SATURDAY NOVEMBER 22ND: CITY v MILLWALL
Exeter Win After Being One Down
BRILLIANT GOALS

This afternoon, at St. James's Park, Exeter City met Millwall in a Southern League encounter, and were particularly anxious to avenge the disastrous defeat of last April. On the whole, Exeter and Millwall have proved fairly well evenly matched in the past.

The "Lions" brought twelve players to Exeter today, the one doubtful department being the forward line, where Lamb, the old Argyle and Swindon winger, had not given entire satisfaction. On arrival at the ground they announced that Lamb had been dropped, and the forward line rearranged. The teams were:-

CITY​

Pym

Fort Strettle
Rigby Lagan Smith
Holt Brooksbank Whittaker McCann Marshall

Referee:- Mr E.E.Small, of Bristol.

LIONS

Dodd Moody Davis Vincent Dilley
Liddell Wilson Voisey

Woodley Kirkwood.

Orme

Rigby won the toss, and set Millwall to face the handicap of a glaring sun. Millwall were the first away, and Davis swung a good pass out to Dilley, but Strettle stepped into the breach with a timely clearance. In another Millwall raid Dilley centred, Lagan partly cleared, but only as far as Wilson, who headed towards the City goal and Fort punted the ball upfield. The ball was collected by Marshall, who centred from close to the goal-line, and Wilson relieved the Millwall lines.

Millwall were aggressive in these opening stages, and Smith and Fort in turn rescued the Grecians from dangerous situations. Fort next got the better of Dodd, and then Wilson gave a corner away through getting in the way of a volley from Whittaker. The City pressed for a time, and Orme made two fine saves, and when the ball was returned to the Exeter end Liddell was penalised for fouling Brooksbank. The free kick was cleared by Wilson, and a stoppage was necessitated owing to Whittaker being hurt. He was fortunately able to resume, but was badly shaken up. Davis then got away with the City appealing for offside, but his centre to Dilley was met and cleared by Fort. Yet another stoppage, for an injury to Marshall, was called, and "knock-outs" were frequent, although the game was by no means intentionally rough. An offside decision against Brooksbank displeased the crowd, but it was the correct decision.

Millwall attacked again, and Moody headed a centre from Dilley into the net. There were immediate claims for offside, and the referee without hesitation, disallowed the point. Millwall were not content with this, however, and clamoured for a goal, whereupon Mr Small consulted both linesmen. These officials were both in favour of a goal, and the referee consequently pointed to the centre of the field, much to the disgust of the crowd.

An Appeal in Vain.

Inspired by this turn of fortune Millwall attacked persistently, and for a time the City defence was kept hard at work. Play was very fast and keen, and once Orme pulled down a header by McCann, who appealed in vain for a goal on the grounds that Orme had gone back over his line in making the save.
Half-time:-

MILLWALL ​ 1

CITY ​ 0

The referee came in for a loud chorus of hooting as he left the field at the interval.

Second Half: A Great Goal.

Exeter, when they restarted, had of course to face the sun, but its glare had diminished slightly by this time. Davis was fouled by Fort, but the Millwall forwards got offside from the free kick, then Lagan conceded a needless corner in stopping Dilley.

Fort secured possession from the flag-kick and passed to Rigby, who made ground and centred for Voisey to clear. Play had been in progress for ten minutes when Whittaker scored a great goal. He had passed to Holt and met the outside-right's return, but with Brooksbank alongside him the position seemed hopeless, as the two forwards were hemmed in on all sides. Whittaker, nevertheless, in characteristic fashion, barged his way through, and shooting as he was bowled over, beat Orme "all ends up" to the accompaniment of loud applause from all round the ground. The next move came from Millwall, and Davis hit the crossbar after the whistle had blown for an infringement, but in any case a goal would not have resulted, for Pym caught the ball as it rebounded.

Strettle was laid out, but resumed, then a free kick to Millwall came rather unpleasantly close to Exeter's goal, but Pym saved.

At the other end there was great excitement when Whittaker got away and ran past Woodley, but Orme caught his centre and kicked the ball clear. Five minutes later Whittaker scored the third goal of the match, and Exeter's second. McCann cut out the move, and gave a square pass along the ground to the centre-forward, who had the goal at his mercy. Whittaker coaxed the ball forward a couple of yards and let fly with a cannon-ball drive into the roof of the net, leaving Orme transfixed. Thus Exeter took the lead after an uphill battle.

Marshall Scored.

There were twenty-five minutes still to go, and the game still had to be won. Fast and furious ruled the exchanges, and after a miskick by Strettle the ball was passed to Davis, who could do no better than put it over the bar.

Then, with the game entering the final quarter of an hour, a long, sweeping pass was put out to the left wing by Lagan. It seemed to have gone too far for Marshall to reach it, but after a race with Kirkwood he cut inwards in the well-remembered style of Ben Ives, mixed it up with Kirkwood again, and shot for goal as he tumbled over. The ball sped into the top of the net, over Orme's hands, and thus Marshall scored the City's third goal.

