
One Each, Then
Baldwin fell full length to save from Mackay, but he was beaten by the same forward. A long cross pass from Davey went to the unmarked Smith, The outside-right transferred quickly to MACKAY, who drove low into the corner of the net. This City equaliser, 15 minutes from the interval was quickly followed by another Brighton goal  Reed raced away and centred, and Goddard tried to head away for a corner. The centre-half was unlucky. The ball atruck, THOMPSON, and the Brighton leader was left with an unexpected gift, which he accepted by beating the powerless Singleton from close range. Recovering instantly the City ought to have been on terms when Mackay was left with only Baldwin to beat.
Mackay's Feat
Instead of shooting, he headed, and Baldwin dropped to save by the base of the post. MACKAY soon made amends Running on to Dare's intelligently lobbed pass over the head of the challenging South, he shot hard into the far corner of the net Three minutes later the hitherto disappointed crowd were roaring with delight. A great goal by MACKAY brought the Inside-forward his hat-trick the first he has ever scored in the Football League, Smith began the movement by working the ball through. His cross was helped on, by Dare, and Mackay, showing speed and perfect timing. crashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Half-time: CITY 3 BRIGHTON 2
What a team of contrasts the City had been in the first half ! They started satisfactorily, fell to pieces after the missed penalty, and then came back with a storming finish.

A corner to Exeter was cleared and Brighton attacks were countered by a defence which had a more solid look. Goddard and Rowe did good work to hold the still lively Brighton forwards, and then the City ought to have increased their lead.
Dare's Passes
Two glorious passes by Dare left Mackay, first, and then Smith with only the goalkeeper to beat. Each time Baldwin saved clase range shots. Keene, a dangerous Brighton forward, forced an unproductive corner and afterwards tested Singleton with a curling centre. The game was exciting and still open. The better scoring chances, however, were faling to the City, and McClelland must have netted Exeter's fourth had he not miskicked in front of goal. Baldwin next made a miraculous point-blank save from Smith.
Two Share No. 4
Though limping on the right wing, Mackay suddenly found a reserve of energy. Breaking through quickly, he surprised Baldwin with a flashing cross drive which, unluckily, missed the far post by inches. Twenty-two minutes from the end. City scored again. An
accurate clearance by Clark landed in the goalmouth. Smith jumped and headed over the advancing keeper, and MCCLELLAND applied the finishing touch. Though the tide was running so swiftly against them, Brighton never ceased trying to play good football, and some of their approach work was polished. The City half-backs, however, had gained a grip on the game and Rowe was another defender to distinguish himself. The crowd wanted nothing more than a goal from Dare, but the centre forward was dead out of luck, notably when he drove against the inside of the cross-bar a few minutes from the end.
Result:
EXETER CITY 4 BRIGHTON 2. 
Comments
The highlight of this game was Angus Mackay's hat-trick the first of his career. Each of his goals was the outcome of accurate marksmanship with the third the best of the bunch..
Dare, although not finishing among the goal scorers made a satisfying debut, the best feature of his display being the intelligent way in which he used the ball The City's defence, shaky, for the first half an hour, settled down afterwards.
Attendance 10503
Receipts £777 0s 6d

Merthyr v Exeter Reserves 
Southern League

EXETER completely changed their advertised forward line for to-day's Southern League game at Merthyr. It was, from right to left: Short, Smart, Greenaway, Dunlop, Hutchings. At left back was Doyle.

From the kick-off Harrower almost put Exeter ahead. Still pressing Exeter met strong opposi tion and at the other end Derek Warren did well to clear a difficult situation. Wilkinson saved Exeter when he took the ball off Davies's foot. Yet again it was Warren who kept out the storming Welshmen.
Merthyr were now at full pressure and a beautiful centre from Ridley saw REYNOLDS send in a perfect header after 15 minutes to put Merthyr ahead. Ken Salter, in goal, appeared completely dazzled by the strong sun and never stood a chance. Ten minutes later BOB GREENAWAY equalised with a flick of his head from a centre by Short. Within 60 seconds SHORT had put Exeter in the lead. This success was dead against the run of play. Salter coolly took a dangerous header from Powell, and Merthyr fought back. Exeter were now moving with new confidence.
Half-time:
MERTHYR 1-2 EXETER RESERVES 
Both sides settled down to clever, determined play, following the restart, and the defences were kept busy by coninuous well-directed attacks. POWELL equalised from a penalty. Result:
MERTHYR TYDFIL 1 EXETER RES 2.