City level 1-1 at interval, then concede 3.

Reading 4-1 ECFC (L 4-1) 

Scorers: McClelland 

Attendance: 7900

(By LIONEL WOTTON)

VISITING Reading to-day, Exeter City made one change in this their last away game of the season. The alteration was in goal, where Hugh Kelly, suffering from a bruised chest, was replaced by Barney Singleton. Reading were unaltered, so 20-year-old Sammy Chung retained his place at inside-right. He scored two goals when making his Football League debut on Easter Monday, and is described as a player of rich promise. Considering the long spell of dry weather, the playing pitch at Elm Park was in excellent trim. It is one of the best I have seen this season,

The line-up
Reading: Jones; Kenford, Mansell; Davis, Reeves, Leach: Simpson, Chung. Blackman, Docherty, Hinshelwood.
Exeter City: Singleton, Walton, Douglass: Booth, Davey, Mitchell, Priestley, Knight, Donaldson, Parker,
McClelland.

Referee: N. C. Taylor, Westbury.

Although the weather was fine the crowd did not number more than 7,000 at the start. Billy Parker, a former Reading player, captained the City and won the toss.
Early exchanges favoured Reading. but after Simpson's centre had been cleared, Exeter advanced dan gously. Donaldson gave Reeves slip and looked to be through he unluckily slipped and o balanced inside the penalty area. From a midfield free kick the City attacked again, and Priestley's. raking centre fülly extended Jones, the young Reading goalkeeper, who took the bal from just beneath the crossbar. When Reading were later awarded. a free kick, Leach drove across the goalmouth, where Douglass cleared.
City pressure
After McClelland had shot high and wide with a first-time effort, clever work by Parker paved the way for another City raid. Donaldson collected the inside left's pass and transferred to McClelland, whose low centre was of no avall because no one was in position to take advantage of it Reading reprisals were beaten back, and Mitchell distinguished himself by intercepting from Hinshelwood's threatening centre. Delightful touches by Donaideon were followed by a deft pass, from which Priestley shot into Jones's hands from close range. The better football came from. Exeter now, and one brilliant combined movement had the home defence in serious trouble, until Priestley's centre was intercepted and cleared. The City went on to force the first corner of the match, when McClelland's  shot hit a defender before going behind, but the corner proved fruitless. City's superior craft was rewarded by a grand goal in the 22nd. minute. McCLELLAND was the scorer and Donaldson the schemer. The attack developed on the right. Priestley eventually passed to Donaldson, and the centre-forward showed a touch of First Division class by driving the ball between the Reading full-backs. McClelland had closed into the middle, and a perfectly directed shot into the corner of the net gave Jones no chance. When Reading launched strong attacks the City defence stood firm, and Davey, Singleton, and Douglas were prominent in turn.
Scores levelled. 
In the 27th minute, however, the scores were level again. Priestley came off second best in a tusale with Mansell, and from the full-back's clearance Hinshelwood and Docherty made ground in an inter-passing movement. Trouble befell the City when Hinshelwood's low centre was driven into the net by CHUNG, Both goalkeepers distinguished themselves in subsequent lively, ex changes. Jones held a point-blank drive from Priestley, and Singleton turned over the crossbar a powerful free kick, from Mansell.Then came a sensational escape for Reading. Donaldson, following up. quickly, punted the ball over the heads of the home defenders, and Priestley ran in at top speed. His shat hit Jones on the shin. The rebound was snapped up by Donaldson, and the ball was crossing the line when Kenford hooked it out. City players appealed for a goal, and it was certainly the nearest of neat things  but  the referee turned down the claim. Equally dramatic was a second interception by Singleton, who ran out and dispossessed Chung in the nick of time.
Reading anxious
Thrustful work by the City's wingers brought anxiety to Reading but there was no more scoring before the interval Half-time
READING 1-1 EXETER CITY
A faulty back pass by Docherty gave Donald an unexpected chance, and Jones was forced to scramble across his charge to get to a low hard drive.
Douglas and Waston held up Reading attack and when Exeter's Donaldson  sent Priestley away The outside rights pass was intercepted and Reading once more changed the scene of activity.
Douglas was recalled for obstruction and following the free kick. Davis shot behind. A far more dangerous effort was a cross from Hinshelwood which scraped the far angle of the goal. Simpson, on the Reading right, eventually  centred accurately, and it
was from a model cross from this player that Blackman came within
inches of hissing the home side into the lead. With Singleton beaten, the ball fashed a fraction wide of the far post.
Reading go ahead
An equally close thing at the other end was when Donaldeon hacked a pass through the middle and McClelland shot less than a foot wide." Within a few minutes Reading were ahead. Mansell held up, the City right flank, and then HINSHELWOOD went through to beat Singleton with a great shot into the corner of the net. City were out of luck when Priestley was tripped just inside the penalty area. The referce awarded free kick outside the box, and this was the prelude to an amazing escape for Reading. Knight veared out to the right and his centre was missed by two forwards when a touch would have sufficed. The miss was doubly unfortunate because Reading soon broke away and scored again. Full-back Kenford was allowed to advance a long way, and his centre was headed into the net by BLACKMAN.
BLACKMAN headed a fourth goal from Simpson's centre, and the next thrill was wonder save by Jones from Knight. Result:
Reading 4-1 Exeter City 
 
