Saturday, December 31st 1910. Southern League.
BRENTFORD v CITY

Exeter's Third Consecutive Away Match: WATSON REAPPEARS

Exeter City today played their fifth Southern League match within eight days and their fourth away from home, so that their fixture at Brentford was the tail-end of what has been a very busy holiday week. Such a good impression had Exeter's recent run of success created in London that the Brentford management were looking forward with every confidence to a "gate" well approaching the crowd of 13,770 which attended the ground on Tuesday, 360 then being taken. Northampton were the visitors on that occasion, the match being drawn. Before to day's match Brentford were sixth in the League and Exeter tenth.
Watson, now fit, reappeared in the City team at inside-right, but Garside, who reported himself laid up with a chill, was substituted by Cooke, this being the Sheffield man's second League match.
BRENTFORD
Ling
Rhodes Buxton
Richards Hamilton Badger
Ryalls Bartlett Reid Sibbald Anderson

Referee: Mr W.E. Grant, of Portsmouth.

Cooke Bell Hughes Watson Whittaker (E)
Prideaux Pratt Bassett
Jones Evans
Whittaker (W)
CITY:

Brentford made a last minute alteration, Badger appearing for Kennedy, who has wrenched his knee. A fog prevailed in London this morning, and there was a nasty mist about at two o'clock, when the Exeter City side arrived at Brentford. The attendance, no doubt on account of the fog, was little more than 5,000 at the kick-off. Rhodes won the toss but there was little advantage to be gained. 
The City opened well, swinging the ball about, but Cooke passed to an opponent and Reid got away. He passed to Ryalls, who was beaten by Prideaux. Exeter returned to the attack, and with Buxton failing to clear Watson put across a long, swinging pass to Cooke, who beat the ball down with his hand. With the aid of the resultant free kick Brentford got away, Ryalls again being dispossessed by Prideaux.
Hamilton shot weakly behind from twelve yards out, then Hughes got away. In his final stride, with Rhodes on him, he sent the ball out to E. Whittaker, who raced in towards goal and shot inches wide. In Exeter's next attack Whittaker sent across a beautiful centre, Bell dashed in to meet the ball and headed a perfect goal, the game
having been in progress for eight minutes.

City Under Pressure
Cooke sent tamely behind from a good pass by Bell, and from a centre by Whittaker Bell headed wide. An anxious moment followed when Evans failed to clear effectively, but Jones and Pratt came to his rescue, and Reid could do no better than run the ball behind. Twice. Jones cleared with the City defence under severe pressure, and the goalkeeping Whittaker had to make a smart save from Anderson. The "Bees" were awarded a free kick near the touch-line, but Jones headed the ball away, and Badger had his subsequent shot charged down by Hughes, who put Exeter on the attack, but only momentarily. Bartlett was fouled by Pratt, but Hamilton's free kick was yards wide. Rhodes cleared from a dash by the City forwards, Ling saved a rather tame shot by Hughes, and Bell got pulled up for offside.

Brentford Score
Sibbald dribbled close in and seemed a certain scorer when Jones nipped in and took the ball from him at the last moment. Brentford. were playing very good combined football, and Bartlett shot narrowly wide after beating Pratt. Hands was given against Prideaux close in, and after Bell had partially cleared Rhodes rushed up and shot wildly over the bar. Then, amid tremendous cheering, Reid got his head to the ball from a centre by Anderson, and twisted it into the net far out of Whittaker's reach. Cooke forced an abortive corner, and excitement now ran high. The City attacked with vigour, but Rhodes drove them back, and Anderson put in a "grounder" which missed the goal, and Whittaker saved a header by Reid from a centre by Ryalls.
Half-time:
Brentford 1, Exeter City 1.

