SATURDAY OCTOBER 11TH: CITY v NORWICH

Norwich City Win by a Penalty

EXETER'S DISAPPOINTMENT

Though neither Exeter City or Norwich City were, this morning, in the top half of the table, they each had a man away today with the Southern League side in Ireland, namely Fort and Ingham. The former was among one of the originally selected thirteen, but the Norwich player was called upon owing to the fact that Fleming, of Swindon, was unable to appear. It was not until Thursday that the announcement was made in regard to Ingham, and the composition of the East Anglians' side for today's game was not known at Exeter until the party arrived.

Exeter made one change from last week, Lovett coming in at inside-right to replace Lewis, the amateur. Norwich City stayed at Teignmouth, as usual, last night, and came up to Exeter during the morning. On arrival in Exeter they announced a re-shuffling of the forward line, Wolstenholme being brought into the centre, whilst Ingham's place was taken by Woods. The teams were:-

CITY

Pym

Harding Strettle

Rigby Pratt Marshall

Whittaker Lovett Brooksbank McCann Lee

Referee:- Mr R.Pook, of Portsmouth.

NORWICH

Potter Wilson Wolstenholme Woods Macdonald

Bell Valiant Sutcliffe

Mackenzie Hampson

Mellor

The rain this morning had softened the pitch, but it appeared to be in good condition before the start. Heavy clouds threatened some further showers, but there was a good attendance. Norwich City were the first out, looking very smart in their green and yellow.

An early start was made, and Rigby having won the toss for the City, Wolstenholme kicked off towards St. James's Road. Hampson and Valiant quickly had to deal with Exeter attacks, while Marshall checked the first effort by Norwich. Macdonald put the ball over the line in attempting to pass to Woods. Exeter retaliated, and Macdonald rushed across and stopped Brooksbank as he was racing up to a pass from Rigby. Lovett put in the first shot of the game, a cross-drive which skimmed the bar and went over. Valiant was constantly in the picture, and after he had stopped the Exeter forwards Wolstenholme succeeded in boring his way through, but his final shot, along the carpet, was a foot wide. This was followed by an Exeter rush, and Lee took a long forward pass. He shot on the run, and missed by just about the same margin as Wolstenholme had done. Exeter had, so far, had most of the play, and on one occasion Brooksbank plunged through and skied over the bar, with Macdonald dashing up.

Wilson's Goal Offside.

Lee missed a good chance from a pass by Lovett, who was allowed to go on from an offside position, and Sutcliffe cleared another shot by Lee with Mellor out of his goal. The Grecians' forwards were making some dangerous raids, and accurate heading was a feature on both sides. Coming away with an unexpected burst, the Norwich forwards attacked hotly, and after Strettle had kicked clear the ball went to Wilson, who netted with a fine shot, but was judged offside. At the other end Mackenzie got in the way of a lovely square centre by Whittaker.

City Backs Hard Pressed.

Norwich returned to the attack, and Marshall checked Macdonald in a fierce tussle. The "Canaries" were now having more of the game than heretofore, and Macdonald was very nippy on the right wing. On one occasion he tried a flying drive, and was not far off the mark. Pym punched out a hefty shot from Potter, and then Wilson put one behind. Sutcliffe fouled McCann, but Valiant got the ball from the free-kick, and the City backs were hard pressed. A corner was forced by Macdonald off Marshall, but Potter headed high over the bar. Midfield play followed, and the City could not make the headway the crowd desired, chiefly owing to the splendid spoiling game which the Canaries' backs and halves were playing. Although they had the sun in their eyes the Green and Yellows were doing very well indeed.

McCann Just Wide.

Once, however, the Norwich citadel nearly fell, as the result of clever combination between Lee and McCann. The inside-left darted off and looked certain to score, but his final shot, taken on the run, slithered just wide, the wrong side of the post. It was a fine characteristic effort, but the Scot was a little too hurried in his shot.

Pym fielded a straight drive by Woods, and in the play which followed Norwich showed themselves to be a very fast team. Wilson spoiled a promising move by handling, and then Exeter put up a fast attack, McCann flashing the ball narrowly wide from Brooksbank's pass. Pym, however, was quickly in action again, hawing to run out and save from Potter. Exciting incidents followed at the Norwich City end, and a crashing drive by Marshall missed the upright by only a couple of feet. Mellor saved a header by Rigby, and Exeter were attacking when the whistle blew for half-time, with the score:

EXETER CITY ​ 0

NORWICH CITY ​ 0

Second Half.

Exeter started the second half facing the sun. Hampson repelled the first dash, then the tall Valiant was once more prominent in stopping the City forwards. Harding intercepted his pass, however, and fed his own forwards, but Lee was bowled over by Sutcliffe.

