MONDAY 24th MARCH 1969.

PARKER BLOW AS CITY CRUSH THE QUAKERS.

EXETER CITY 2-0 DARLINGTON

Exeter Team 
Shearing; Smyth, Blain; Parker (Mitten), Newman, Balson; Pleat, Binney, Wingate, Curtis, Whatling,

Scorers: Exeter; Pleat, Curtis,

Attendance: 4,989.

Although Exeter City beat Darlington they did so at a cost. For Graham Parker was helped from the field with a badly gashed knee after a terrible tackle by Darlington centre forward Robson who did not even receive a too. The incident happened after 9 minutes, but City went onto complete the double over their visitors and made it 9 points from the last 5 games. Everyone in the City side worked hard for a deserved victory, Darlington were a big strong hard side, They ran hard and forcefully, but the City defence was able to combat their attacks, Twice they did break through and twice Peter Shearing had to dash from his line to hack the ball away, In the closing 20 minutes City could have added to their goals total, John Wingate had a header cleared off the line and then hit a post, City took the lead in the 14th minute, Jimmy Blain swung a long free kick to the far post and Fred Binney nodded the ball into the middle for Dave Pleat to hammer home the ball from close range. The second came after 55 minutes. It followed a Keith Whatling corner, Dermot Curtis chested the ball down and scored with a good shot. It was not one sided by any means but Darlington's threatening moves rarely came to anything.


Match Summary 

This was not the best game seen at St. James Park this season but it was one of our best wins. There is no doubt that the speed and determination with which we set about the opposition at the start shook them off their game, and a usually steady rearguard was given plenty to think about. Darlington could not have expected such treatment from a side placed so near the foot of the table.
Fred Binney was prominent once again and it was he who set up the first goal which was netted by David Pleat after 14 minutes.
Darlington took a long time to get to grips with the situation, and when they did eventually get into their stride their finishing was so poor that they seldom bothered Peter Shearing. After a shaky spell immediately be fore the interval we got cracking again after the restart, and during a spell when we were really on top and putting the highly respected Darlington rearguard in a turmoil, Dermot Curtis showed all his old skill in skilfully steering a shot out of their goalkeeper's reach for our second goal.

THE LONG WALK A CHALLENGE.

Exeter City Supporters Club are organising a sponsored long walk covering Exeter and the surrounding district. The approx distance is 15 miles, starting and finishing at St James' Park on Sunday 18th May, The walk will commence at 10am. They have thrown open a challenge to any supporter or group of supporters to take part in the event and arrange sponsorship for the benfit of Exeter City Football Club.

TUESDAY 25th MARCH 1969.

PROSPECTS ARE GLOOMY.

The gloom is really gathering over St James' ParkThe City are almost certainly heading for their eighth re-election application, With 14 games to play, at least 13 points will be needed to avoid finishing in the last four, Unless City quickly accept a more direct attacking style, instead of the short square passing game, then an average of a point a game will be a miracle,

FRIDAY 28th MARCH 1969.

THE TOAST OF EXETER.

Considering Torquay United's need for another striker, it is surprising why they have not persevered with Fred Binney, the player who is now the toast of Exeter City. The 22 year old Plymouth born player first joined Torquay as an amateur in March 1966, turning professional some 8 months later, In between then and his transfer to City last month he made only 5 League appearances, yet in Western League games this season for Torquay he has scored 14 goals in 16 appearances, One cannot recall an Exeter City forward to equal Fred Binney for sheer persistence since the days of Archie Smith, and before him 'Digger' Ebdon. While persistence is no substitute for sheer skill it is something that maybe even the majority of forwards are lacking. Not that Binney lacks skill, but it is his determination to chase every opportunity and his eagerness to work for the full 90 minutes that has endeared him to the hearts of the Exeter City supporters.

Binney scored 4 goals in his first 5 games for Exeter and has really gone a long way towards compensating for the absence of leading goalscorer Alan Banks who has not appeared in City's Football League side for nearly five months.