FRIDAY 11th OCTOBER 1968.

CITY ARE BOWLED OVER IN GOAL BLITZ.

SOUTHEND UNITED 6: EXETER CITY 1,

City Team 
Shearing; Smyth, Blain; Kirkham, Harvey, Balson; Corr, Banks, Bullock, Mitten, Pleat,

Scorers:
Southend Best 3 Hamilton 2 Clayton,
Exeter Banks,

Attendance: 9,913,

It still seems incredible, with fewer than 20 minutes to play, Exeter City must have thought they were in with a chance of a point, Twenty minutes later they must have been wondering what hit them Exeter two down at half time, pulled a goal back in the 70th minute, then Southend scored four times in Exinutes to absolutely overrun and stun the City. Clearly Exeter did not deserve such a beating after playing some excellent football,

After Kurila had hit the bar, Southend went into the lead after 32 minutes with a fine shot from Clayton, Then Hamilton increased their tally two minutes later from the penalty spot after Mike Balson was harshly, judged to have brought down Best. This was the score at half time, then in the 70th minute, leading goalscorer Alan Banks put Exeter back in the game with his 10th goal of the season, Four minute slater the goal blitz began, Best scored a hat trick and Hamilton scored again from the penalty spot to complete a miserable time for City. City late shot from John Corr rebounded off the bar, but then Southend also missed several opportunities despite scoring six times.

Match Summary 

Southend scored four goals in the last 20 minutes to provide one of the most astonishing results of the season. After wards, former England international, Neil Franklin, one of the neutral spectators at this game, said that he could not understand how a side could play as well as Exeter City had done yet lose 6-1.

Mr. Broome gave part of the answer in drawing attention to the fact that Southend were awarded two penalties and there was another goal which appeared to be offside.
City were two goals down at half time, but Alan Banks reduced the arrears by scoring in the 70th minute. It looked then as if we were in with a chance of snatching a point, but four minutes later Southend scored again and went on to run up the biggest score against the City since Hull beat us 6-1 in April 1966.