TUESDAY 26th DECEMBER 1967.
ALDERSHOT REWARD WAS WELL DESERVED.

ALDERSHOT 0,
Godfrey; Walden, Renwick; McAnearney, Walker, Dawes; Friscott, Howarth, Edwards, Kearns, Gowans,
EXETER CITY 0,
Smout; Smyth, Balson; Newman, Harvey, Huxford; Hart, Banks, Curtis, Blain, Crawford,

Attendance: 6,532.

Exeter City changed their tactics and it worked. The plan was John Newman as sweeper, with Jimmy Blain and Campbell Crawford pulled back in midfield, leaving Stuart Hart, Dermot Curtis and Alan Banks up front. The onus was more on Aldershot but they failed, In fact it was Exeter who came nearest to scoring in the first half when Alan Banks hit the bar after 28 minutes, and 15 minutes later a 25 yard shot from Blain flew inches wide, Exeter took time to settle into their new system but as the game wore on they improved and in the second half they might have even snatched a goal as they moved much better, City got what they wanted at Aldershot and deserved itThe odds were stacked against the City having not won away this season, while Aldershot were unbeaten at the Recreation Ground,

Match Summary 

A very good performance by City on the ground of a club which has been unbeaten at home since the middle of last March. Indeed, we came very close to snatching victory when a shot by Alan Banks hit the cross-bar. Then, Dermot Curtis headed wide from the rebound.
City's defence played well and were not often in serious trouble in this enter taining game. Everyone chased really hard from start to finish and we cer tainly earned the point.


FRIDAY 29th DECEMBER 1967.

ENGLAND YOUTH TRIALS.

Phil Richardson the former Exeter City apprentice, recently signed for Exeter and District Premier League side, Heavitree United. He has now been selected for the England Youth International trials on 6th January at Uxbridge.

EXETER CITY PLAYER WHO COULD NOT SEE !

This story must surely be the most off beat tale of the year! It is about a player who played for six years in English and Irish football and could not see the ball if it was more than 20 feet away, The player with this unusual story is John Cochrane of Irish League club, Ards, and formerly with Distillery, Exeter City, and Brighton. On many occasions he did not know which way he was playing or what was happening on the field once the ball had gone out of his sight, Finally after scoring two goals and not knowing it, he realised his eyes were not strong enough for football and that he must admit his shortcoming to the boss, then Exeter manager Jack Edwards, Cochrane took the risk of ruining his career. He had not told anyone sooner for the fear of being dropped, he was taken to hospital and given strong contact lensesThese, alas, proved too much trouble and he threw them away and returned to his blind mans bluff, Released by Exeter City he returned to Ireland and was approached by Ards boss, George Eastham, Cochrane again admitted his failing and was given smaller and better lenses. He was a new man, He could actually see what was going on around him. Now he plays regularly for the Irish side.

MURPHY SCOUTING BUT NOT FOR CITY.

Exeter City are in no position to pay out big fees for new players, so this is all the more reason why they need to be on their toes now that Bristol Rovers have another part time scout living in the Exeter área and running his eyes over the available talent, Exeter cannot afford to miss to many of the promising local lads even though they are in the difficult situation at present of having no reserve side in which to develop players, The man who is running the rule over local teams in the Exeter area is Jimmy Murphy, a former Exeter City and Bristol Rovers outside left, He recently returned to Devon after a spell in Australia. A Scot from Glasgow, he moved South from Stirling Albion to sign for Exeter in November 1949, moving onto Bristol Rovers the following year