Saturday 19th August
Football League
Exeter City v Bradford City

What the papers say

Exeter City 5, Bradford City 1

There was no sentimental return to the West Country for one-time Argyle coach Bryan Edwards yester day. Rather, it was quite the oppo site as the Bradford City manager -first from the stand and later from the trainers'. bench-watched his side humiliated by rampant Exeter City. Edwards, to his credit, took defeat with a smile yet couldn't resist commenting that "we made Exeter look like Real Madrid at the end". Although Bradford struck back to score through Peter Middleton three minutes from time, there was abso lutely no questioning Exeter's super iority throughout. Bradford could be described as a poor side on this display, but poor sides have to be beaten and City showed no mercy whatsoever. They raided in hungry packs, de fended in confident depth and often mesmerised the opposition with the thoughtful and incisive manner in which their moves were constructed and carried out. Western Sunday Independent Exeter crushed Bradford City 5-1-but manager John Newman reckons the score should have been bigger! Said Newman: "It was a magnificent performance and we played a lot of intelligent football. But the score would have been bigger if we had taken all our chances.
Daily Mirror

Exeter City 5, Bradford City 1
by Tony Phillips Exeter City gave their supporters a five-goal send-off to the new Fourth Division season at St. James" Park this afternoon when, in their opening home match, they beat Bradford City 5-1. The credit must go to Exeter for cashing in on Brad ford's defensive mistakes but, all round, the Yorkshire side were out played, with their defence particularly weak. Express & Echo (Football Edition)

John Newman's new look Exeter went on a goal spree. Fred Binney poached the first soon after the start, and defensive slips gave Exeter two more by half-time. Bradford gave a dismal show and even their goal by Middleton near the end went in off the post. Sunday People

Exeter 5, Bradford City 1
by Ray Collier
Fiery Fred Binney stole the lime light with a two-goal display, but the entire Exeter side sparkled as they tore a weak Bradford defence apart. Bradford never recovered after being two goals down inside 14 minutes. Their defence lacked stability and their forward line rarely flickered into any sort of life. Sunday Express

A goal down after three minutes. Bradford could only offer token resistance to an on-form Exeter side. which shot four more past them. For Exeter manager John Newman it was the happy home debut he had prayed for. Newman had worked hard to build his team up during the summer and this was the calibre of play that should bring the crowds back to St.James' Park. Bradford were just unhappy also rans. Their defence could never hold an attack that chased every ball, tackled hard and dominated the midfield.
Sunday Mirror

An own goal and a gift helped towards Exeter's tally of five goals. Despite that, Bradford were just no match for Exeter, who were in a dominant mood.
Defensively Exeter were never in trouble. They controlled the midfield thanks to the running power of Tony Morrin, Graham Parker and Mike Balson, and in attack picked up the chances when they came. The winning margin could have been even more handsome.
There was also a handful of bookings: Exeter's Parker and Morrin and Bradford's Johnston, Allan Gilliver and John Ritchie.
News of the World

Exeter made more hay against this feeble Bradford side than the Devon farmers did in Saturday's sunshine. They scythed huge gaps in Brad ford's defensive wall, which looked as shaky as if it had no foundations. A goal down in three minutes, largely because of slack marking, Bradford then proceeded to panic themselves into an "own goal", and then presented Exeter with another goal, which could not have been more of a gift if it had been wrapped in greetings paper. But let nobody get the wrong impression. It was not just that Brad ford were jittery and lacking strength in defence, Exeter played some ratt ling good football and they cheer fully cashed in on those Bradford mistakes. In defence Exeter looked totally confident and extremely efficient. Midfield they were in complete command, and after all that is where it counts, and up front, they raced and chased, took some chances. quite superbly, and in fact they could have won by an even bigger margin. Still, no wonder Bradford boss Brian Edwards-former Argyle assistant manager complained after wards: "We made Exeter look like Real Madrid". Of course, Exeter have been showing plenty of promise in their first two games of the season, a promise not reflected in the results. Player-manager John Newman said. before Saturday's game that from the football point of view the start to the season was the best since he took over. This game vindicated those comments with five-goal clarity. It was abundantly obvious that Exeter had the determination, application, and approach to get results. They were faster on the ball than Bradford; they were always in there looking for it, winning the tussles, and anxious to get on with the business. of getting goals. If they can keep this sort of play going, who knows, perhaps Exeter's. supporters are going to be in for an exciting time this season. Of course, it was two-goal Fred Binney who took the limelight in this game. Indeed, not satisfied with scoring two, and making one, Mr Binney displayed his vocal abilities as the "flip side" of the record Exeter City have made, was played at half-time. But, praiseworthy though the musical trip is, it was, perhaps, not so tuneful to the ears of the supporters as the goals he scored.
Western Morning News

Five goals from Exeter City got the season off to a fine style start at St. James' Park. Manager John Newman summed up: "We played ever so well and it was a real wide awake performance by the lads. It was great to see them aggressive and eager to win-and enjoying every minute of the match. "If they continue to show the
same kind of spirit we are obviously going to have a good season. All we need now is consistency. It's been most encouraging to see the attitude of the lads in the three games we have played: it makes my job a lot easier. Bradford didn't look. very clever, but I don't want to take. anything away from our blokes."
Western Morning News

Bradford City trailed after only four minutes of their match at Exeter. Ritchie slipped as he tried to tackle Balson, the ball was slipped inside to Wingate, who shook off Cooper and slipped the ball to the unmarked Binney who beat Oldfield from ten yards. After 14 minutes Wingate centred and Cooke's clearance away to the left rebounded from Howell into the net for an own goal. The Paraders defence ran into all sorts of trouble as Exeter, encour aged by those two goals, plugged away in attack. After 40 minutes Ritchie, without noticing Binney was at hand, swept a ball back for Oldfield, but Binney went in to dribble round Oldfield and walk the ball into the net. Bradford City had much to answer for this afternoon, for they were two more goals down seven minutes after the break-and there were two more bookings, bringing the total to four. The fourth goal came after 50 minutes. After Middleton had failed to clear, Parker blasted the ball into the net from 20 yards. Two minutes. later Wingate made it five with a shot following a free kick.
Yorkshire Sports