Saturday, March 11th 1911.

SOUTHERN LEAGUE:

CITY v RANGERS

Keen Game at St. James's Park
Queen's Park Rangers were the visitors at Exeter today, and their eleven included Bill Wake, the old City and Plymouth half-back. Although Watson was still unfit, the Grecians were very nearly at full strength, Bell and Garside returning to the left wing.
CITY
Whittaker
Evans Coates
Bassett Pratt Prideaux
Parnell James Smith Bell Garside

Referee: Mr W.E.Russell, of Swindon.

Barnes Browning McKie Steer Whyman Wake Mitchell Butterworth
Fidler Macdonald
Shaw
RANGERS

The afternoon was fine but overcast. There was a slight breeze, but after the recent rain the turf was naturally heavy and likely to cut up as the game progressed. The crowd was not more than about 4,000 when the Rangers appeared, closely followed by the Exeter men. Whittaker won the toss and elected to play from the St.James's Road end. James ended the first attack by shooting wide, and the ball went in touch three times in quick succession on the half-way line. Bassett checked the Rangers, but a corner resulted. This was badly placed by Barnes, but the City were unable to get the ball clear until Pratt did So with a hefty kick. Garside was pulled up for offside after clever play by Bell, and from a free-kick for hands against Evans the Rangers put the ball behind. The Rangers forwards were playing lively football, and when Whyman opened the scoring for them after 20 minutes things looked ominous for effected a fine save from McKie, smothering the ball in the very nick Exeter. The visitors were in fact repeatedly dangerous, and Whittaker of time. Mitchell rushed across and stopped Garside in questionable manner, being spoken to by the referee in consequence. The free-kick was cleared by Mitchell himself, and following a breast-high save by Whittaker, Bell broke through from Garside's pass and tested Shaw with one of his "patent specials". The Rangers then got a corner from which Mitchell shot wide, and Whittaker saved again, this time a powerful header from McKie. From his clearance Parnell raced off, and won a corner, which came to nought. This made about the ninth corner of the game so far, and every one had failed. The Rangers passing was very smart, and the City defence was going through a severe grilling. Exeter's passing was not very accurate.
Half-time:
Rangers 1 goal, Exeter City nil.

The Rangers were first to attack, but Exeter retaliated, and Smith spoiled two likely looking chances through being too slow. Parnell, however, secured possession two minutes after the restart and dropped across a lofty volley into the goalmouth. Shaw failed to hold it, and Bell ran in and dribbled the ball into the net.

A Rare Stimulant:
The left wing of the Grecians was subsequently prominent, and the equaliser had proved a rare stimulant. Nevertheless the Rangers still meant business, and McKie flashed a shot just over the bar. Pratt intercepted a pass from Wake, the old City man, and roused the crowd by going through all on his own, but only to shoot wide.
Hesitancy
Steer got away for the visitors, and a fatal bit of hesitancy on the part of the home defence cost them another goal. Coates and Evans waited for each other to tackle the Rangers man, with the result that he had ample time to slip a pass across to McKie, who scored with a rasping cross drive into the net, far out of Whittaker's reach. Parnell forced a corner, from which Shaw cleverly punched the ball out, and at the other end, after Whittaker had similarly dealt with a drive from Steer, Browning skied yards over the bar when only three yards from goal. A flagrant case of hands by the visitors was allowed to go unseen by the referee, much to the crowd's resentment. Just afterwards the ball was whipped across by Parnell, and Smith, jumping at it, shot directly towards goal. Fidler raced back and breasted the ball behind for a corner, which like its many predecessors, was cleared. Hands was given against the Rangers, but only after he had gone across to consult a linesman, and then not as the crowd wanted, form, for according to their idea the offence had occurred in the penalty area. A free kick was given instead, and this was wasted by Bassett and Parnell between them. The Rangers were intent on holding on to their hard earned lead, but Smith and James nearly bundled the leather in at the other end. Two minutes later, and five minutes before the end of the match Smith headed the ball out to Parnell, who slung across a centre to the left, and Bell, racing in at top speed, scored as pretty a goal as ever could be wished for. With both sides now desperately trying to get the winning goal in the few minutes remaining, play waxed fast and furious. James tried his luck from nearly 30 yards out, and Shaw saved from Garside after Macdonald had failed to intercept Bell's pass. Free kicks were frequent, and Parnell was brought down after he had beaten Wake.
Final:
CITY 2-2 RANGERS

Last season: City 0 Rangers 0.
In 1908-09: City 1 Rangers 0.

NOTES ON THE GAME

A splendid rally by Exeter City in the last five minutes resulted in their sharing the points. Prior to this their display had been the reverse of convincing, and at one stage the Rangers looked like easy winners. The City rearranged their attack in the second half, Smith going to inside right and James centre-forward. This proved successful, for within a short time Smith gave Parnell a nice pass, and from Parnell's centre Bell scored. The Rangers, however, were always dangerous when on the move, and hesitancy on the part of the City defence allowed Greer to go through unattended and pass to McKie, who regained the lead. From that point until the end Exeter were the superior side, but the Rangers defended stubbornly. The game throughout was interesting, in fact the best one seen at St James's Park for some time, but all the excitement was crammed into the last five minutes, following Bell's equalising goal.

Plymouth and District League TORQUAY TOWN V CITY RESERVES.

A Plymouth and District League match was played at Plainmoor this afternoon. Torquay were without Dean, who was playing for Devon v. Hampshire in the Championship match at Home Park, Plymouth.

The ground was in good condition, and about six hundred spectators lined the ropes. In the first half a feature of the game was the fine defence of the Torquay team, and the skilful forward play of Crad Evans. The scoring was opened by Meager, of Torquay, from a penalty. A foul against Exeter, in which Simmonds was injured, followed this, and when Pridham was penalised for handling Exeter took up the attack. Following a long clearance by Cudlipp, Reed ran through and passed to Pridham, who scored Torquay's second goal. The City Reserves fell further behind soon after the interval when Frank Evans scored from Reed's headed pass. Singlehurst, the former Grecian, was injured and left the field, but resumed after a lengthy absence. Kent scored for the Reserves after a fine bout of passing by the forwards, and in the last few minutes Duffy dribbled right through the Torquay defence, beating about half a dozen opponents, and scored Exeter's second.
Final:
Torquay Town 3 Exeter Reserves 2.

Wednesday, March 15th 1911.
FRIENDLY:  
ARGYLE V CITY
The Devonshire rivals met at Home Park in a friendly match, this fourth encounter between the clubs this season, each having won once and the other being drawn. Exeter had a very weak side out, eight of the chief team being absent, whereas the Argyle fielded practically their Southern League team. The weather was showery, and a cold wind blew from goal to goal. Less than a thousand people turned up, and it was evident that the public are not lovers of Wednesday afternoon friendlies, especially when the teams include a sprinkling of reserves.
Plymouth Argyle won by eight goals to three, six of their goals being scored in the second-half. The margin in no way exaggerates Plymouth's superiority apart from the fact that Wells was a poor substitute for Walter Whittaker.

ARGYLE:- Horne; Rounsfull, Atterbury; McCormick, Wilcox, Baker; Burch, Raymond, Walker, Dixon, and Holden. CITY:- Wells; Evans, Coates; Bassett, Griffiths, Prideaux; Whittaker, James, Smith, Cooke, and Kent.

Scorers for Plymouth:- Walker (3), Dixon (2), McCormick, Raymond, and
Burch.
For Exeter:- Whittaker (2) and Kent.