Saturday, January 21st 1911.
SOUTHERN LEAGUE.
WATFORD v EXETER CITY

Miserable weather prevailed for Exeter City's visit to Watford this afternoon, and the ground was in a sodden state. After being led by two clear goals at the interval Watford finished up very strongly, and shared the points. The Hertfordshire club tried a new forward, Smith coming into the team at inside-left, and McArdle displacing Tattersall on the right wing. Exeter fielded the team which lost at Burnley in the cup-tie.

WATFORD
Webster
Lockett Stewart
Davies Grieve White
McArdle Kelly Maclaine Smith Squire. 
Referee:- Mr A.T.Randle, of Coventry.
Garside Bell Hughes Watson Whittaker
Prideaux Pratt Bassett
Jones Evans
Whittaker (W)
CITY

After a few passes in midfield Watford's left wing broke away, but Evans neatly checked Squires, and the City began to attack. They in turn were repulsed and some lively midfield play ensued. Kelly was ruled offside when in a perfect scoring position. It was evident that despite the state of the ground a very keen game was going to be seen. Prideaux forced his way through on the left wing but McArdle got the ball away from him and passed to Maclaine, who dashed up the wing and centred. Smith tried to force it into the net, and there was a thrilling scene in the Exeter goalmouth. Whittaker cleared skilfully and then Exeter scored a perfect goal. Garside beat Davies and sent over a beautiful centre, Bell passed forward to E. Whittaker, and the winger netted with a fast oblique drive. Quite a feature of the play after this was the fine kicking of the City backs, Evans and Jones, and the brilliant defensive work of the halves. Watford's forwards could make absolutely no progress, losing the ball continually to Pratt and company. Hughes once got into a splendid scoring position for Exeter, but was ruled offside. Then Squires made an attempt to pierce the visiting defence but was robbed by Bassett. Apart from one or two isolated raids Exeter were generally the faster and better side, and just before half-time Bell received from Garside, and put in a great drive which Webster turned round the post for a corner. From the flag kick Hughes scored Exeter's second goal. Half-time:
Exeter City 2-0 Watford. 

SECOND HALF
Watford made drastic changes in the positions of their men in this half. Maclaine dropped back to centre-half and Smith took his place; Grieve transferred to left-half, and White came up to partner Squires on the left-wing. The change immediately proved successful, for no sooner had the whistle sounded than Watford attacked, Squires dropped the ball nicely into the goalmouth, where Kelly got his head to it and scored. Having reduced Exeter's lead by one half, Watford now attacked fiercely, and the City backs and halves had a most gruelling time. Midway through the second period Watford levelled the account. Squires beat Evans and centred for White to drive the ball against the inside of a post from whence it rebounded into the net. More bad luck came Exeter's way when Walt Whittaker had to retire. on account of a head injury, and Jones went in goal. Exeter's forwards swept up the field, and Bell missed very badly from the easiest of chances, right in front of the Watford goal.

Exeter's Wasted Chances:
Now that Kelly and White had scored, and the Hertfordshire brigade were able again to meet the City on equal terms, the game became more interesting. Exeter had several good chances but wasted them; Bell threw away one golden opportunity of scoring, and soon afterwards, when Garside centred perfectly, all three inside forwards were at fault. Watford were not now pressing very persistently, and when they did attack they found Jones in excellent form in his new position. Whittaker, who had been receiving first-aid behind the goal, now retired to the dressing room.

Goal by Hughes Disallowed
About ten minutes before the finish there was an exciting incident at the Watford end. Exeter were pressing, and there was a scrimmage in the goalmouth. Hughes rushed the ball into the net, and the home players swarmed round the referee, who seemed inclined to signal a goal. But after further protests by the Watford players, one of the linesmen was consulted, the goal was disallowed, and a free kick to Watford given instead. Walt Whittaker returned just before the close. There were no more goals, and the result was:
WATFORD 2-2 EXETER CITY

Last season: Exeter City 3 Watford 1. In 1908-09: Watford 3 Exeter City 1.

Notes on the game 
With the City two goals in front at the interval the issue looked as good as settled, but the shuffling of Watford's attack brought a considerable improvement, and a rousing restart saw Squires flash over a centre which Kelly headed through. Squires was also concerned in the second goal, putting the ball across for White to hook it into the Exeter net via the goalpost. Evans and Pratt were outstanding in the Exeter defence, Garside and Enos Whittaker used their pace to the best advantage on the wings, but Hughes was not a very successful centre. Bell worked hard but missed two very easy chances in the second half.

CITY RESERVES V SOUTH STAFFORDS.
FRIENDLY 
Exeter City Reserves were engaged today at St. James's Park in a "friendly" against the South Staffords, who were last year members of the Plymouth and District League. This season, however, they did not enter, being due to leave for Gibraltar next month. They are one of the best Regimental sides to have been at Raglan Barracks for some time, and last season won both the Plymouth and District League and the Devon Senior Cup.

RESERVES:- Wells; Coates, White; Duffy, Martin, Pym; Cooke, Marks, James, Chenneour, and Griffiths.
SOUTH STAFFS:- Beeby; Powell, Jobber; Eccleston, Wright, Maddock; Millichip, Simmons, Randle, Boswell, and Osborne.

White lost the toss, and after an attack led by James and Marks, the Staffords reversed the trend of play, and Wright tested Wells with a shot from 30 yards out. Cooke got through but sent behind, James then being pulled up for offside. After 25 minutes James opened the scoring from Chenneour's pass, and Chenneour scored Exeter's second goal five minutes before the interval following a mix-up between the Staffordshires goalkeeper and backs.
Boswell reduced the lead early in the second half, but the City then took control of the proceedings, and James, Cooke, and Chenneour scored for the Reserves. In the last five minutes Boswell scored for the soldiers and Chenneour for the Reserves. Although the Staffords scored two goals in the second half, there was really only one team in it, and towards the end it became merely a question of how many the City would score. The going was very heavy and cut up very badly, but it was quite a good game, and the South Staffords never stopped trying. Towards the end a mist settled over the ground, and play was difficult to follow. Result:-
City Reserves 6,
South Staffordshire Regiment 2.

• CITY v ARGYLE: NEXT WEEK'S MATCH.
  
  Practically the whole of the spectators, some 2000, stayed behind for the meeting which discussed the question of double prices for the Argyle match next week. Mr. McGahey, Chairman of the Club, stated the Directors' case, remarking that the Board left the matter entirely with the public who supported Exeter City. Eventually a nearly unanimous vote decided in favour of tickets being printed and on sale before the match, and all without tickets to pay double prices. This follows the method that was previously used on the occasion of a visit by Plymouth Argyle.