WEDNESDAY 12th MARCH 1969.

CITY VICTORY IN ATROCIOUS CONDITIONS.

EXETER CITY 2
Shearing; Smyth, Blain; Parker, Sharples, Newman; Pleat, Binney, Wingate, Kirkham, Mitten,

NEWPORT COUNTY 0.
Weare; Smith, King; J. Jones, McLaughlin, Rowlands; Hooper, Hill, McClelland, BJones, Wookey,

Scorers:
Exeter Binney 2,

Attendance: 3,264,

This will be a night that will be remembered as much for the atrocious conditions as for City's victory over Newport County, There was surface water on most of the pitch and players slipped and slithered their way through the spray. It meant that quality soccer was out as consitions became worse and worse as the game wore on, Despite this it was quite an entertaining game. Both sides worked hard in the terrible conditions. Both City goals were scored by the tireless and industrious Fred Binney, He struck first in the 17th and again just on half timeThe second goal came through sheer persistence in the deluge, It gave Exeter a good advantage, although Newport might also have scored twice in the first half, Indeed they did have a good goal disallowed because of offside, County in the second half faced a succession of corners and went close on a couple of occasions as they powered their way through the surface water, There were two or three anxious moments in the penalty area, but the City kept their goal intact and as the game reached it's closing stages could have themselves increased their lead

Match Report 

All the players got full marks for the amount of effort they put into this game played in atrocious conditions which made accurate football impossible, and although we were glad to win we could not help but feel sorry for Newport who were certainly not two goals inferior to Exeter. Our man of the match was Fred Bin ney who got both goals and might have completed his hat-trick but for a great save by Weare in the second half. Binney's first goal was a perfectly timed header and the second was a reward for his persistence in chasing every oppor tunity.

Team:- Shearing; Smyth, Blain; Parker, Sharples, Newman; Pleat, Binney, Wingate, Kirkham, Mitten.