Colchester disappoint

Colchester's display against Exetet City was disappointing and the Devon club deserved both points for their 1-0 win. They were faster on the ball and were more methodical in their approach work. Colchester did a lot of pressing but their forwards lacked finish, although Barlow and McCurley came near near to equalising, the latter with two clever headers. The only goal of the game came after ten minutes. Murphy scoring with a spectacular header following a free kick.

Daily Herald 4/9/1953 

Colchester United 0-1 ECFC
Scorers: Murphy
Attendance: 7500

Report 2 
THURSDAY 3rd SEPTEMBER 1953.

CITY CONFOUND THEIR CRITICS.

COLCHESTER 0.

EXETER CITY 1
Kelly; Walton, Doyle; Booth, Goddard, Dodgin; McClelland, Samuels, Mitchell, Parker, Murphy,

Exeter confounded their critics, confused Colchester and won a keenly contested match, it was a victory well deserved for the home side were shaken by City's lightning start and never recovered Murphy was the marksman who won the match, In the tenth minute he darted through a gap in the defence to head home a Goddard free kick, flinging himself full length towards the ball, a grandit taken goal, This threw Colchester completely out of their stride by a cool well marshaled defence in which Godard was supreme, Mitchell was off the field for ten minutes in the first half with a badly cut eye, but it did not deter Exeter from launching a series of attacks when Murphy and Samuels often split the home defence with many well planned raids, After the interval the City defence did the best work. They had to withstand numerous attacks, Kelly made a sensational save from McCurley's point blank rage shot. He turned another over the bar from Elder, Exeter had their moments too, McClelland shooting past the post with the Colchester goalkeeper well beaten. They held on grimly in the last 15 minutes and then staged a last minute break away which nearly brought a goal.