Saturday, December 20th.

Southern League:
Bristol Rovers v Exeter City
Scoring Chances That Were Lost:

This afternoon Exeter City appeared, in search of Southern League points, on a Western ground where they always get a very good reception from the crowd, namely that of Bristol Rovers. The position of the two clubs in the League table this morning was:-Exeter City, tenth, with fifteen points, Bristol Rovers, eighteenth with twelve points, so there was very little between them.

For today's match Bristol made one change from last week, and it was an important one, for Murray, obtained from Everton as part consideration for the transfer of Palmer, outside-left, lost his place to Gallagher, a young Scot who has just completed a month's successful trial. Exeter were less lucky in this respect, for Whittaker was unfit following the injury he met with a week ago, and in his place Brooksbank was reinstated, with Lovett, who has been a fine partner for him in the Reserves, at inside-right.

Marshall was able to resume at outside-left, but Lagan was reported as unfit owing to a bruised shoulder, and Pratt was held in readiness to play at centre-half. The Exeter City party left St. David's at 10.26 this morning, and arrived at Bristol shortly after noon.

ROVERS

Roney

Harvie Bennett

Mainds Walker Westwood

Peplow Shervey Gallagher Crompton Griffiths

Referee:- Mr C.C.Fallowfield, of London.

CITY

Marshall McCann Brooksbank Lovett Holt
Smith Pratt Rigby

Strettle Fort

Pym

The afternoon was bitterly cold and frosty, but the pitch was in fine condition. Ellis Crompton renewed old acquaintances before the match, paying a visit, as he did, to Exeter's dressing room. There was a good sprinkling of old Exonians on the ground, and the Grecians received a good reception when they ran out, about three minutes before the start. The crowd appeared to number about five thousand.

Walker won the toss, and after midfield play a pass was sent to Crompton, but Fort arrived on the scene first. Bristol attacked on the left, but Pratt drove them back, and sent out a beautiful pass to Marshall. Roney fielded his centre, but just later Brooksbank nearly opened the scoring with a full-blooded first-time drive that narrowly missed the post.

Exeter were doing nearly all the attacking in the opening few minutes, and Roney was soon in difficulties. Holt got the ball from a rebound, and veered in to shoot hard and true. Roney, who fielded the shot, could not get rid of the ball. He got in the way, however, of a shot from Brooksbank, but could only touch the ball to McCann, who scored three minutes after the start. Exeter's next attack was driven back by Harvie, and Crompton slipped away. Fort fell in trying to stop him, and the old City captain put forward a pass to Gallagher, Pym running out to fall on the ball with the centre-forward tumbling over on top of him. Bristol subsequently forced a corner, which Pym punched away, and in later attacks dealt with two dangerous looking centres from Griffiths. Then Holt got away at speed, and with two men rushing on him shot over the bar. Play was fast and open, and the crowd were getting plenty of excitement for their money. Exeter's backs were kicking cleanly, with precision, and Strettle was covering Fort expertly whenever the right-back ventured upfield. The forwards were bringing off some clever moves in their approach work, butlacked a good deal in finishing. Pratt shot wide with a hefty shot from thirty yards, and Lovett got the better of Bennett but delayed his pass to Holt a few seconds too long, and Roney came out and cleared. The City certainly ought to have been at least one more goal up, and the Rovers were very lucky to escape as they did. Right on the halftime interval Smith put McCann through, and the Scotchman gave Brooksbank a beautiful pass, only for the ball to be put over the bar.

Half-time:

CITY ​ 1 ROVERS ​ 0

Second Half.

At half-time it transpired that it was Marshall who had scored, and not McCann.

Strettle drove the Rovers back just after the restart, and the City were soon on the aggressive. They had a free kick given in their favour, and Brooksbank made a flying leap but missed the ball. Both sides continued to be guilty of missing good chances, but the Rovers, in this half, were the chief culprits. Once Pym had to run out and save with three men crowding in on him, and the scanty locks of Crompton were very much in evidence. Exeter ought to have held a bigger lead at half-time, and they were made to pay for their failure in this respect, for Crompton drew Pym out of his goal, but his shot was saved on the line by Pratt, whereupon the ball was seized upon by Peplow, who gave to Crompton for the ex-Grecian to head low into the net. After their equaliser Bristol played up in great style, and Shervey netted, but the whistle had already sounded for offside. The Rovers were now playing on Exeter's backs by long punting up the field, and Shervey once fired fiercely over the bar after Crompton had cut out the opening. With ten minutes to go Peplow sent across a flashing centre, which Fort headed clear, and Roney came out to deal with an Exeter raid, Lovett's shot going right across the goal and out of play. Towards the end Exeter attacked with great spirit, but failed to get the lead again.

Final:

Bristol Rovers ​ 1 Exeter City ​ 1

Last season: Rovers 1 Exeter 1.

In 1911-12: Rovers 2 Exeter 1.

PLYMOUTH AND DISTRICT LEAGUE.

City Reserves v Babbacombe at St.James's Park.

Owing to various injuries the Reserves only had four of their professionals playing, and the visitors included Crute, the Devon County custodian, who has played for Exeter City in the past.

Reserves:- Loram; Harding, Goddard; Hunt, Evans, Cox; Baker, Lewis, Tucker, Bell, and Orr.

Babbacombe:- Crute; Steer, Prowse;​Evans, Paltridge,Stuckey; Gaskell, Dailey, Clifford, Meager, and Bache.

Exeter failed to find their normal combination, and the forwards were extremely poor. Clifford sent Bailey through for the "Babes", and the old City Reserves forward easily beat Loram. Play in the first half tended to be very tame and uninteresting, and when the Reserves were awarded a penalty for hands Crute saved the shot. At the interval Babbacombe led by Bailey's goal. The second half began with Babbacombe attacking strongly, but the Reserves' defence held good. A corner was forced by Exeter, but Orr ended the threat by shooting wide. Baker then shot wide from a good opening, then Exeter were awarded another penalty for a foul. Lewis took the kick this time, but again Crute saved, conceding only a corner, which was cleared. Eventually the equaliser came, after the first real spell of exciting play for the afternoon. A corner was forced, and the ball hovered around the goal with Crute unable to clear, until Bell drove it into the net. In the gathering darkness each side scored once, and the game concluded with the score:

City Reserves ​ 2 Babbacombe ​ 2

The Reserves played very poorly against Babbacombe, and were in fact lucky to draw, despite the two missed penalties. Bailey, who assisted Exeter City last season, is in fine form just now, and he was the best forward on the field in this match. The Reserves, of course, suffered from having to make changes, but slips like this may cost them the championship. The Plymouth and District League table now reads:-