SATURDAY APRIL 3RD.

EXETER CITY 1 BRISTOL ROVERS 0.

Each side has won a stiff game yesterday, and the opening was rather quiet. Exeter started with a complete absence of combined play, but after about a quarter of an hour they woke up, there being subsequently only one side in it. Although only one goal was scored Exeter's display in the second half was the most heartening the supporters have seen since Christmas, and the Bristol defence, especially Harvie and Taylor, may be consoled by the fact that they found the City's attack far above recent St James's Park form.

Holt missed an early opportunity, and another later on, but generally he and Dockray fully shared in their side's new found vigour. Evans, who did much towards infusing the pushful spirit, dropped a high shot just over the bar, and Stansfield made two brilliant saves from Billy Goodwin. The Exeter defence became temporarily entangled following a centre by Payne, but their forwards replied with the most stylish work of the afternoon, sweeping down the field as if nothing was in front of them until they came up against the stonewall Harvie and Taylor.

The first half came to an end without a score, and the improvement shown in the last twenty minutes was maintained in the second half. Finally, the City, failing in all the ordinary ways, scored most curiously. Stansfield punched out a drive from Holt and fell. Holt was backing up his own shot, and when in the act of turning round sharply, facing his own goal, the ball pitched on to his back, fell to the ground, and bounced into the goal, with everyone wondering how it had happened.

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

Rovers:- Stansfield; Harvie, Taylor; Hardman, Walker, Mason; Payne, Crompton, Roe, Brogan, Squires.