Watford 3-1 ECFC
Scorers: Knight
Attendance: 12500

League 3rd Division South.
Saturday, April 4th 1953.
Vicarage-road, Watford.
Attendance 12,500.

WATFORD 3 (Meadows 2, Reid)
EXETER CITY 1 (Knight) 

Half-time Watford 3 Exeter City 0.

Many of Watfords first half moves against Exeter City were proof that here was a team that was well drilled. The home side had secured a 3 goal lead by the interval. The consolation which Knight obtained for City midway through the 2nd half made little difference. Trouble soon be set Exeter, who were on the slide to defeat in the 4th minute when Meadows slammed the ball past the powerless Kelly. 20 minutes later Reid a bustling Centre forward shot a second and on the stroke of half time Meadows struck again Not only were City three goals down when the teams changed ends but their ranks were disorganised by a leg injury to Davey who hobbled along for a spell but finally had to leave the field. City had slightly more of the play in the 2nd half but the forward line continued to suffer from their long standing fault. Even allowing for the teams handicap there was once again a lack of snap. Dailey was industrious, Digby always alert to move into space but again the Exeter Inside forwards neglected to keep up with the play.

WATFORD
Underwood;
Gallogly, Jones;
Kelly, Phipps, Paterson;
Paton, Meadows, Reid, Bowie, Collins.

CITY
Kelly;
Walton, Doyle;
Fallon, Goddard, Davey;
Mitchell, Knight, Dailey, Murphy, Digby.

Referee:- Mr A.W.Smith of Aldershot.

Southern League.

Yeovil Town 3. Exeter City Reserves 4.

Home Attacks Repeatedly Broken Up

Exeter Reserves Beat Yeovil 4-3

Though both Yeovil and the visiting Exeter Reserves scored three first half goals in their Southern League game today it was Exeter who played the superior football. Their halves continually broke up spirited Yeovil attacks by close marking: the home team helped them by bad passing. And Exeter deserved their win by regaining the lead with the only second half goal. Yeovil had to make a late change for this game. Ralph Davis, who has been out for some time with foot trouble, came in at left- back in place of Brown, who moved up to the left-half position, taking over from Brennan, who was injured in yesterday's game. Exeter also announced several positional changes.

After a tame opening Yeovil moved into the attack, and well- placed crosses by McKay and Hindle were kicked clear by the Visiting defenders. Then after eight minutes' play McClelland laid on a pass for ROSE to open Exeter's account. The visitors came again, and shots from Black and Bolt were safely rathered and cleared by goalkeeper Ryland.

Four minutes later Yeovil were on terms. Machin started a movement which ended in LUNN netting from a McKay centre. Another promising movement ended through Lunn being offside, but in the 16th minute Yeovil were In the lead-MACHIN netting from the rebound after A. Brown hit the post with a long drive. For a time Exeter were kept defending, and three times were forced to concede corners to prevent Yeovil increasing their lead. In the 25th minute McClelland provided the opening for HOWELLS to level the scores. Jenkins missed a glorious chance to put his side in the lead after Lunn had laid on a perfect pass a couple of yards from goal.

Play followed an even course, but the home forwards repeatedly fell into the off-side trap which the visitors successfully exploited. Eight minutes from the interval visiting left-back Clark handled in the penalty area, and from the spot kick LUNN gave Singleton no chance. Yeovil launched several attacks in which Jenkins was prominent for his intelligent play, but the visiting defence successfully staved them off. Almost on the interval BOLT brought the scores level with an easy goal.

Half-time:
Yeovil Town Res. 3-3 Exeter City Res. 

Exeter took the play into the Yeovil half and kept it there for a period in which the Yeovil defence were uncertain. Yeovil set up several spirited attacks, but they broke down against the close mark- ing of the visiting halves. Yeovil's passing left much to be desired: too often the ball went to the foot of an opponent. Exeter continued to have the better of the play and it was only by the barest margin that the home goal escaped. In the 70th minute MCCELLAND regained the lead for Exeter with a short shot from the edge of the penalty area which gave Ryland no chance.

Result:
Yeovil Town Res, 3-4 Exeter City Res.

Yeovil.-Ryland: Warren, Davis; Barry, Nagy, Brown; Hindle, Machin, Lunn, Jenkins, McKay.

Exeter :-Singleton; Anderson, Clark; Armes, Wood, Marsh; Bolt, Rose, McClelland, Booth, Howells.

Scorers
Exeter City
Rose, Bolt. McClelland  Howells