MONDAY 24th FEBRUARY 1969.

DEBUT GOAL FOR BINNEY.

EXETER CITY 4,
Shearing; Smyth, Blain; Kirkhan, Sharples, Newman; Pleat, CrawfordBinney, Balson, Mitten,

BRADFORD PARK AVENUE 2
Lawson; Hudson, Singleton; Atkinson, Hopkins, Conley; Andrews, Charnley, Brown, Clancy, Brannan,

Scorers:
Exeter Crawford, Kirkham, Binney, Mitten Bradford Clancy, Charnley,

Attendance; 3,765

Exeter City played their first game at St James Park for 71 days and celebrated in style with a fine win over Bradford Park Avenue who were far from an impressive side, Exeter combined spirit and detraination to break down the defence, They virtually controlled the sidfield and they played the sort of football that was bright enough to lighten even this evening of murky creeping fog. City's first goal came after 11 minutes, Jimmy Blain's cross being headed in by Campbell Crawford. Seven minutes later Crawford was the goalmaker, His centre found Dave Pleat who headed across to John Kirkham to volley first time into the net. In the second half Fred Binney scored a debut goal and John Mitten added another from the penalty spotBradford scored twice near the end when City were showing a little untidiness in defence, through Clancy from the penalty spot and Charnley with a close in shot. Binney had a really good debut. A decisive, persistent player, Binney not only marked his debut with a goal that was extremely well taken but he almost got another. Crawford also played well and Kirkhan kept up his recent scoring record with his fourth in four games.

Match Summary 

This was a game between the League's two bottom teams, but on the form shown here the City proved themselves to be so much the better side that they might well have been a dozen places higher than Bradford. Despite difficult conditions the City showed devastating form in the first 20 minutes during which time they scored two goals and might well have scored more so often did they tear the Bradford defence apart. Although we did not maintain the same standard of swift combined football for the remainder of the game we always had the beating of a poor Bradford side, and it was not until the last 10 minutes I when we were four goals ahead that we became so careless in defence that the visitors were able to score a couple of goals. Crawford, Kirkham, Binney, and Mitten (penalty) were our scorers, while Charnley and Clancy got Bradford's goals. This was Fred Binney's first appearance for the City.

TUESDAY 25th FEBRUARY 1969.

Former Exeter City inside forward Graham Bond has been appointed manager of Western League club Bideford.