SATURDAY 23rd DECEMBER 1967.

NOT A GOOD DAY FOR CITY AT CREWE.

CREWE ALEXANDRA 2
Malley; Lowry, Leigh; Bradshaw, Stott, Gannon; Dearden, Archer, Talbot, Wallace, Tarbuck,
EXETER CITY 0
Smout; Embery; Smyth, Blain, Newman, Huxford; Fudge, Banks, Curtis, Crawford, Corr.

Scorers:
Crewe : Tarbuck, Newman (o.g),
Attendance: 4,595

EXETER SUPPLY LINE IS BROKEN
Crewe 2 Exeter 0:
by DEREK HILL

SCHOOLTEACHER Alan Bradshaw gave Exeter some Soccer lessons and set Crewe a fine example. And the rain - soaked crowd of 4,595, paying an extra shilling admission for the first time this season, had their money's worth at least in the first half. 
Exeter were soon struggling and were never in sight of snatching their first away win of the season. Dermot Curtis had two first half chances and nearly scored with the second when goalkeeper Willy Mailey had to change direction to stop a powerful shot.

Generally Exeter's defence and supply line was too busy keeping a watch on Crewe's quick-raiding forwards to give their own attack a regular supply of the ball. With Bradshaw behind them things might have been different, for there were signs that Exeter had ability, but their chances were restricted by a quick, strong tackling defence. A fierce shot from Bradshaw produced the save of the match by the busy John Smout after 59 minutes and the goalkeeper fearlessly dived to parry a shot from the dangerous Gordon Wallace two minutes later. Billy Dearden should have given Crewe a fourth-minute lead, but carelessly shot across goal after robbing Jimmy Blain. Crewe needed 21 minutes to break through a defence often unsure in its positional play. Gary Talbot made a long run down the left and Dearden's header was on the way to making up for his earlier lapse when Alan Tarbuck darted in to glide the ball over the line. Bradshaw was the man behind the second goal three minutes from the break when referee H. Davies, of Cardiff, ordered new bulbs in the floodlights behind a goal.
Deflected
Centre half John Newman unluckily deflected the right half's hard drive from the by line past Smout and apart from a few moments of disorder in the second half Crewe were never in danger. Mike Fudge made one notably brave solo attack down the left. but his shot was, like the City attack, lacking in power. Ben Embery stopped his opposite number, right back Tom Lowry, from making it three with a clearance off the goal line.

Match Report 2

Crewe scored both their goals in the first half, Tarbuck put them ahead in the 21st minute, and just before half time John Newman unluckily deflected the ball into his own netWith the penalty area crowded Jimmy Blain tried to clear a hard cross but the ball hit Newman nad rebounded past John Smout. It was generally not a good day for City. They gave the ball away too much in the first half, but they did improve somewhat after the intervalAlthough to be fair, City never really looked like pulling any goals back for a point