Boxing Day,
Tuesday, December 26th 1950.
Exeter City v Aldershot, at St. James's Park.

When the news was flashed through to St James's Park on Christmas Day that Singleton would be unable to play, frantic efforts were made to contact Graham Lear of Exmouth Town. They succeeded, and he agreed to play in the return match. Lear was given an encouraging cheer as he took up his position in the far end goal. He had few chances of proving his ability, for so dominant were Exeter for the greater part of the game that he had very little to do. Lear had one shot to stop in the first half, and that was a low twenty-yards effort from Gormley. There was not much power behind the drive, and the goalkeeper, dropping to one knee, held the ball safely. After the interval, Lear's only moment of anxiety came when Bonnar from six yards out and with all the goal to aim at obliged by driv ing wildly over the crossbar.

Exeter City: G. Lear; Warren, Clark; Fallon, Doyle, Davey; McClelland, Lynn, Smith, Mackay, Regan.

Aldershot:- Levy; Rogers, Findlay; Laird, White, Cropley; Bonnar, Menzies, Gormley, Rowell, Flint.

Attendance 11,899, receipts £874.

City 3 (McClelland 2, Smith) Aldershot 0.

Southern League

Chelmsford 5
City Reserves 1 (Greenaway).

Then the City thrash Exeter

Why Chelmsford City lost 6-1 to Llanelly is dificult to imagine after seeing their swift, go-ahead display against a strong Exeter City Reserve side in the Southern League match at New Writtle Street on Boxing Day.

Showing craft and speed, Cheimstord beat Exeter 5-1. It was a clear-cut, decisive win. Exeter played strongly in the first half, but after half-time Chelmsford's clever approach work often had the visitors in a tangle. The return of John Alexander to the right-half position had a lot to do with Chelmsford's success. He was the ideal attacking half-back. Then Douglas Beach kept up his tenacious work at left-back, plus which. Leslie Wicks, showing keen judgment all through, was almost the complete master of centre-forward Dare. Yet the man of the match, though, was Reg Folkard, Chelmsford inside-right. He was always eager to accept a scoring chance, and made movements for others. His last goal, and the final one of the match, was top-class. Just when almost every one of the 3,000 crowd thought he was going to "waste" a ball, Folkard coolly placed it by full-back Powell, then took quick aim, and had it in the net before experienced Salter knew it was there. This was about Folkard's best game. He improves with every match. Fred Morris, on the left, had a thoroughly good match, his swinging centres being a feature of the second half. Doug Beach deserves a special Christmas pat on the back for his relentless hold on Dunlop. All told, a sound and convincing win for Chelmsford Naturally, it pleased the fans tremendously. There was good team-work, which took the highly placed Exeter side off their balance. Frankly, Chelmsford did not get properiy settled down until the second half, but when they did there was no holding them back. Exeter goalkeeper, Salter, saved smartly from outside-right Gowers early on, but Crozier was the first to be seriously troubled. He kept out a swift one from inside-right Dunlop. Alexander was always joining "in the attack, and opening the game to the wings.

Chelmsford's opening goal came after twelve minutes. Folkard was the marksman. Dicker made the opening. He put over a swift centre that the alert Folkard met, and beat Salter close in. Exeter took up the running, but strong tackling by Wicks, shrewd goalkeeping by Crozier, and a stern full-back display by Beach kept their visitors from getting level until outside-left Greenaway scored with a shot that glanced in off an upright. For a time Exeter getting on top, but defence held out well. looked like Chelmsford'

Half-time, Chelmsford 1, Exeter Res. 1

Chelmsford were the masters of the second half. Their understanding between half-backs and forwards was good. Dicker gave Chelmsford the lead when he smartly headed in from Folkard's neat pass. Morris, always a live wire on the left, gave Dicker an ideal pass, but the inside man's shot hit the cross bar. In a goalmouth mix-up, when Chelmsford were right on top, Dicker forced the ball through to bring the score to 3-1. RThen Folkard got two splendid goals to raise the final score of a pulsating game to 5-1.

Footnote: Centre-forward, Sid Plunkett was the unluckiest man of the match. He hit the crossbar twice and the upright once-but he's still Chelmsford' highest scorer with 14. 

Teams:-

Chelmsford City: Crozier; Bidewell. Beech: Alexander, Wicks, McKenna ; Gowers, Folkard, Plunkett, Dicker, Morris.

City Reserves: Salter: Johnstone, Powell: Hutchings, Carter, Wilkinson: Short, Dunlop, Dare, Smyth, Greenaway.