Saturday, September 9th, 1967.

Football League :
Port Vale (Home), 3-1.

SATURDAY 9th SEPTEMBER 1967.

EXETER CITY 3,
Smout; Smyth, Crawford; Blain, Harvey, Huxford; Hart, StuckeyBalson, Fudge, Whatling,

PORT VALE 1,
Sharratt, Logan, Sproson; Wilson, Poole, Boulton; James, McClelland, Chapman, Hill, Cullerton,

Scorers:
Exeter Stuckey, Fudge, Whatling,
Port Vale : Hill,

Attendance: 3,722

This was Exeter City's first League win of the season and the most ironical part of it was manager Frank Broome missed the game, he was away scouting for forwards, City winger Burce Stuckey scored one of his typical goals from 20 yards in the 35th minute to point Exeter on the way, City made absolutely sure of victory midway through the second half when they scored twice in the space of 5 minutes. The first came in the 67th minute after one of the best moves of the match ended with Keith Whatling hitting a cross shot past the Vale keeper, Five minutes later came City's third goal when Micky Fudge scored with a lofted shot, Stuckey almost got a fourth but his shot hit the bar. The Exeter attack improved as the game went on against a bigger and more powerful Vale side, In defence City looked sound and confident with Keith Harvey, Jimmy Blain, and Cliff Huxford outstanding, Vale were too slow in the Exeter penalty area, but they got a consolation goal in the last 5 minutes through Hill, Only in the final 10 minutes did Vale trouble a solid looking City defence. So Exeter won their third point of the week and moved away from the bottom of the Fourth Division,

Match Summary 
This was more like it! City played some of their liveliest football of the season in the second half of this game and earned their first win. Even allow ing for the fact that Port Vale were a poor side City deserved praise because they showed so much more dash and determination than they had done in some previous games. Bruce Stuckey was in his best form and after a quiet start he put us ahead in the 35th minute. Keith Whatling and Micky Fudge each scored after the interval and this was the first time in 21 League and Cup games that the City had netted as many as three goals!


LACK OF SUPPORT MAKES THINGS DIFFICULT.

A number of possible transfer deals have been held up or dismissed altogether, because the City simply cannot afford the luxury of paying out big transfer fees. Exeter, are not the only club suffering through lack of funds in these hard times of P.A.Y,E, and the like. It is because of this that many managers are becoming more ruthless than ever in pushing up fees when selling players and cutting them down when offering to buy, City's most loyal supporters who have stuck with the club in these past few weeks when the attendances have shown an alarming drop will appreciate that it is taking a lot of bargaining skill to bring better players to St JamesPark while the club has not the kind of support which will enable them to pay substantial fees.

MONDAY 11th SEPTEMBER 1967.

MANSFIELD PAIR IMPRESSES FRANK BROOME.

Exeter City manager Frank Broome was not at St James' Park on Saturday to see his first win of the season, but he was watching the Bristol Rovers versus Mansfield Town match, and in particular two Mansfield players, Stuart Brace and John Rowlands. He was impressed with both and is to try and find out how much Mansfield want for the two of them. If the price is right Broome said that City could make a signing this week.