EXETER CITY V NORTHAMPTON TOWN. SATURDAY, APRIL 7TH 1951.

One goal was scored in today's match at St James's Park, and it was enough to give Exeter City the victory. Although the two points were deserved, they were only won because the Grecians were the better of two moderate teams in a contest which had the "end-of-season" label indelibly stamped upon it. Near the end of the game, with Exeter hanging on to their slender margin of a goal scored by Smart five minutes before the interval, the small crowd was preparing to acclaim another goal. Duckhouse handled the ball in the penalty area, and the referee at once pointed to the white spot. Mackay beckoned Dare to take the kick, thus giving him his chance of getting his first Football League goal, but the young centre forward in his anxiety to place his shot wide of the goalkeeper, sent the ball three or four yards outside the right-hand upright.

ECFC 1-0 Northampton Town
Scorers: Smart
Attendance: 6476
Exeter City:- Singleton; Johnstone, Rowe; Fallon, Doyle, Davey; Hutchings, Smart, Dare, Mackay, McClelland.

Southern League:

Tonbridge 1
City Reserves 1 (Greenaway).

ANGELS LUCK WAS OUT: WINNING GOAL OFFSIDE'

Orthodox football was impossible on a pitch, the which, to say the least, was a morass in which the ball every time it fell there was half buried, and the players had difficulty in extricating it with their feet. A cold, tricky wind, with occasional heavy rain showers, made conditions even worse, but both teams battled gamely, showing at times glimpses of constructive play. The Angels forwards, weakened by injuries, rarely moved with the machine-like precision with which they did earlier in the season, even when the ball went out to the wings where it was possible to rum and to exercise ball control. Dryden played outside left. as Smith was unable to turn out, owing to a recurrence of his knee injury. J. Taylor, brought in from the Reserves, took Dryden's place on the right wing. Both defences worked hard, with the two centre halves, McMillen and Carter outstanding. Exeter moved better as a team, and deserved their first half goal lead. But Tonbridge fought back after the interval. and were unlucky not to have snatched both points in the closing minutes, when Mills missed a glorious chance of equalising. Higgins, who seemed to be handicapped by the heavy going sent a perfect paas along the ground to Mills standing unmarked close to goal, but the inside right, instead of crashing the ball into a wide open net, feebly lifted it into the goalie's hands. Exeter opened with an attack down the left wing, outside left Digby sending over a centre which centre forward Greenaway put behind. Linton saved a dangerous situation following a combined movement between Digby, Greenaway, outside right Short and inside left Smythe.

At the other end, Fleming fired in a shot which brought goalle Salter to his knees, while Mills headed over the bar after a menacing centre from Dryden. Returning to the attack, it was no great surpree when Greenaway pounced on pass from inside right Lynn and flashed the ball past Gill. After Bell had given Salter an anxious moment with a free kick, Gill saved from Lynn and Greenaway. Fleming tried another long drive, which Salter held. A promising movement by Dryden-Mills-J. Taylor was checked by offside. From a Mills's corner kick, Fleming was unlucky with a shot which skimmed the bar. Towards the close of the first half. the Angeis tried hard for the equaliser, Higgins and Mulheron going very close, and Salter had to dive quickly to stop & McMillen "express." On the resumption, the Angels continued in their efforts to get a goal. Higgins pierced the tough Exeter defence, and Salter took another spectacular dive to save. Digby relieved the pressure with a fine left wing run. His perfect centre went to Smythe. who scraped the post with a first-time shot. Not to be dented, Tonbridge were soon warming back to the attack and got that coveted equaliser. Dryden put a long pass over to the centre; Higgira fastened on to the ball, beat three defenders and crashed the ball into the bottom of the met, as Salter advanced towards him.

Fifteen minutes later the Angels scored what looked a perfectly good goal, but the referee thought otherwise. when Mills passed to McMillan who made no mistake with his shot. However, a lineaman signalled "offside."

Then J. Taylor from a Malheron pass narrowly missed with a beautiful shot, which Salter turned round the post. Milis' corner kick went behind keeping up the pressure, the Angels forced two more corners from which Salter saved cleverly from Mills and Fleming. Three minutes from time, Higgins passed to Mills, standing close in, but the inside right missed what should have been the easiest goal of the match.

The teams were:-

Tonbridge: Gall: Linton, Bell: Fleming. McMullen, Lunn; J Taylor, Mills, Higgins, Mulheron, Dryden.

Exeter: Salter: Clark, Warren; Harrower, Garter, Wilkinson; Short, Lynn, Greenaway, Smythe, Digby