CRYSTAL PALACE v. EXETER CITY

Match Abandoned Five Minutes from the End

Saturday, November 29,
at "The Nest," Selhurst Road, Croydon.

CRYSTAL PALACE 0 EXETER CITY 0.

Large tracks of country were buried under inches of snow this morning as the train carrying the "Grecians" moved Londonwards, but the vicinity of the Metropolis was clear. The team arrived at Selhurst Road after a most unpleasant journey across London in crowded dinner-hour trains, with just twenty minutes to spare.

In days gone by, of course, Exeter City, in common with other visiting teams, had the experience of playing one match every season on the vast enclosure at the Crystal Palace itself, the distinction being that the ground at Sydenham was the venue of the English Cup Final and important International matches. As the Crystal Palace Football Club had to vacate these premises at the start of the war they occupied a ground at Herne Hill until this seas on commenced, when they obtained the lease of the Selhurst Road ground, which formerly belonged to the Croydon Common F.C., now in liquidation. Considerable sums of money had to be expended by Crystal Palace on putting their new ground in a satisfactory payable condition, it having been neglected for several years, but plans are now practically settled which will convert the Nest into an up to date enclosure.

PALACE
Alderson
Little Rhodes
Cracknell Bates Feebury
Bateman Conner Smith Barber Whibley

Referee: Mr. Rundle.

Dockray Goodwin Oldacre Makin Connor
Mitton Popplewell Rigby
Medcalf Coleburne
Pym

CITY

The day was dull and cold, but everybody was thankful there was no rain. Exeter City fielded the same team as defeated Watford on Wednesday, with the solitary exception that Connor figured at outside-right instead of Southcombe. The Palace were at full strength but for the absence of Hughes, their centrehalf and skipper, injured, for whom Bates deputised. The captaincy was entrusted to Smith, the centre forward. It was on this ground that Billy Goodwin broke his arm in the last playing season. The crowd numbered three thousand when the teams appeared, and the elevens looked to be well matched as regards physique. People in the grandstand seemed to be "singing the praises" of Dick Pym, and well they might, seeing that the former fisher boy from Tops ham is now one of the most famous goalkeepers in the country.

The Game.

Smith won the toss, and elected to take advantage of a light breeze which was sweeping the field. Hands against Feebury in the first minute enabled Coleburne to place the leather nicely across to Goodwin, who was charged off his attempted shot by one of the backs, and when Dockray tried to dribble through he was intercepted by Little. The Palace right wing was smartly halted by Medcalf, but a dangerous attack developed in which Medcalf and Coleburne were hard pressed. The ball came across from Bateman, with Smith jumping for a header, but Pym jumped higher and fisted the ball away from the Palace skipper.

Good combination by the City saw the ball travel from Mitton to Strettle, and thence to Popplewell, who headed it forward to Makin. The inside right fed Dockray but the move came to nothing as Oldacre was pulled up for offside.

Shortly before the interval Barber netted for the Palace with a grounder, but the referee had previously blown for offside. Crystal Palace piled on the pressure, but although play was mostly centred around the Exeter penalty area Pym was not often in action, mainly due to the reliable work of his backs.

Midway through the second half it became so dark that it was practically impossible to follow the play, and five minutes from the regulation time the match was abandoned.

In the last minute there had been some discussion in the Exeter penalty area, the referee, followed by players, proceeding to the side of the field to converse with the linesman. No penalty was given, the referee then bringing the match to a conclusion. The referee and some of the Exeter players were mobbed as they left the field, and the official was scratched on the hand by a young hooligan. Conner, of the Palace, and Pym protected Mr Rundle from being subjected to any further violence.

CITY RESERVES V ST LUKE'S COLLEGE.

At St James's Park this afternoon Exeter City Reserves played a friendly against St Luke's, who have been doing well so far in Wednesday League matches.

They have a strong team, and in Rous, captain, Hamley, inside left, and Reader, centre forward, they have three footballers of no mean ability. Only a week ago the City transferred Lovett to Caerphilly, where he was appointed club captain, but he has rejoined the Grecians, and partnered Charlie Lincoln on the left wing today. There was a new man at centre-forward, namely Williams, of the Royal Welch Regiment.

