Match 16
November 19th 1910. THE ENGLISH CUP:
READING v CITY

Friendly
City Reserves v 107th Royal Garrison Artillery

Saturday, November 19th 1910.

THE ENGLISH CUP:

READING v CITY

Exeter City were engaged today at Elm Park, Reading, in the fourth qualifying round of the English Cup. As last year, they were excused the lesser important preliminaries which preceded this round, but, with a number of other first-class clubs, including Lincoln City, "ainsborough Trinity, Luton Town, New Brompton, Vatford, and Southend United, they were included in the last but one of the series of gamen which precede the Competition Proper. Exeter did very well, of course, in the Cup in their first season, when they ran to the second round proper before Plymouth knocked then out, but last year their experience was a completely different one, Stoke (thanke largely to Jack Robinson) beating them at the third time of asking in the last qualifying round. On the whole it was expected that today's tie would be close, and Reading certainly looked forward with confidence to a record gate for the season. The weather was bright and clear at Reading, but the crowd vere rather alow in turning up.

The Reading management decided to drop Buckenham, who played for Southampton at Exeter on October lat, and Jordan vas played at inside right to McCulloch. "Daisy" Bell, now recovered from illness, played in place of James at inside-left in the City team, and Bassett vas dropped in favour of Duffy, at right-half. Teams:

READING
Caldwell, 
Smith Bartholomew,
Smart Hancock Slatter
Lee Jordan McCulloch Andrews Green
Referee:- Mr W.E.Russell, of Swindon.
Garside Bell Hughes Watson Parnell
Prideaux Pratt Duffy
Jones Evans
Whittaker
CITY

Reading were first out, Caldwell being attired in a bright blue Jersey. Watson quickly followed at the head of his men, and was met by a soldier supporter of the Grecians, who handed him a mascot of red and white colours. There were at the time not more than 4,000 spectators present, which was a much smaller crowd than the Reading directors had hoped for. Watson beat Hancock in the toss-up, and Mc Culloch kicked off. The sun by this time had become clouded, and Exeter had therefore not a great deal of advantage.
The first home rush was stopped by Jones, who gave to Prideaux. On the ball being transferred to Garside it was quickly despatched across the field to Bell, but the Reading backs moved up in time and "Daisy" was given offside. Watson was prominent in the early play, and Exeter forced the first corner of the match, but it was cleared. McCulloch romped away at great speed but this time Lee was halted for offside. In the next minute Jones checked Lee when he looked likely to get through in the centre, and the City's left-back put the ball to touch when the Berkshire side looked dangerous.

Play continued to veer from end to end, but many moves broke down through the forwards getting offside, and the match was proving tame indeed for a cup-tie. Shortly before the interval Bell missed from a pass by Hughes, and McCulloch failed with a good opening, but Green forced a corner off Evans. This was cleared, and Exeter attacked strongly at the approach of half-time, but as usual, their finishing was weak. Interval: -
READING 0-0 EXETER CITY

There were six thousand spectators present when the game restarted. Exeter nicely controlled the new ball which had been brought out, but Watson was successfully tackled. Exeter returned, and following a free kick Parnell got a pass across to Garside, who centred. Hughes met the ball as Caldwell ran out and headed narrowly over the bar, being the narrowest escape Reading had had so far. In the next minute, however, Reading scored. They forced a corner through Whittaker carrying the ball over his goal-line in a melee, and Duffy, from the flag - kick, failed to clear, with the result that Hancock headed towards goal, and Andrews flashed the ball into the net amid tumultous cheering.

GARSIDE'S EQUALISER
Exeter at once forced a corner, the ball going wide, and the home team again took up the running. The game had now become very exciting, and Reading were playing in a winning vein. McCulloch had one drive smartly saved by Whittaker, and later on shot wide.
With twenty minutes to go Exeter appealed for hands in the penalty area without success, and play was quickly back at the Exeter end, but after Whittaker had saved brilliantly from McCulloch Hughes ran right through and passed to Garside, who equalised. Following their goal Exeter forced a couple of corners, thanks primarily to Parnell's speed. Reading packed their goal and cleared, and again staved off further danger from a free kick.
Watson was badly fouled when threading his way through, and later on Hughes was put through by Bell and sent in a hefty drive which the goalkeeper turned over the bar. The City were now doing nearly all the attacking, and Watson shot over the bar from 30 yards, and a centre from Parnell was headed wide by Garside.
Reading made a last effort to win the match, but Jones got the ball when it was meant for Jordan, and in a raid down the middle McCulloch was halted for offside.
Final:- Reading 1, Exeter City 1.

THE REPLAY

The replay will take place at Exeter on Wednesday. There were some anxious moments after Reading scored their goal, and Whittaker saved Exeter with two brilliant clearances. Then came the effort of Hughes and Garside which resulted in the winger scoring, and after that it was plain sailing. The first half was tame, but in the second half there was plenty of excitement. Exeter played well enough to have won, but the Reading defence was very sound.

CITY RESERVES v 107th R.G.A.
Friendly
 

Exeter City Reserves met the Royal Garrison Artillery at St.James's Park in a friendly match. The weather was mild, with bright sunshine, although the ground was soft after recent rainfalls. The attendance numbered 2,000.
Reserves:- Wells; Coates, White; Bassett, Griffiths, Pym; Whittaker, Smith, Maxsted, Drew, and Cooke.
Royal Garrison:- Myers; Ferris, Reilly; Mansfield, Waller, Kelly; Parsons, Jackman, Lenthall, Collyer, and Dillow.

The R.G.A. kicked off against the sun, and after a few exchanges Griffiths set the home forwards going. After 10 minutes the Reserves forced a corner on the left from which Smith obtained the ball, and passed to Maxsted, who scored with a header. The City continued to press, but Maxsted, then Drew, put their shots over the bar. Smith scored twice for the Reserves, the second one from Cooke's pass. In the second half Smith and Maxsted scored further goals, but three penalty kicks, two by Exeter and one by R.G.A., were missed.

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