12th August 1972
Football League
Southport 1-0 Exeter City

What the papers said 

Southport 1, Exeter City 0
Unlucky Exeter. Throughout this game at Haigh Avenue they almost always looked well worth a point, and then a 79th minute own goal by new skipper David Gibson sent them to a defeat they scarcely de served.
Western Sunday Independent

Southport 1, Exeter City 0

Exeter must be wondering what they did to deserve this sort of a start to the season-Balson booked in the first match and robbed at the last minute by an own goal.
Sunday People

Southport 1, Exeter City 0

An own goal by Exeter City's new captain, David Gibson, just 11 minutes from time meant the differ ence between a point and defeat at Southport this afternoon. The own goal gave Southport a 1-0 win, but it was generally agreed that Exeter deserved to return home with at least a point.
Express & Echo-Football Edition 

Southport 1, Exeter City 0

Exeter skipper David Gibson made a sad start in his new job, putting through his own goal to give victory to Southport. It was equally tragic for goal keeper Bob Wilson who had played a fine part in holding the City de fence together. Exeter started looking the more likely side. After only eight minutes. winger John Wingate saw his header rebound from the bar, with goalkeeper Gregson beaten. The Exeter defence, playing a highly effective offside trap, dealt easily with most of the Southport attacks. Home striker Eric Redrobe looked the only forward capable of break ing down a solid back four, but the shots he managed to get in were easily handled by Wilson. Exeter's forwards showed more flair than the Southport men, and Banks and Binney went close with shots.
News of the World

Southport 1, Exeter City 0

No wonder Exeter City's manager John Newman said in disappoint ment: "It seems that we are fated not to get off to a good start." Less than half an hour earlier he had seen a late own goal decide But the ball skidded off Gibson's
forehead and into the far corner of the net. Gibson said later: "I am sick. It is probably as big a disappointment as I have had in football, because the lads had given so much. "But if we play this every time away from home, we will be
successful."
Western Morning News

Southport 1, Exeter City 0

After watching his side struggle through the second half, Exeter's new captain, Dave Gibson, rounded off an unhappy afternoon for his side when he headed a late goal past his own goalkeeper Bob Wilson. The irony of it was that Wilson had propped up the defence with some great saves. Exeter started the match showing more signs of having got rid of pre season rust than Southport, but they seemed to run out of ideas.
Daily Mail

Exeter went down to Southport. "I was happy with our performance and the attitude and approach of the players. They're disappointed with the result, but not despondent," commented manager Johnny Newman.
"Until we get into the full swing of things we shan't know, but the indications are good. We were more inventive than Southport, defen sively we were good all through and yet we came home with nothing. "You can plan and plan, but not for the human element that always comes into the game. The goal was a disaster. ball hit Dave Gibson. on the head and flew in by the far post. It could have gone anywhere. "You just cannot plan for that. Southport didn't really create a clear-cut chance, and I felt we were home and dry. Then they bounced back with this lucky goal. We de served a draw. The players certainly think so."
The Western Morning News


What the papers say Exeter 0, Southport 1

Exeter were not totally reluctant to come forward and they provided a scare in the ninth minute when Wingate headed against the bar from Gibson's centre. But once Southport had the ball the visitors were not slow to settle back. So Exeter, despite conceding a number of corners, held their own for much of the game. Several shots were blocked or were some way off target as Southport applied pres sure but there was rarely a great Ideal going in the Exeter box. Wilson had a splendid game for Exeter, dealing competently with everything that came at him, although twice he was perhaps lucky to be right behind the ball when it came his way. Exeter came out and almost snatched a point when Banks landed a header on top of the net (88) but the Southport defence was in no mood to give anything away.
West Lancashire Visitor