Nuneaton Borough v Exeter City 

SATURDAY 9th DECMEBER 1967.
THE GOAL THAT NEVER WAS ?

F. A. CUP Round One.

NUNEATON BOROUGH 0
Crump; Jones, Hope; Watts, Aston, Hill; Ashe, Keeley, Richards, Cutler, Smith,
EXETER CITY 0,
Smout; Embery, Smyth; Blain, Newman, Huxford; Hart, Banks, Curtis, Crawford, Fudge.

Attendance: 12,359,

EXETER HOLD ON
10-minute fury shakes them
FROM:- THE SUNDAY EXPRESS LONDON DECEMBER 10 1967
Nuneaton 0 Exeter 0:
by HENRY BLOFELD

NON-LEAGUE Nuneaton, fighting desperately for the Cup glory that was theirs last year, hit Exeter with everything except the trainer's bucket in a last 10-minute onslaught for the goal which would take them into Round Two. But they didn't get it, and must fight again in a replay at Exeter on Wednesday. If they sustain the fervour of these last 10 minutes, they must be certainties to go into the bag again.The assault started when they swept upfield and Tony Richards's header found Mick Keeley-but he was off balance and could not get his shot in. Then, moments later. centre half Stan Aston
headed just over the bar. Back came Borough. Another Richards header was desperately cleared for a corner. Norman Ashe's kick came over and. with a mass of Exeter red shirts in the penalty area, Alan Jones jumped to the ball and watched his header slash inches wide. This last rally came after a long period of Exeter pressure when their cooler midfield football looked like bringing them victory. They were desperately unlucky in the 70th minute when inside left Campbell Crawford unleashed a fierce 25-yard drive which
caught 'keeper Fred Crump out of position. The ball hit the underside of the bar and bounced out to Mike Fudge, about five yards in front of goal, but he was slow getting to it and the Borough defence scrambled clear. But in the ice-bound conditions measured football was out of the question. The ball bounced unevenly and tight control was impossible in fact the players found it difficult even to stand up.
Minor miracle
Both sides did their best. but faced with two hard-tackling defences, the forwards never had time or room to control the ball before It was a minor miracle that the game was played at all. Nearly 100 people started sweeping six inches of snow off the ground at 7 a.m. and even so the surface was iron hard. The Borough went straight into the attack at the start. They forced three corners and almost scored in the 7th minute when Mick Keeley soared high to head.  Johnny Watt's chipped free kick over the bar. Exeter's best effort in this half came from a 25-yard drive from left-back Cecil Smyth. Then
towards the end of the half, Paul Cutler and Richards leading goal scorer in the Southern League Premier Division last
season with 63 goals missed chances for the Borough. Two minutes into the second half, all Nuneaton held their breath as Crump punched the ball away from Alan Banks's head. Banks was Exeter's cleverest forward, and he was now able to slow the game down and draw the Borough defence out of position. A glorious through ball from Banks put Crawford clear. but Crump came tearing 10 yards out of the penalty area and booted clear. From then on it was mostly Exeter until that final furious 10 assault. 

MONDAY 11th DECEMBER 1967.

REPLAY IS STILL ON.
Although there is six inches of snow covering St James' Park Exeter City's first round F.A,Cup replay against Nuneaton Borough is still onWith the weather forecast being a gradual thaw, City officials do not anticipate any trouble in staging Wednesday's match, Nearly 100 supporters from Nuneaton are flying to Exeter for the game for a return fare of £9,10s, a number are also travelling by road.

WEDNESDAY 13th DECEMBER 1967.
WILL IT BE THIRD TIME LUCKY?
Exeter City 0-0 Nuneaton Borough 

F. A. CUP First Round Replay.

EXETER CITY 0.
Smout; Embery, Smyth; Blain, Newman, Huxford; Rart (Balson), Banks, Curtis, Crawford, Fudge
NUNEATON BOROUGH 0
Crump; Jones, Hope; Watts, Aston, Hill; Ashe, Cutler, Richards, Allen, Smith,

Attendance: 6,909,

After 36 minutes City supporters went wild with delight when Jimmy Blain crashed home a tremendous 20 yard shot, but those cheers turned to jeers when referee Clive Thomas disallowed it, because of another player being offside, City should have won this replay, They had enough of the play, but they lacked bite and snap in the forward line, Nuneaton played well defensively, but City missed some chances as well, While the Exeter defence did not have a lot to do, the attack was disappointing Crump in the Nuneaton goal pulled off some fine saves from Alan Banks and Dermot Curtis, but generally the City forwards did not show much enterprise, Nuneaton played well in patches after taking a while to settle down, Had Blain's goal been allowed to stand, the non league side would have had to come out a lot more and it would have been a better game. The two sides have now played 210 minutes of soccer, including the extra time played in this game, and both have failed to score. Now Ashton Gate, Bristol, is the setting for a third game next Monday
evening. Could it be thrid time lucky for Exeter City against the Southern League side ?

18th December 1967
FA Cup 1st Round 2nd
Nuneaton Borough v Exeter City 
Played at Ashton Gate, Bristol

BANKS BOMB
Nuneaton braves dive to defeat

By JOHN DAVIES :
Nuneaton Borough 0 Exeter City 1

F.A. Cup-first round, second replay: At Ashton Gate

EXETER'S Alan Banks ended the three-match stalemate with Southern League Nuneaton last night when he headed the only goal of the tie eight minutes from time at Bristol City's ground. The goal earns Exeter a money-spinning second round tie at home to Third Division leaders Walsall. But it was a gallant fight by Nuneaton, who were roared on by two out of every three supporters in the 5,000 crowd. Nuneaton were greeted at the start with a crescendo of "Boro-Boro-Boro" from the Southern League side's fans. But it was Exeter who first set the pulses racing when Banks flashed a left-foot shot against the post after a slick move between right-winger Micky Fudge and Campbell Crawford. Ten minutes later Nuneaton created an equally creditable chance when centre forward Tony Richards beat Exeter 'keeper John Smout to a cross from Norman Ashe. But the ball skimmed just over the bar. Nuneaton's approach football was much more versatile. They attacked all the way and the only doubt seemed to be whether the part-timers could keep up the tremendous pace in the boggy, energy-sapping conditions. Another Richards header 10 minutes before half-time tested 'keeper Smout. Apart from the early miss by Banks, the only other chance made by Exeter in the first half finished with Nuneaton right back Alan Jones heading off the line.
Incredible
Corr, who scored two goals on his debut for Exeter last Saturday, was celebrating his 21st birthday. Nuneaton continued to play the more open football after the interval. Exeter skipper Johnny Newman and his defenders hardly dared to break from their deep defen sive formation. Centre forward Richards blasted another shot just high, and then came two incredible misses by Exeter. Banks was the culprit on both occasions. His first close range shot was beaten down by keeper Crump, and seconds later a low 20-yarder hit a post. But those boobs were all for given in the 81st minute as he went up high to score off Corr's centre.

NUNEATON, Crump; Jones, Hope, Watts, Aston, Hill, Ashe, Cutler, Richards, Allen, Smith. Sub: Wright.

EXETER. Smout: Embery, Smyth, Blain, Newman, Huxford, Fudge, Banks, Curtis, Crawford, Corr. Sub: Balson.