Saturday November 8th 

CITY v BRIGHTON

Visitors' Goalkeeper Breaks a Finger

DISPUTED GOAL

Exeter City met Brighton and Hove Albion in a Southern League match at St. James's Park this afternoon. The game was of great importance to both clubs, - to the City because they cannot afford to drop points at home, and to Brighton because a win or a draw would enable them to keep their place among the leaders of the table. This morning Brighton were fourth from the top, and Exeter fifth from the bottom.

It was a significant fact that Exeter and Brighton had fewer goals scored against them than any other team in the League, and the defence of both sides had, all the season, been very fine. A hard battle was therefore expected today.

The Grecians made two alterations for today's match. After his recovery from a recent illness Brooksbank came in at inside-right, and Smith resumed at left-half. Brighton travelled straight through to Exeter this morning, and sprang a surprise on everybody when they arrived on the ground, for they were accompanied by "Bullet" Jones, their old centre-forward. Jones, for the last two seasons, has been with Birmingham, and was transferred back to his former club only last night. he left Birmingham this morning, and joined his old colleagues on their arrival at Exeter.

The teams were:-

Pym

CITY:

Fort Strettle

Rigby Eagan Smith

Holt Brooksbank Whittaker McCann Marshall

Referee:- Mr J.H.Muir, of Southampton.

Linesmen:- Messrs J.E.Wiltshire and P.M.Hendford.

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION

Webb Woodhouse Jones Longstaff Spooner
Higham Parkes Booth

Leering Needham

Whiting

In order to find a place for Jones, the whole Brighton forward line was changed about. Tyler was dropped, and Spooner brought in from the reserves to play at outside-right, this being his first Southern League match. Longstaff was shifted from the wing, and Woodhouse and Webb were both played out of their usual positions. Rigby lost the toss, and Exeter had to face a glaring sun. The game began with a brief Exeter attack, but Booth nipped across and secured the ball from McCann. Brighton's right wing at once got on the move but Strettle dashed in and cleared. The Seasiders kept the ball in the City's half, however, until Longstaff put behind.

Holt was given the ball by Rigby and made ground, but failed to get his centre over. A clearance by Fort gave Brooksbank a chance, but he was fouled by Higham. The free-kick led to nothing, but the City were gradually finding their feet, and from another free-kick Whiting had to clear a high shot by Whittaker.

Exeter's First Goal.

It was an excellent game so far, and the City were keeping the visitors penned in. Holt shot into the side of the net after the ball had travelled right across the goal, but after 14 minutes of play came Exeter's first goal. Lagan sent his forwards off, and again the visiting backs were in difficulties. Holt bored in and shot. He missed the mark, but the leather flashed across to the other side. Whittaker missed it, but Marshall dashed in and fired it into the bottom corner, well out of Whiting's reach. When Brighton made headway they found the City backs in their best form. A long clearance from Rigby was picked up by Brooksbank, who fed McCann. The Scotchman cut through at full speed with Parkes at his heels, his final shot passing inches wide of the far post. 

Case of Hands.

Marshall was given offside from Holt's centre, and Jones, with his first real opportunity, found himself similarly whistled up. At length the ball was returned to the Brighton end, where there was a palpable case of "hands" in the penalty area. The Grecians made a confident appeal, but Mr Muir was against them. After 30 minutes' play the second goal was scored by Exeter, and it led to quite a scene. McCann obtained the goal after dribbling through on his own and shooting into the net from close range. It was a magnificent effort, and the crowd went wild with delight. Brighton, however, immediately began to dispute the point - for what reason no-one behind the ropes could tell. Whiting was among the foremost protesters, and he finally left the field, apparently with a damaged hand. After he had gone Mr Muir spoke to both the linesmen, who confirmed his view of the goal, and the leather was placed in the centre of the field for the kick-off. Leeming went to the dressing rooms with a view, it was thought, of persuading Whiting to come back, but the old Bury defender returned wearing a scarlet jersey, andwent into goal himself. Brighton were apparently upset by these events. They resorted, not unnaturally, to the one-back game, and Leeming saved two shots quite well. Although Brighton played up pluckily the odds were now heavily against them.

Half-time:-

CITY ​2 BRIGHTON​ 0

Second Half.

It transpired during the interval that Whiting had broken one of the fingers of his right hand in two places. A medical gentleman on the ground deemed it advisable that he should proceed to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. The damage was done, apparently, to the goalkeeper when he attempted to stop the fierce cross-drive from which McCann had scored.