COMMENTS

After being in the lead, the City loat the initiative. They were the better aide before the interval, but fell away. Exeter played cleverly in approach, and greater use should have been made of Donaldson's intelligent leadership. He created many chances and he and Priestley were the best forwards on the long side. The defence declined badly in the last half-an-hour.

SOUTHERN LEAGUE
CITY RES. TOO GOOD FOR GLOUCESTER
By Rex Williams 
BREALEY, the Exeter City "A" "keeper, was not considered fit for Exeter City Reserves match with Gloucester City, and he was replaced by Hunkin, of the City Colts.

Both teams started slowly, and

several minor injuries, caused mainly by the concrete hard pitch, held up play in the early minutes. Exeter were moving well on the left, but after 11 minutes It was a right-wing effort that gave Exeter the lead. COOK went in close to Colt man, the Gloucester 'keeper, and in a tusele headed past him to score. The 'keeper appeared to injure his side, and collapsed minutes later making an easy save. A stretcher was brought to take him from the field, but he refused and was helped off by ambulance men. Etheridge. Gloucester's inside-left, took over. Exeter looked like increasing their lead after centre-forward Doyle brushed off a strong challenge from Tredgett. He shot low, but Etheridge saved well near the bottom of a post. Exeter began to lose their grip on the game in the later stages, and Gloucester improved. Their stumbling block was Exeter's defence, in which Rowe played a prominent part. Murphy broke through for Exeter, but Etheridge proved himself an able deputy in goal when he saved. At the other end Armit. Gloucester's left-winger, sent in a low shot which Hunkin saved near the bottom of an upright.
Mills, Gloucester's centre-forward. came close when he shot from near the edge of the penalty area. His acute-angle drive went only inches over the bar. Half-time:
CITY RES 1-0 GLOUCESTER CITY
Coltman came back after the interval, but within two minutes. MCLEAN had scored Exeter's second goal from close in. It was an easy shot, but because of his injury, Colt man could not get down to it. The "keeper went to the right wing and Etheridge took over in goal again. McLean collided  while scoring and was off for five minutes for treatment to a face injury. Within two minutes a free kick was awarded when Etheridge handled outside the penalty area, Murphy took the kick. but the ball rebounded from the defenders, but MURPHY took it again and drove through the defence to score Exeter's third. Half-way through the period, MILLER, Gloucester's centre-forward. scored the visitors' first goal with a 25-yard shot, Hunkin made a terrific leap, but missed by inches. MCLEAN converted Setter's corner to score Exeter's fourth.
Result:
CITY RES 4-1 GLOUCESTER CITY

EXETER AND DISTRICT LEAGUE INJURIES HANDICAP CITY "A"
By Clive Toye

ST. LUKE'S, at full strength, were leading 1-0 at half-time against Exeter City "A" at the College. Before the game St. Luke's were three points behind both Exeter City "A" and Dawlish with three games in hand at the top of the Premier Division table.
City "A" forced a corner almost from the kick-off, but Bond put it behind. St. Luke's were hardly out of their own half in the opening stages, but when they did break away Armstrong's centre narrowly missed the post. Byron shot outside when well placed, and St. Luke's were improving. They took the lead in the 12th minute when STOCKER followed up and headed in. St. Luke's almost scored again when Tony Pollard headed in but Fred Gidley headed over the bar. City "A" were finding the small slopping pitch a definite handicap, but they were still dangerous when they got going, and Hanson had to jump to punch away Bond's centre. Forced to take the field with Brealey already unfit, City "A" had another stroke of bad luck after 30 minutes when Bond had to leave the field with a thigh injury. He was able to resume after treatment, but only as a passenger.
City "A" must have equalised had not Veale fallen with Hanson out of his goal. Towards half-time they seemed to take a new lease of life. and twice Hanson was brought into action. Just on the whistle St. Luke's were fortunate to keep out a terrific bombardment from their goal.
Half time:
ST. LUKE'S 1-0 EXETER CITY "A" 
Full time 
ST. LUKE'S 4-0 EXETER CITY "A"