Saturday, April 18th 1914 

Swindon Town 1 Exeter City 1.

This afternoon the Grecians played their last away Southern League match of the season, and incidentally their fifth League engagement in eight days. The City had nothing to lose, and very little to gain, but from Swindon's point of view the encounter was of the utmost importance, for their chances of the Championship largely depended upon it. This morning they were top, having a lead of one point over Crystal Palace, and as it was thought that the Glaziers were likely to win both their outstanding fixtures the Railwaymen could not afford to allow Exeter City even to draw today.

Teams:-

Swindon:- Skiller; Kay, Giles; Tout, Silto, Handley; Jefferson, Batty, Rogers, Bown, and Bolland.

Exeter:- Pym; Fort, Strettle; Rigby, Pratt, Smith; Holt, Lovett, Whittaker, McCann, and Goodwin.

Referee:- Mr. F. Heath, of Birmingham.

Beautiful weather prevailed at Swindon, and Exeter City, having travelled on the 10.20 train from St. David's this morning, were on the ground about an hour before the start. It was reported that Fleming was suffering from an influenza cold and that his place had been given to Batty, who has done so remarkably well this season as the International's deputy. The crowd were rather slow in turning up, but there were seven thousand present when the teams took the field. All the home supporters were confident of an easy win for Swindon, despite Fleming's absence.

Exeter were first out, and it was seen that Pym had discarded his scarlet jersey for a white one, Swindon's colours being red. Silto won the toss, and Whittaker kicked off facing the glare of a bright sun. 

Swindon's Slip and Its Effect:
CITY PROFIT BY FLEMING'S ABSENCE

For the fourth time in succession Exeter City avoided defeat at Swindon, and the Railwaymen's failure to annex both points may cost them the Championship. They are still ahead, thanks to a slightly superior goal average, but everything now hangs upon the result of their own final match, at Cardiff, and the visit of the Palace to Gillingham.

Swindon ought to have beaten the City by four or five goals to one, and they failed to do so because their forwards wasted so many glorious chances of scoring. In the first ten minutes, Patty, then Jefferson shot weakly with only Pym to beat, in fact they never as much as troubled the goalkeeper, sending wide of the target on both occasions. 

Then Jefferson again, and Rogers, neglected to turn two or three useful openings to account, for the winger put his effort over the bar, while the centre-forward tried to dribble through the whole Exeter defence, being eventually crowded out. A first-time shot would have served him better. In short, the home forwards lacked finish, for superb though the defence of Pym, Fort, and Strettle was, there were opportunities for scoring.

McCann Gives Swindon a Shock

The City were not on the attack to the same extent, but their clean, accurate passing was not easily coped with, and from one of these sorties, after eighteen minutes' play, McCann was left with possession of the ball, just outside the penalty area and to the right of the goalposts. With a magnificent left foot shot he put the leather into the top of the rigging, Skiller being helpless to save. This unexpected reverse came as an unwelcome shock to the home supporters, and the goal, brilliant though it was, received only grudging applause. It looked decidedly unhealthy as regards to Swindon's Championship aspirations, and when the Grecians pertinaciously hung on to their lead for the next 27 minutes it seemed that the Devonians were once more going to take down the prospective champions on Wiltshire soil. Swindon started the second half in deadly earnest, and for the first twenty minutes the City never got more than a few yards over the dividing line. It was during this spell of pressure that Swindon wiped off the arrears, Batty taking a pass from Tout, side-stepping Smith, and beating Pym all the way with a fast shot. This time, of course, the crowd woke up, and roared their delight. But this was the limit of the home team's success, for try as they did, by all manner of means, they were unable again to break down Exeter's resolute defence.

No doubt the City profited by Fleming's absence, for had he been able to play his extra skill and experience might have enabled his team to earn two points instead of just the one.

But the honours of the match were with the City rearguard, this being well supported by Pratt and the wing halves.

Plymouth and District League.

City Reserves v Royal Naval Barracks.

At St. James's Park, Exeter. Both sides infused a lot of vigour into the game, which was contested in broiling heat, but the defence of both sides was always better than the attack, and although both goalkeepers were frequently in action the score sheet remained a blank at the final whistle.

Teams:

Reserves:- Loram; Harding, Hunt; Marshall, Cox, Evans; Walker, Tucker, Rose, Brooksbank, and Orr.

Barracks:- McDugall; Davis, Hodges; Ware, Johnston, Small; Glinn, Lawrence, Murch, Mitchell, and Crye.