SATURDAY, MARCH 13.

CITY V BRIGHTON,
AT ST JAMES'S PARK.

Exeter City, who beat Brighton by four goals to one at home in this afternoon's match, have dropped behind in the race for championship honours, but at the same time are not to be classed with the laggards at the heels of the hunt. It is now about three quarters of the way through the season. The team has given some brilliant, some mediocre, and one or two poor displays, but on the average has done better than was anticipated before the Southern League competition opened last August.

The feature which has given the most satisfaction so far is the splendid and encouraging support forthcoming from the sports minded public of East Devon. Bigger "gates" than were dreamed of in the difficult struggling days of the first few seasons have been the regular thing this winter, and whilst, of course, the exceptionally mild and favourable weather may have had something to do with it, it may also be assumed that the football game has caught on with a firmer and stronger grip than ever before. This promises well for the future, for as soon as the directors have put their house in order to their liking, that is, with regard to the appointments of the ground, and so forth, they may expected, granted a continuance of public favour, to concentrate steadfastly be on building up a team capable of winning the League. For today's match the City fielded what is now recognised as the strongest team at the club's disposal. The heavy rain of the morning had left the ground in a sodden state, but there was a slight improvement in the weather in the early afternoon. There were about five thousand people in attendance when the players came out, and they lined up as follows:

CITY
Pym 
Coleburne Strettle
Rigby Popplewell Mitton
Oldacre Makin Goodwin Lovett Dockray

Referee: Mr E.Tolfree, of Southampton.

Brown Ritchie Doran Woodhouse Longstaff
Pugh Coomber Williams
Little Spencer
Hayes
BRIGHTON

Spencer won the toss, and Goodwin set the ball rolling towards the St James's Road end. Clever midfield work enabled Mitton to feed Oldacre with a swinging pass, but the winger placed the ball behind in attempting to centre. Exeter were well on top, yet the opening goal was scored by Brighton. Pugh began the move, and it was carried on by Brown, who got past Strettle before passing to Woodhouse, who netted.

Seven minutes before the interval, however, Makin, receiving from Oldacre, threaded his way past three defenders to finally beat Hayes with a glorious shot, the ball grazing the underside of the crossbar on its way into the rigging. In less than a minute Exeter were ahead. Dockray cut in towards goal and transferred to Makin, who, eight yards from the objective, made no mistake. The rain, which had been threatening, came down heavily as the second half began, but it seemed to suit Exeter, who played brilliantly and scored two more goals through Lovett and Goodwin.

Reserves Friendly at Uffculme

The Reserves travelled to Uffculme and beat the local team by seven goals to one, but the score would not have been so high had the local goalkee per been more determined. The following players represented

Exeter City;-  
Loram; Twooze, Chown; Powell, Lovell, Perry; Collins, Green, Gill, Crawshaw, Lincoln.