Norwich forced a corner, and Pym made a fine save from Potter. Harding completely missed the ball when running to stop Potter, and the winger ran on with a clear field in front of him. He steered the leather across goal, and Woods, dashing up, threw away the best chance of the match so far by lifting the ball over the bar with only Pym to beat. This was a very lucky escape for the City, and within a minute Pym had saved them, pulling down from right under the bar a fine shot from Woods, who had earlier made such a bad mistake.

Anybody's Game.

Exeter's left wing then got to the other end, and Mellor came out and covered a stiff cross-drive by Lee. It was still anybody's game, and once the crowd were put on tenterhooks owing to miskicks by first Marshall, then Pratt. Thirty yards out a free-kick was given against Harding, and Macdonald wound up the attack by firing over at express speed. Hands against Hampson enabled the City to attack, but Bell broke it up, and Exeter were spoiling their work through keeping the ball in the air too much.

Spirited Attacks.

Presently, however, Exeter became very dangerous, Whittakerand Lovett combining well on the right wing, and Mellor had to jump up smartly to clear from Lee. Straightaway Norwich went off again, and after Wolstenholme had offended the offside rule they broke through, and Pym saved from Potter. The Canaries' left-winger gave Pym another rare handful just afterwards, and Norwich were putting up some very spirited attacks.

Appeal for a Goal.

At the other end Mellor dropped the ball after Brooksbank and McCann had bundled into him, but he recovered it and cleared amid great excitement. Then Norwich forced a corner from which they all but scored, for Wolstenholme got in a shot from close quarters which hit the underneath of the bar and fell straight down. Pym turned about and picked up the ball and cleared when everybody thought a goal had been scored. Norwich strongly appealed for one, but Mr Pook, who was close up, ruled that the leather had not passed over the line, and allowed play to proceed. It was a very narrow escape for Exeter City. In a brief Exeter attack Pratt put a shot over the bar, then Pym made two fine saves, but the ball still hovered around the City's goal until Macdonald finally hit the side of the net. A minute later Macdonald skimmed the crossbar with another stinging drive, and it was almost a miracle how the Exeter goal escaped.

The Penalty.

Woods was brought down by Pratt in the penalty area, and the trainer's assistance was requisitioned. When Woods was fit again Hampson took the penalty and scored. To be truthful, this goal was no more than Norwich deserved on their play in the second-half.

There was now only five minutes left, and Exeter's case looked hopeless, especially as the Norwich defence was as sound as ever. Midfield play was the order of the going until Whittaker made a brave attempt, but his centre was missed by Brooksbank.
The final score was:-

NORWICH CITY ​ 1

EXETER CITY ​ 0

Pym's Great Game.

The young Topsham goalkeeper, whose reputation has mainly been secured on account of his brilliant displays on foreign soil, has at last played a great game on his own ground. He enhanced his own reputation today whilst the remainder of the team lowered theirs. Sometimes, it has to be admitted, luck favoured Pym, notably in one hot fusillade in the second half, when he happened by chance to be in position to meet a furious drive, and it favoured him when Woods was left with the goal at his mercy but breasted the ball the wrong side of the post. Apart from these escapes, however, Pym must be given credit for putting up the display of a master. His anticipation - that all essential requirement of a custodian - was excellent; he was quick, and he gathered well; high shots and low ones he was alike prepared for, and he was largely instrumental in saving Exeter City from what might easily have been a very heavy defeat.

The Disallowed Goal.

The two outstanding incidents of the game were centred around Pym. The first was the goal claimed by Norwich and disallowed, and the second was the penalty from which Hampson, the Norwich captain, scored. Pym seemed to think that the disallowed goal was a legitimate score. The ball came down from the underneath of the crossbar and fell behind Pym, who had advanced slightly, and momentarily he stood expecting a goal to be signalled. When there was no signal, Pym turned about, scooped up the ball, and cleared. The Norwich players-clamoured for a goal, but Mr Pook stood ten yards away, shaking his head, and waving for play to proceed.

The referee, however, made ample amends to Norwich when-he gave the penalty, for the shock-haired Woods, in his eagerness, rushed to the impact with Pratt in a way which made an accident almost inevitable. Woods went down heavily, and was hurt, and the penalty was given without a moment's hesitation. Hampson took the kick after the disconcerting minute or two during which Woods was receiving attention, and he scored with ease and precision as if to show the Grecians, who had failed with two this season, just how penalties can and should be taken.

ROYAL SCOTS REGIMENT v CITY RESERVES.

Without Kirby and Harding the City Reserves failed to beat the Royal Scots at Crownhill. They had by far the better of the game up to the time Gerrish scored, but the Soldiers equalised through Barris following a corner, and in the second half they had rather more of the play than Exeter.

Exeter City Reserves, therefore, cannot be said to have shown true Championship form, but they retain their position at the head of the League. They were represented by the following players:-

Loram, Hunt and Goddard; Smith, Lagan, and Evans; Holt, Lewis, Budd, Gerrish, and Orr.