Reserves:

Loram; Twooze, Nock; Chown, Potter, Lovell; Collins, Croft, Williams, Lovett, and Lincoln.

St Luke's:- Rous; Trapler, Glewary; Deacon, Hamley, Parsons; Young, White, Reader, Radcliffe, and Stone.

After about fifteen minutes Collins got away on the wing, and centred nicely, leaving Lovett with an open goal, and he headed the ball into the net. A second goal to the City was obtained by Lovett, and Reader replied for the students.

The Reserves thus won by the score of two goals to one.

EXETER CITY v NORTH DEVON

Bright Exhibition Match at Exeter

Saturday, December 6 1919.

EXETER CITY 4 NORTH DEVON O.

Exeter City were at home today to North Devon, the side which put up such a fine display in the mid-week exhibition match at Barnstaple recently, when the Grecians fielded a full Southern League eleven, and won by the odd goal in three.

The representative team was unchanged, but Exeter City made some interesting experiments, Henderson, a player from the north of England with Second Division experience, being given a trial at inside-left, whilst H.Brown, of Yeovil, figured at outside right. Potter deputised for Rigby, the City skipper, who had been injured in the match at Selhurst.

EXETER CITY
Pym
Coleburne Strettleenty
Potter Popplewell Mitton
Brown Makin Goodwin Henderson Dockrayn

Referee:- Mr J. Baker.

Clement Green Trebble Warren SouthcombeCarter Hartnell Johns
Medcalf Marks
Horne 
NORTH DEVON


The wet and stormy weather and the early start affected the attendance adversely, and when the North Devon team entered the field in their light and dark blue jerseys and white knickers, at twenty-five past two o'clock, there were not more 800 spectators present, a poor contrast to the enthusiasm shown when the teams met on the Rose and Crown ground nearly three weeks ago.

However, a cheer went up when it was seen that Dick Pym, who was acting captain for the Grecians, had had the luck of the toss against Hartnell, the Torrington player. Pym elected to defend the St James 's Road end. From the kick off North Devon made tracks for the City goal. Trebble got the ball nicely out to Clement, who, though pressed by Coleburne, managed to send in a swerving cross-drive from which Southe ombe against the top of the upright and behind. Exeter retaliated in drove the leather bright fashion, and for some minutes the play was in the North Devon territory. Several corners were conceded on which were placed admirably by Dockray, but Horne, Medcalf, and their right, Marks offered a stubborn resistance, the goalkeeper especially proving very safe. After ten minutes' play Medcalf brought down Goodwin heavily just outside the penalty area, and a free-kick was awarded. Potter tried a first-time shot and struck the post of the upright, Goodwin scoring from the rebound.

Henderson next got through but shot straight at Horne, and a centre from Doc kray was headed over the bar by Goodwin. Play was bright and interesting despite the soft turf and the boisterous wind. The North Devon forwards found themselves up against an uncomprising trio of half-backs in Potter, Popplewell and Mitton, nevertheless their movements were characterised by coolness and excellent judgment. Pym saved from Trebble, and Potter relieved pressure from Southcombe by kicking to touch.

North Devon Goal Bombarded.

After a spell of midfield play the North Devon goal came under a severe bombardment, and Horne, with plenty of opportunities of showing his skill, rose to the occasion in fine style. The City scored again after 35 minutes' play, Dockray utilised one of Henderson's many excellent passes to send in a low cross-drive from which Goodwin, only a couple of yards from the goal line, directed the ball past Horne and into the rigging, the custodian having absolutely no chance of stopping the shot.

Dockray then put in a lightning drive which Horne failed to hold, the ball bouncing from his hands against the inner side of the upright and back into the field of play. Just before half time Makin increased the City's lead by tapping the ball across the line after a powerful drive from Goodwin had been fisted out by Horne. North Devon made a sharp attack and Trebble shot too high, the ball clearing the crossbar by about six feet.

At the interval the score was:
Exeter City 3 North Devon 0.

Second Half.

Fifteen minutes of the second half had elapsed when Goodwin received a nice pass from Makin, and scored Exeter's fourth goal with a fine shot from the edge of the penalty area. Potter was badly injured, and had to be carried to the dressing-room. It transpired that he had been accidentally kicked on the knee, and it was feared that the joint was broken.