SATURDAY MARCH 13TH.

SOUTHEND v EXETER CITY.

This was by common consent the poorest game played by Southend on their own ground this season, and the margin (2-nil) by which Exeter City won hardly does justice to their superiority. It was Emery, Lonsdale, and Marshall(G) who were primarily the cause of the Grecians being restricted to two goals, and of the three Marshall did the most work.

Exeter City, who travelled up to London last night, started the game down the slope, but Southend were the first to attack. Bradshaw got away on the left, and from his centre there was distinct cause for a penalty. It was a clear case of handling, and admitted by the Exeter players, but the referee chose to ignore the appeal. At the end of half an hour Dockray centred, and placed the ball with such judgment that Billy Goodwin had only to slightly turn his head to send the ball into the net.

The second half was again in favour of Exeter, and they had hard lines when a shot from Billy Goodwin went through Lonsdale's hands, only for the ball to hit the crossbar and rebound into play. The Southend backs maintained their struggle to the last couple of minutes of the game, but then the other Goodwin, the sergeant in the Footballers' Battalion, namely Fred, received from Dockray and beat Lonsdale with a well directed shot.

Southend's New Right Winger.

Southend United, having two outside rights on the sick list, utilised the services of Rifleman Jackson from the Footballers Battalion, who are stationed in the town. He is very young, and it was a stiff test for him to be playing against experienced defenders as Smith and Strettle are. But in spite of the known qualities of his opposition, and in the fact that he was playing outside the class of football to which he is accustomed, he did not let his side down, and at times showed good promise. Though his partner, Wileman, did not give him many chances, he was not the worst forward in the line.

All the five can complain that their half backs neglected the matter of giving them good passes. The ball was mostly sent to them in the air, and it was always odds on the taller Exeter defence getting it when it came to heading. In the middle line Steel had a bad day, and his play was not improved by the abuse he had to contend with from the crowd.

The player on the City side who caught the eye was Pratt, the burly centre half deputising for Lagan, who had the Southend inside forwards beaten all through the game. Strettle, who has hardly put a foot wrong all this season, was a vigorous and hard kicking left-back, and he, with Marshall(F) saw to it that Pym had practically nothing to do. Dockray's pace was always useful, while the two Goodwins, together with Sergeant Evans, of the Sportsman's Battalion, made up a line that was too clever by a long way for the Southend half-backs. The teams were:

Southend:- Lonsdale; Marshall(G), Woodward; Emery, Hamilton, Steel; Jackson, Wileman, Frost, Burrill, Bradshaw.

Exeter City:- Pym; Marshall(F), Strettle; Rigby, Pratt, Smith; Holt, Evans, Goodwin(W), Goodwin(F), Dockray.

The Reserves 

At St James's Park, Exeter City Reserves beat Taunton Town by four goals to one, proceeds to the Soldiers' Comforts fund.