Match 02
4th September 1909
Southern League
Croydon Common (a)

Plymouth and District League
Oreston Rovers (h)

Saturday, September 4th,
at "The Nest", Selhurst.
CROYDON COMMON v EXETER CITY

Croydon folk have not had long to wait to see their team gain full points in the Southern League, for at Selhurst they beat Exeter City by two goals to one. In the course of the game there was a clear demonstration of quite different styles of play. On the one hand the overdone. Croydon Common, on the other hand, were out for goals, and City played pretty and effective football, though at times it was their style was more bustling. The chief factor in Croydon's success lay in the fact that their half-backs never tired. Hadley was the pick, he quite nonplussing Green. The Croydon forwards played the kick and rush style, McDonald being the only one in the line attempting to keep the ball low. Boden, who played right-back, was sound in his judgment, and was the cause, with the assistance of Hadley, of upsetting the calculations of the Exonians' left wing. In the City team no man worked harder and better than Chadwick. If Ambler and Atkinson had displayed half the zeal of their comrade, a different aspect might have been placed upon the game. The prettiest bits of play seen during the afternoon were enacted by Watson, Bell, and McGuigan, for at times they completely outwitted the home backs, but hesitation at the vital moment spoiled many good movements. In the first half Croydon opened in promising fashion, but after a while the better understanding of the Grecians began to assert itself. It was fully half an hour before a score was recorded. The Croydon forwards, through the agency of Colpus, got well into the Exeter City territory, and Ambler, in attempting to head the ball clear, directed it towards his own goal, and Crossthwaite, in saving, barely cleared, with the result that Gorman had no difficulty in beating him from only five yards range.
Croydon's success was short-lived, for a foul by Boden in the penalty area resulted in Chadwick placing matters on equality from the penalty kick. The second half ran mainly in favour of Croydon, and less than two minutes from the end Hodgkinson scored the winning goal with a surprise shot almost from the touch-line.
CROYDON:
Hewitson; Boden, and Christie; Hadley, Ryan, and Yenson; Hodgkinson, McDonald, Gorman, Colpus, and Frost.

EXETER CITY:- Crossthwaite; Jones, and Crelley; Ambler, Chadwick, and Atkinson; Green, Watson, McGuigan, Bell, and Copestake.

PLYMOUTH AND DISTRICT LEAGUE:

City Reserves v Oreston Rovers.


Rain fell throughout the duration of the match at St.James's Park, where the Reserves drew with Oreston, one goal each. The goals came late in the game, Glinn scoring for the Rovers 20 minutes from time, and Camble putting the City on terms with almost the last kick. The attendance numbered just under 2000.
Reserves: Sturge; Heppell, Willats; Hartley, Tierney, Pym; Drew, Hopkins, Harrison Gamble, Fand Garside.
Oreston: Sutherland, Stokes, Lear, Glinn, and J.Ellis. Santillo; Woodley, Kingwell; Couch, Bastin, A.Ellis;

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