ECFC 1-5 Brighton & Hove Albion Scorers: Mitchell
Attendance: 8000

Saturday, April 11th 1953.

CITY V BRIGHTON
AT ST JAMES'S PARK.

Attendance 8,000.

EXETER CITY 1 
Mitchell 

BRIGHTON AND HOVE 5
Foreman, Gordon 2, Leadbetter, Addinall.

Half-time City 0 Brighton 2.

The clubs plight gets worse from week to week, whilst the occasional off day can be overlooked, the consistantly unskilled performances of Exeter City in recent matches must be condemned particularly when half heartedness is added to the other major faults. City were routed by Brighton.

This display was just not good enough. The fact is that the team is capable of doing better and it makes the present indictment all the more damning. At only one stage were Exeter City the equals of Brighton, that was in the spell that followed the first goal of the match, thereafter it was the visitors day despite the always workmanlike display of Lefthalf Mitchell. He gives promise of settling down into a Wing Halfback of the Steve Walker mould and looks more at home in the middle line than that of his old position of Rightwing. Foreman shot Brighton into a 14th minute lead, Gordon increased it minutes before the interval and Leadbitter scored a 3rd goal early in the 2nd half. Mitchell lessened the gap before Albion came with another flourish and goals from Gordon and Addinall completed the rout of Exeter.

Three words sum up this Exeter display- lifeless and crude. Brighton were masters in every phase. Never will a side have an easier passage to victory than did Brighton in this game.

CITY
Kelly;
Walton, Clark;
Harvey, Goddard, Mitchell;
Dailey, Knight, Rose, Mackay, Digby.

BRIGHTON
Gill;
Tennant, McLafferty;
McIlvenny, McCoy, Burtenshaw; Gordon, Gilberg, Addinall, Leadbetter, Foreman.

Referee:- Mr W.T.Elliott of Swindon.

Linesmen: Messrs R.L.Buscombe and E.C.Browning.


Friendly, benefit match for Davey and Mackay.

Monday, April 13th 1953.

St James's Park, Exeter. Attendance 4,000.

EXETER CITY 3
Howells, Murphy 2

COMPOSITE XI 2
Higgins, Mackay.

Half-time Exeter City 2 Composite XI 0

Credit where it is due, so a tribute to the players who made this floodlit match an entertaining spectacle. The rival sides played good football at a fair speed and mainly on the ground. Most encouraging from the City point of view was the first appearance of young Maurice Setters upgraded from the A team. It was Setters who laid on the thoughtful passes from which City gained a two goal post interval lead. Each time he placed the ball out of the challenging Lawlors reach for lowells and Murphy to beat Kelly from close range. Although the opposition staged a quick come back to reduce the margin when Higgins headed a neat goal from Brennans accurate centre, City were soon on the rampage again. In his most entertaining mood Murphy was the craftsman who compared with any forward on view, he shot the best goal of the match following a partially cleared corner. Fittingly seeing that he was sharing the proceeds of this benefit game with Davey, it was Mackay who scored the last goal of the night for the Composite X1, following the former City favourite Regans centre. Exeter experimented with Goddard at Winghalf and Wood as pivot. The experiment paid rich dividends for not many months has a City Winghalf moved the ball so crisply or so advanced in support of his forwards so effectively as Goddard did in this game.

CITY
Singleton;
Clark, Rowe;
M.Setters, Dunlop, Howells,
Murphy, Black. Fallon, Wood, Goddard;

COMPOSITE XI
Kelly (Exeter C); Guy (Bristol C), Lawler (Fulham); Oakley (Southampton), Charles M(Swansea T), Lucas (Swansea T); Regan (Bristol C), Higgins (Birmingham C), Brennan (Fulham), Mackay (Exeter C), Mitten (Fulham).

Referee:- Mr W.T.Rowland of Exeter.