Saturday, 17th August 1968
Football League
Exeter City 3-0 Chesterfield 

In one of the most exciting displays given by an Exeter City side for some time at St. James Park the new-look team, which in cluded five close season signings, convincingly beat a more than useful Chesterfield combination 3-0 and might well have doubled that score.

It was a real treat to see the City attacking throughout with such craft and enthusi asm, and the first goal after 16 minutes was the result of one of the smoothest movements seen at Exeter in recent years. Balson, Banks and Bullock combined before our new centre-forward tapped the ball home. City always looked the superior attackers although Chesterfield were never outplayed. Indeed, we had a couple of narrow escapes before David Pleat hit our second goal in the 33rd minute. Chesterfield came more into the game after the interval, although it was City who scored again after 10 minutes through Jimmy Blain. a goal made by Alan Banks, but City came back as strong as ever in the later stages and ran out worthy winners.

Exeter
Shearing; Smyth. Balson; Kirkham, Harvey, Newman; Blain, Banks, Bullock, Mitten, Pleat. Sub., Crawford.

Chesterfield 
Humphreys; Holmes, Lumsden; Hughes, Phelan, Kettleborough; Hollett, Randall, Curry, Pugh, Martin,
Scorers: Exeter Blain, Bullock, Pleat, Attendance: 7,241.

Exeter City have got away to a first class start to the season and what a big imporvement to only a few monts ago. City  have laid a firm foundation on which to build on in the weeks ahead. They have taken three points from their opening two matches and are now lying fourth in the table. This side has more experience, more ability, more purpose, and more effort, which is essential to go with it. 

Match Report 


SATURDAY 17th AUGUST 1968.

A FIRST CLASS START.

EXETER CITY 3
Shearing; Smyth, Balson; Kirkham, Harvey, Newman; Blain, Banks, Bullock, Mitten, Pleat,

CHESTERFIELD 0
Humphreys ; Holmes, Lumsden; Hughes, Phelan, Kettleborough; Hollett, Randall, Curry, Pugh, Martin,

Scorers:
Exeter :Blain, Bullock, Pleat,

Attendance: 7,241.

Exeter City have got away to a first class start to the season and what a big imporvement to only a few monts ago, City have laid a firm foundation on which to build on in the weeks ahead. They have taken three points from their opening two matches and are now lying fourth in the table. This side has more experience, more ability, more purpose, and more effort, which is essential to go with it, The result must be satifying to City knowing that Chesterfield were not all that a bad side, It could have been a higher scoring game and Exeter could well have had more goals. Even so it was a good entertaining match and City efficiently achieved their task, Not that it was all one way traffas for the entire 90 minutes, although Exeter had more of the play. Chesterfield could have scored on two or three occasions, Mike Blason cleared off the line, Hollett hit the post in the closing minutes, Curry, had a goal disallowed for offside, and Peter Shearing brought off two fine saves. But it was Exeter's night, Both John Mitten and Alan Banks hit the post and several efforts were only inches off, It was a fine all round perfomance by City and they were a combination who played the kind of aggressive soccer that had to bring results.