The Bees had improved greatly towards the interval, and began the second half in the same way. Their forwards went down in a line, and Bartlett forced a corner. In the melee which followed Badger headed towards Whittaker, and Reid touched the ball into the net no less than a minute from the restart. Brentford attacked again, and Evans cleared with a high kick. Five minutes later Brentford got off again, and although the flag was raised by the linesman for offside the referee allowed play to proceed. Bartlett received the ball and swept across a ground centre to which Whittaker flung himself out. The ball beat him, however, and Reid simply walked it into the net for No.3. Nothing daunted, Exeter returned to the attack, and Ling was tested by Bell and Watson. Brentford eased up for a while, but Reid finally burst through on his own and nearly scored again, the ball sailing just over the crossbar. Sibbald was fouled when going through, but Bartlett shot behind from the free kick. Darkness was now creeping in, and Jones headed out from beneath Exeter's crossbar. The game was still fast, and Exeter kept pegging away without ever looking like reducing their loss. Enos Whittaker beat Buxton, and all but scored, and Ling saved well from Hughes.
BRENTFORD 3-1 EXETER CITY

Last season: Brentford 3 Exeter City 0. In 1908-09: Exeter City 2 Brentford 0.

Brentford deserved to win, and the City had plainly not recovered from their holiday work. They opened splendidly and opened the scor ing, through Bell. Brentford, however, settled down near half time, and Exeter's defence wavered for a spell. They ceased to bustle as they had done at first, and the Bees attacked with great vigour.
Reid, who scored all Brentford's goals, gave a good demonstration of centre-forward play, and his heading and shooting were of the deadliest nature. In the latter period the City half-backs were ran off their legs, and neither Evans or Jones was too safe when under pressure. Hughes opened the game out splendidly, and with Bell, on his left, making fine openings he gave the home defence a lot of work to do. Garside was missed at outside left, where Cooke was too slow and seemed nervous.

CITY RESERVES V GREEN WAVES. Plymouth and District League.

At St James's Park this afternoon, the City Reserves met Green Waves in a Plymouth League match. Prior to the match the Reserves were second in the table and their visitors eighth. The weather was fine, but misty, and a crowd of about 3,000 was present at the start.
Maxsted kicked off for the Reserves away from the St. James's end of the ground. The City at once forced a corner, but though the flag kick was placed well into the goalmouth, it was cleared, and Green Waves launched an attack, only to be halted by Griffiths.
Griffiths immediately afterwards beat Northey for possession, thus stopping a further attack from taking shape. The City came away again to the other end, and Pym was responsible for beating two men before passing to Griffiths, who fed Drew. The winger sent the ball over to Smith, who put Maxsted through in a good position for the soldier to find the net with an excellent shot. Drew then sent in a high dropping shot from the wing, which was well saved by Bourne. The Waves went off in a quick burst, and Hunter shot narrowly wide. The Grecians came back again, and from the right wing Martin centred perfectly. Maxsted headed the ball on to Drew, whose shot was a couple of yards wide. Following a brief attack by the Waves, the Reserves got off again for Martin to send in another perfect centre to Maxsted, who headed in a beautiful second goal. Just before half-time the Green Waves goalkeeper saved in succession from Maxsted, James, and Smith.
Interval:
City Reserves 2, Green Waves 0.

A thick mist was descending over the ground as the teams took the field for the second half. Each side attacked in turn, and Maxsted shot narrowly wide. James then sent in a thunderous drive, which Bourne saved brilliantly. The Citizens kept up the pressure, ending with a long shot from Griffiths scraping the crossbar. Smith then broke through and went almost the whole length of the field, beating several men in the process. Bourne beat out his shot, and Smith tried again, and this time the custodian conceded a corner. Exeter kept up the pressure, all the play being in the Green Waves' territory. At length Smith took a corner on the left from which James headed Exeter's third goal. A minute before time, with the light failing badly, Hunter sent a long shot into the corner of the net to reduce the visitors' deficit, and the match ended with Exeter victorious by three goals to one.

RESERVES:- Wells; Coates, White; Duffy, Griffiths, Pym; Martin, Smith, Maxsted, James, and Drew.
GREEN WAVES:- Bourne; Glazier, Wordley; Hayes, Harrison, Russell;
Northey, Vivian, Hunter, Glinn, and Tredigo.