Saturday, December 4th 1909.
ENGLISH CUP TIE
Exeter City's Visit to the Potteries
STOKE V EXETER CITY:
At the Victoria Athletic grounds, Stoke, great interest was centred in the meeting with Exeter, which was a struggle for entrance to the competition proper of the English Cup. Both sides were able to put their full strength into the field, although Exeter City made three changes from last week. An additional item of interest was that Jack Robinson, who played so many stirring games for the City last season, was now guarding the Stoke goal. The weather was better than appeared likely in the early morning, although the atmosphere was misty and the ground rather heavy. There were early indications that a good crowd would attend, and by the time of the kick-off there were about seven thousand in the ground.

STOKE
Robinson Mullineux Hay Baddeley Hall Tomlinson Leigh Smith Lesse Griffiths Milward
Referee: Mr J.W.McCue.
EXETER CITY
Garside Bell Harrison Watson Green Hartley Chadwick Atkinson Jones Crelley Crossthwaite

Stoke won the toss, and Harrison started the game. There was some manoeuvring in midfield, and Green made headway. He centred well, and Robinson had difficulty in gathering the ball with Harrison plunging in, but he held it. A foul was given against the City, and Stoke made a brief incursion, but Crelley robbed Griffiths and kicked into touch. Harrison and Watson took play forward, but Hay cleared, and Milward showed his speed on the left wing. Crossthwaite easily saved a low, angled shot from the Stoke winger, and kicked clear. The Stoke forward line broke away again, but their play was ragged. Play then continued mostly in the City's favour, and Garside passed inside to Harrison, who shot behind.
City, from which Hartley drove the ball yards over the bar. The City A struggle between Watson and Tomlinson resulted in a corner to the continued to be aggressive, and Robinson picked up and cleared a cross shot by Garside.
Stoke now took up the attack strongly, and Leigh received a good forward pass from Lesse, and racing on, centred square and low. From the goal-line Crossthwaite dived for the ball, gathering brilliantly, and kicked clear.
The City forwards, in turn, were exceedingly active, and their short quick passes were a source of trouble to the Stoke halves. Baddeley and Milward tried to make an advance on the left, but Atkinson and Watson paid them such close attention that little progress could be made. An oblique shot from Milward was brilliantly saved by Crossthwaite, and in the next Exeter attack Harrison was fouled just outside the penalty area. Atkinson placed the ball well from the free kick, and there was an exciting moment, but Lesse slipped back and cleared. Stoke livened up the pace of the game, and excitement ran high. Smith ran to the line and his centre passed right across the goalmouth, but was missed by Griffiths and Lesse, whilst Atkinson prevented Milward from making use of it. On the stroke of half time a shot from Watson flew inches wide of the home goal.
HALF-TIME: STOKE 0 EXETER CITY 0
Resuming after the interval, Stoke were the first to be on the move. Their forwards were very persistent, and Milward forced a corner from Jones. This led to a determined onslaught, but the City defence was alert, and Crelley and Jones in turn deflected shots by Milward and Smith. When the City took up the attack Green tried a long shot, which Robinson caught and cleared, with Harrison hovering round him. The
City forwards began to come more into the game, and were swinging the ball about well, and a drive by Garside was put over the bar in well remembered style by Robinson. The goalkeeper then made a brilliant save from Garside, and a free kick just outside the penalty line was also dealt with by the goalkeeper. The City were keeping up a prolonged but ineffective attack, mainly due to Robinson, who was keeping goal in his
most brilliant style. Bell and Harrison had shots stopped at almost point-blank range. Shot after shot was rained in, but the Stoke goal was packed and the end came without a score.

NOTES ON THE GAME
Despite several other local attractions there was an excellent gate at the Victoria Grounds. It was a typical cup-tie, strongly fought out from beginning to end, and although there were no goals, the crowd found plenty to interest them. There were few dull moments, and merit was probably served with a drawn game. The honours of the first half fell to Arthur Chadwick, the brains of the Exeter City machine. His skill, coolness, and resource brought his side through many a tight corner. He was always in position when required defensively, but did not neglect to supply his own forwards with serviceable passes. Crossthwaite kept a fine goal, and Crelley and Jones were a resolute pair of backs. The forwards showed plenty of enterprising ideas, but their short sharp passing was perhaps carried a little towards excess to be effective.
Robinson gave a brilliant display in goal against his former club, and in the closing fifteen minutes, especially, stood between Exeter City and a solid victory. Milward was often prominent in the Stoke forward line, and Hall a strong centre-half, though not in the class of Chadwick.
Attendance 7,050.
Receipts €165.