Saturday April 25th 1914

City 1 Bristol Rovers 1.

The Exeter followers heard with great regret this morning that Crompton had been left out of the Rovers' side and Kaye promoted from the Reserves. For Exeter, Evans and Orr appeared in the League side for the first time since September. Pratt led the Exeter team on to the field as captain, in the absence of Rigby, and he began very well by winning the toss.

City:- Pym; Fort, Strettle; Smith, Pratt, Evans; Holt, Lovett, Whittaker, McCann, and Orr.

Rovers:- Stansfield; Harvie, Bennett; Morris, Walker, Westwood; Peplow, Roe, Thompson, Kaye, and Squires.

The afternoon was warm and sunny, but the attendance was poor, with less than three thousand present at the start. The pitch was hard and bumpy, and the ball consequently light and bouncy. Fort stopped the Rovers' opening rush, and advanced to the centre line before supplying Whittaker. The centre-forward got between Harvie and Bennett and hit a bouncing shot hard, but Stansfield punched the leather out to Bennett, who cleared. The tall 'Thompson was an enterprising figure in one or two Bristol raids, but spoiled the moves each time by getting offside. Half-time arrived with nothing having been scored, and with neither team having anything to gain or lose the play in the first half had been practically featureless.

A Smart Goal

After about twenty minutes of the second half had passed McCann scored a smart goal, very similar to the one he surprised Swindon with last week. He was put in possession by Holt, dribbled a few yards, then from the corner of the penalty area lofted the ball to the top of the rigging, well out of the reach of Stansfield.

Five minutes later Thomson scored for Bristol amid loud appeals for offside. He certainly appeared to be out of his legal ground, but Mr Ross, of Aldershot, the referee, pointed without hesitation to the centre despite the protests of the Exeter players.

In the closing stages the Rovers attacked, and Whittaker was pulled up for a foul when he was more energetic than discreet, and Lovett narrowly missed the goal from Orr's centre.

Plymouth and District League.
R.N.Barracks v City Reserves.

Played at Keyham. The Barracks only required to win this match to secure the League Championship, and they were the better side all the way through. From a well placed corner by Glinn, Murch put them one up, and following a lively attack Lawrence obtained goal number two.

Exeter did a fair measure of attacking after the interval, but without success, and Lawrence scored again for the Barracks.

The game ended: R.N.Barracks 3, City Reserves nil, the Championship being thus settled.