McCann Scores First Goal of the Season:

FORWARDS IN FORM:

The City and Merthyr Town met in a Southern League match at St. James's Park this afternoon. The weather was showery, and the gate, in consequence, was not a large one. Fort, suffering from strained thigh muscles, was unable to appear, and Harding played instead,

it being his first Southern League match.

Teams:-

EXETER CITY

Pym

Harding Strettle

Rigby Pratt Marshall

Whittaker Lewis Brooksbank McCann Lee

MERTHYR TOWN:-

Savage Draper McKie Coates Stewart

Churchill Gates Craig

Russell White

Burrows

At the last minute it was decided to leave out Kirby, who was suffering from a bad cold, and Lewis appeared at inside-right. The City were captained by Rigby, who was beaten by White in the toss, and Brooksbank started the game against a strong wind and rain.

Merthyr were the first to attack, and Savage failed with a long shot almost from the touchline. Coates met with similar failure, and Merthyr, for some few minutes, were very persistent. In one assault on the City goal they appealed for a penalty for hands, which was promptly refused.

Brooksbank changed the venue with a rush, but was unable to get in position for a shot at goal. The rain was now lashing down in torrents, and being driven by the wind right into the faces of the Exeter players. Lee was prominent with a useful run, but Merthyr were still doing most of the attacking, and McKie was pulled up for offside. Strettle and Pratt sent play to the other end, and a centre by Lee was cleared by White. Lewis then gave Whittaker a good pass from which the winger darted in and brought Burrows to his knees with a "pile-driver", the best shot of the match so far. For a time the City did better, except when Strettle sliced the ball over his own goal-line for a corner. This was cleared, and a minute later McCann burst through, showed a clean pair of heels to the backs, and drove the ball home with great force. Thus, amid wild and prolonged cheering, Exeter City scored their first goal of the season after a fine individual effort.

Lewis was laid out in a collision with Russell, but was able to resume. Play went up and down the field until Merthyr forced a corner, and Rigby cleared. Merthyr came again and Pym rescued the City with a thrilling save right on the goal-line.

Another Penalty Missed.

In the next City attack one of the Merthyr backs clearly handled the ball in the penalty area, but the appeal failed. But a minute or so later, however, McCann was upset in the penalty area, and this time the referee pointed to the spot without hesitation. Pratt took the kick, but Burrows jumped and brought off a fine left-handed save at the expense of a corner, his colleagues being quick to swarm round him with congratulations. This was the second penalty missed by Exeter in successive matches.

Pym conceded a corner at the other end, but saved the flag-kick himself, then Draper was sent right through but flashed the ball over the bar. Torrential rain was now falling, but play continued, and at half-time the score was:-

CITY ​1 MERTHYR ​0

Early in the second half Savage got across a centre which was cleared by Strettle almost on the goal-line. Then Pym had to pull down a dangerous shot from McKie. The City, however, quickly got into their stride again, and two corners were forced, the first one coming after an enthusiastic dash by McCann, who was Exeter's best forward. Harding was injured in checking Savage, but resumed after a brief stoppage, and for a few minutes Merthyr looked more dangerous than they done in the first half. The City forwards then lost a fine chance, floundering in the mud at the far end after beating the backs. Later on Rigby flashed the ball hopelessly wide from a back pass by Whittaker, who himself then failed by even a bigger margin.

Strettle was laid out, and seemed badly hurt, but fortunately was able to resume. From a beautiful centre by Whittaker, Lewis had a header charged down when a goal looked certain. A minute later Lee won a corner. The place kick was partially cleared, but Rigby headed back, and Brooksbank, standing unmarked, side-stepped the ball quietly to the back of the rigging for the second goal. This was accordingly well received by the crowd, and straightaway Whittaker had a fine shot steered behind for a corner, from which a third goal was nearly scored.

McCann amused the crowd by running through after the whistle had gone, and netting the ball, just to show how goals can be scored. However, a legitimate third goal was scored by Whittaker in the next move after Russell had partly stopped McCann, the City outside-right slipping round the back and netting with a ground shot which struck the inside of the post and bounced in. In the last ten minutes there were exciting incidents at both ends, and Savage brought the best out of Pym with a thunderous drive, while Lee lost a good chance through hesitating almost on the goal-line. Then a swinging centre by Lewis was steered just wide by Lee, and Burrows saved a header by McCann. It was nearly all Exeter in the closing stages, and time was called with the result:-

EXETER CITY ​ 3 MERTHYR TOWN ​ 0

Notes on the Game.

Despite the wet weather the match attracted a crowd of about four thousand to St. James's Park. Exeter City won, as stated, and the score did not flatter them. The first half was very exciting; McCann scored a fine goal for the City, the first of the season, and Burrows saved a penalty taken by Pratt. After the change of ends the City forwards played a rousing game on the heavy ground. Brooksbank added a second goal, and a minute or two after McCann had had one disallowed Whittaker placed a third. The City finished the game in great form, and in the last twenty minutes were good enough to have beaten any Southern League side. Merthyr, although quite a good team, failed to respond.

The Southern League: Bottom Clubs.