Newport County 1-0 ECFC
Attendance: 8220

League 3rd Division South.
Saturday, April 18th 1953.
Somerton Park, Newport.
Attendance 8,220.

NEWPORT COUNTY 1
Evans
EXETER CITY 0

Half-time Newport 1 Exeter City 0.

GOAL THAT BEAT CITY BROKE THE NET.

The goal that beat Exeter City at Somerton Park was a make do and mend effort it was made by the right flank of the Newport attack. The damage was done by Inside left Evans 4 yards out, he crashed a rising shot which broke the back of the net. The mending was carried out by a member of the ground staff.

City were unlucky not to nave scored a 2nd half equalising goal when a perfectly timed header from Knight beat Goalkeeper Fearnley only to hit the underside of the crossbar and rebound into play. It is cutomary when a team is struggling for fate to frown on their endeavours. Exeter got most of the bad breaks and they included a calf injury to Kelly who had to retire from the game for the last 15 minutes, McClelland taking over in goal. Exeter lacked thrust in the forward line for most of the game, they played the better football but the attack was too dainty. The Wing halfbacks were insufficiently constructive. The best attacking period came when the City were reduced to 10 men and had Exeter shown some determination earlier in the game they may well have earned a draw. The Newport Goalkeeper had to save from both Dailey and Fallon, and there were numerous skirmishes in the penalty area.


NEWPORT
Fearnley;
Haines, Hayward;
Newall, R. Wilcox, Stroud;
Birch, Graham, Beattie, Evans, Wharton.

CITY
Kelly;
Walton, Doyle;
Fallon, Wood, Davey;
Mitchell, Knight, Dailey, Murphy, McClelland.

Referee: Mr R.J.Burgess of Reading. Linesmen: Messrs G.W.Stevenson and H.J.Wright.

Southern League.
City Reserves 2 Gravesend United 1

Team:- Singleton; Anderson, Rowe; Harvey, Goddard, Marsh; Bolt, Booth, Rose, Black, Howells.

Scorers Bolt, Booth.



Friendly.
Monday, April 20th 1953.
St James's Park, Exeter.
Attendance 1,000.

EXETER CITY 1
Howells

TORQUAY UNITED 4
Calland, Mills, Collins 2.

Half-time Exeter City 0 Torquay 1.

Friendly.

TORQUAY LATE RUSH DECIDED.

Was this City v United clash worthwhile ?. Financially it was a flop. As a spectacle it was poor, it was watched by only a little more than a 1,000 people. The virtual Exeter reserve side losing to an opposition minus only three first team regulars was expected. Yet it was not until the last 20 minutes that Torquay showed their superiority to score goals against an Exeter side that was lacking in attacking craft and thrust. The only goal of the first half was a close range effort from Calland who was tightly marked by Goddard all night. The Exeter forward line was slow and possessed mo positional aptitude. On the chances offered City should have scored more than once, instead their only goal was obtained by Howells shortly after the interval. They were unlucky when a pile driver from Rose hit the bar and when an Armes shot in the first half was brilliantly saved. On other occasions the finishing was anaemic. The goal rush from Torquay started when Mills shot United into the lead from an Edds pass. Then came Collins header to beat Singleton from close range and an overhead shot from the same player completed the tally

CITY
Singleton;
Anderson, Rowe;
Harvey, Goddard, A.Marsh;
A.Bolt, Armes, Rose, Black, Howells.

TORQUAY
Hayes;
Parfitt, Drinkwater;
D.Lewis, McGuinness, Topping;
Bond, Collins, A.Calland, Mills, Edds.