Wednesday, December 28th 1910.
Southern League.
NORTHAMPTON TOWN v EXETER CITY

Grecians' Progress Checked

Six thousand spectators assembled at the County Cricket Ground, Northampton, including the Mayor, at whose suggestion collection a was made for the Colliery Disaster Fund.
The recent rain and frost had left the ground in a heavy and treacherous condition.
Teams:
NORTHAMPTON:
Thorpe
Brittan Clipstone
Manning Lloyd-Davies Hampson
Walden Bradshaw Whittaker (F) Severn Freeman
Referee:- Mr J. R.Schumaker, of London.

Garside Bell Hughes James Whittaker (E)
Prideaux Pratt Bassett
Jones Coates
Whittaker (W)
EXETER CITY:

The City showed up well at the start, and Brittan only repulsed Garside and Bell with difficulty. Whittaker (F) and Bradshaw made two good attempts, Whittaker (W) saving each time, then Lloyd-Davies was beaten by the Exeter left wing but the ball went into touch. A good movement by Severn and F. Whittaker led up to Freeman hitting the side of the net. The Cobblers forwards kept up the attack, but found it difficult to get past Jones and Coates, who were in splendid form. Exeter at length broke away, and Brittan had to concede a corner to clear from James. Northampton persistently fed their right wing, but almost invariably Jones was too clever for the famous Walden. Exeter for ten minutes kept the Cobblers' defence busy, Thorpe saving in turn from Bassett, Bell, and Garside. When Northampton attacked Manning made some nice openings, but on the rare occasions that Exeter's backs were beaten Walt Whittaker was fully equal to his task. The City, however, were having quite as much of the game as Northampton, and a beautiful centre by E.Whittaker was headed away by Brittan, then Hughes and Garside both put shots over the bar. At the interval there was no score.

SECOND HALF
The Cobblers attacked strongly on resuming, and four minutes from the restart Walden gave a perfect pass to F.Whittaker, who in turn sent Severn through to score with a low shot from 18 yards range. Jones got in the way of a hot shot from Northampton's Whittaker, and Walden tested the Exeter goalkeeper. Severn collided with Jones and injured his shoulder, but quickly resumed. The Exeter left wing was seen to advantage, and Bell forced a corner, which was kicked clear by Lloyd-Davies. The Cobblers now played up strongly, and the City were having less of the game beyond two or three flag kicks.

Pratt Carried Off and Northampton Score
Freeman made a fine run, and brought Whittaker to his knees with a great drive, the goalkeeper having also to clear a high dropping shot from Manning. A free kick against the Cobblers temporarily relieved the pressure, but Pratt was badly injured in a skirmish round the Exeter goal and had to be carried off the field. Whittaker again saved from Severn, who was receiving some nice passes from Walden, and 35 minutes after the restart Bradshaw was put clean through in the centre, and succeeded in netting the Cobblers' second goal. In the closing stages the Grecians made a creditable effort to reduce Northampton's lead, but the home defence proved sound.
Final: Northampton 2 Exeter City 0.

Last season: Northampton 0 City 0.
In 1908-09:  Northampton 0 City 0.

The game was by no means a great one, and the players of both teams showed evidence of the effects of the heavy Christmas programme. On the whole Northampton deserved to win, though in the first half Exeter were fully their equals. Northampton's defence was their best feature, Lloyd-Davies and Manning were excellent half backs and Walden, once he had discovered how to beat Jones, a tricky forward. Exeter City on this occasion were a team of individuals rather than an effective combination; and forwards. The City thus met with defeat for the first time since the although Bell was brilliant at times he did little to help his other end of November, when Portsmouth won at St. James's Park.

Friendly 
Exmouth v City Reseves 

Exeter City Reserves played a match at Exmouth, where they beat the United by four goals to nothing.