Directly after the restart Leeming made a splendid save from Holt, falling on the leather as the outside-right shot, and getting out of a rare tangle. Brighton pressed after this, but they could make no real headway, and Jones, getting to the penalty area, found himself hemmed in and beaten. Pym, however, had to save from Webb, while a shot from Longstaff hit the side of the net. The Seasiders had now arranged their forward line to read: Longstaff, Woodhouse, Jones, Webb, and Spooner, and in this formation their attack was a lot better than it had been in the first half.

Longstaff's Fine Effort.

The game, however, was by no means as good as it was when Brighton were at full strength. Strettle once got the full weight of a stinging drive by Longstaff on his knees, and the trainer's attention was required before he could resume. Then McCann veered out to the left-wing and sent in a long curling shot which Needham headed behind for a corner, then McCann got Needham's knee in his groin, and another stoppage was required. Just afterwards, from a clever pass by Woodhouse, Longstaff beat the defence and made the best effort seen from Brighton so far, sweeping the ball along the ground just wide of the upright. It was a fine effort, deserving of a better reward. In midfield Needham got the worst of the deal when he attempted to stop Whittaker, and hurt his thigh. Twice Leeming had narrow escapes, and thrice the City forwards were offside as a result of the one-back game. Holt ran nearly half the length of the field to finish up with a storming shot which brought Leeming to his knees, and then, following a brief raid by Brighton which earned them a corner, Holt scored number three. Leeming had punched out the first shot, but the young City winger fastened on to the leather, andbeat the custodian with a sharp low drive as Leeming laid full stretch on the ground.

Brighton Never Gave In.

Brighton were now a beaten team, but it has to be said to their credit that they never gave in. With ten minutes to go Whittaker got the fourth goal. Marshall beat Needham by sheer persistency, and centred square to the City centre-forward, who had the goal at his mercy. He coaxed Leeming out, then quietly drove the ball into the net. Three minutes from the end Brighton got away, and Higham scored, the ball striking Rigby's back and going into the net. Taking heart from this success Brighton played up well, butwere driven back. Brooksbank got through but was off the target with his shot. At the other end Webb narrowly missed. Final:-

EXETER CITY ​ 4 BRIGHTON ​ 1

Last season: Exeter 2 Brighton 1. In 1911-12: Brighton 3 Exeter 1.

From the London Press.

RETURN OF JONES

TO LEAD BRIGHTON IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL FIGHT

Exeter City gained a pronounced victory over Brighton, winning comfortably by four goals to one. The opportunism of the City's forwards came as a welcome surprise to their supporters, of whom some 6,000 assembled.

Consequent on the return of Jones, who was signed on from Birmingham on Friday, Brighton rearranged their attack in order to find a position for him. He was played at centre-forward, but so effectively did Lagan watch him that he did little of note.

Exeter's first-goal was obtained after a quarter of an hour's play, Marshall meeting a centre from Holt, and driving the ball with great force into the corner of the net. The second goal was hotly disputed, Brighton claiming that the goal should not have been allowed because when McCann shot Needham was on the ground, injured. The referee, however, was firm, and awarded Exeter the point. The scoring of this goal was the more disastrous for the visitors because Whiting injured his fingers so much that he was unable to take further part in the game. Leeming then acted as goalkeeper.

In the second half Exeter had things more or less their own way and the game quietened down considerably. Holt obtained the third goal, and Whittaker the fourth, Leeming being helpless to stop either. Brighton's only score came near the end, a shot by Higham glancing off the back of Rigby, the home captain, and into the net out of Pym's reach.

Exeter's display all round was eminently satisfactory. There was a dash and a combined effort by the forwards which had hitherto been sadly lacking. They were keener near goal, and Whiting had done good work before Exeter opened the scoring. Whittaker made a dashing leader, with McCann and Holt always prominent.

For the visitors Needham was a conspicuous figure in defence, but the forwards, although exhibiting clever footwork, were not incisive enough in front of goal. Longstaff was easily the best of the line.

******

EXETER CITY RESERVES.

The Plymouth and District League match between the City Reserves and the Royal Naval Barracks, due to be played at Keyham, had to be postponed. This was due to the fact that the Barracks had two or three men in the Devon County XI v Somerset County at Yeovil.