A complete change had now come over the game, and Millwall were a beaten side, though they stuck to their task doggedly. In the fading light Orme made an excellent save from McCann, who rushed on to a centre by Holt after Fort had put the winger clear. In the next minute Brooksbank netted, but was given offside, and in this case the referee declined to consult his linesmen, although appealed to. McCann was just too high with a smart drive, and the game ended with the score:-

EXETER CITY ​ 3

MILLWALL ​ 1

Last season: Millwall 4 City 1. In 1911-12: City 3 Millwall 1.

TORQUAY TOWN v EXETER CITY RESERVES.

A great deal of interest was taken in the meeting of these old rivals at Plainmoor, the occasion being in connection with the Plymouth League. It was a glorious sunny afternoon, and there was a fine crowd present. The clubs were strongly represented, and lined up as follows:-

Torquay Town:- Hancock; Durbin, Elliott; Balmer, Deane, Dixon; Singlehurst, Jackman, Evans, Pridham, and Tredigo.

City Reserves:- Loram; Goddard, Harding; Hunt, Pratt, Evans; Tucker, Lewis, Gerrish, Lovett, and Orr.

Referee:- Mr Frank Smith.

Torquay lost the toss, and started against the sun. Play during the opening stages was slightly in favour of Exeter, but Orr sent in a shot which went wide of the mark. On the kick-out Torquay attacked and forced a corner, which was well placed, and Tredigo sent in a beautiful shot which went only inches over the bar.

The Townies suffered a severe handicap after fifteen minutes, when Tredigo twisted his knee and retired, to take no further part in the game. Pridham scored for Torquay after Loram had saved from Dean, and a minute before the interval Arthur Evans equalised from the penalty spot.

Gerrish headed a beautiful goal from Tucker's centre shortly after the change of ends, and about ten minutes before the close Balmer levelled the scores with a fine header.

Final:- Torquay Town 2, Exeter City Reserves 2.

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EXETER CITY MANAGER'S SEARCH FOR NEW FORWARDS.

After being away from the city for a week Mr Chadwick returned to Exeter last evening, but did not, as was expected, bring either of the two forwards whose transfer from a Lancashire League club he had been negotiating for. It is still very probable, however, that one, if not both men will eventually join the Grecians.

Mr Chadwick succeeded, after several interviews of the Club concerned in the proposed transfers, in obtaining permission to approach the players. In fact, the sum to be paid in transfers was agreed by both clubs. When the players themselves were interviewed, however, fresh difficulties arose. One of them was ready to sign at once, but with the other there was a deadlock regarding terms. The difference had not been overcome yesterday, and Exeter City's manager consequently returned without either player. It does not follow, therefore, that before he left Lancashire, the negotiations were definitely broken off. As a matter of fact they will be resumed by correspondence, and as stated, at least one of the forwards will, in all probability, be signed.

Until they are signed, however, the directors of Exeter City and the Lancashire club desire that their names should not be published. Another English League club had been making enquiries in regard to these players before the City's manager arrived on the scene.

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From the London Press.

Exeter City v Millwall Athletic.

EXETER'S GRAND RALLY

MILLWALL DEFEATED AFTER TAKING THE LEAD:

Exeter City gained a brilliant victory over Millwall at Exeter, by three goals to one, after being a goal to the bad at the interval. Their second-half recovery was magnificent, and in the end the visitors were a well beaten team.

Millwall's goal, scored 25 minutes after the start, was appealed against by the home team. A centre was sent across by Dilley, and immediately the referee blew his whistle, apparently for offside against Davis. The Exeter players stopped, but Moody, running in, headed the ball into the net. The referee at first disallowed the goal, but protests from the Millwall players led to his consulting both the linesmen, with the result that he reversed his decision and Millwall took the lead.

Exeter played disjointedly after this, but when the second - half commenced there was a complete transformation. Ten minutes after the interval an equalising goal was gained by Whittaker as the result of a magnificent individual effort. He took command of a centre by Holt, and dashed off towards goal. Both Liddell and Wilson gave chase, but the home centre hung tenaciously to the ball, and as Orme advanced to meet him he coolly placed it in the net.

This was the beginning of the end of Millwall. Exeter went off brilliantly, and a clever dribble by McCann produced the second goal. Whittaker was again the marksman after the Scot had made the opening. Millwall were "all at sea" and even the bursts of Davis met with no reward, so fine was the tackling of Lagan and Fort. Exeter's third goal came from Marshall, the winger cutting in for goal and finding the net after eluding first Kirkwood and then Voisey. Before the finish Brooksbank beat Orme again, but this point was disallowed.

Exeter's second-half form was a revelation. Their forwards were an inspired set after Whittaker's first goal, whilst the halves, especially Lagan, worked with tremendous energy. Fort was easily the best back on the field, and he enjoyed his duels with Davis.

For Millwall, Wilson was the best of the halves, and Dilley was a capable outside-right. The defence, however, requires strengthening, neither Kirkwood or Woodley being dependable.