16th September
Football League
Exeter City 3-0 Stockport County

What the papers said!

Exeter had just the start that they needed when they took the lead in the fifth minute. From a move down the right, Morrin's deep cross was headed back into the middle by Scott and Parker lobbed the ball over Ogley, who was off his line. Second goal What a start for Exeter, and better was to follow when they went further ahead in the 10th minute. This time the build-up was down the left. Blain fed Scott, the latter took Ingle with him and then crossed for Binney to rise and nod the ball into the net when under pressure. Exeter went further ahead with a well-taken goal by Plumb. The ball was chipped forward to the City striker and first it looked as though Plumb had missed his chance, but he kept control to neatly beat Ogley with a good chip shot.
Express & Echo (Football Edition) 

Exeter turned on their classiest display of the season against tough, close marking opponents. Stockport refused to crack, even when two goals behind, and always looked dangerous in counter-attack. Graham Parker neatly controlled a Morris cross after five minutes and lobbed over the defenders to score. Five minutes later Binney fought off two defenders and the 'keeper to nod in another cross. In midfield Exeter were supreme. Parker and Giles soaked up all Stockport's attempts to hit back and it was mid-way through the first half before Eddie Garbett, the best of County's strikers, got in a shot. Plumb won applause for a snap shot that hit the bar, and got the goal he deserved ten minutes from time during a rough-house goal mouth scramble.
Sunday Mirror

Tony Scott, the man fast earning a reputation as Exeter's goalmaker extraordinary, did his stuff again against Stockport. Exeter struck twice and had the game sewn up inside 10 minutes. The action started early. After just five minutes a Tony Morrin cross from the right found Scott who smartly headed back into the middle for wing-half Graham Parker to hook the ball into the net. Exeter, bucked by this early goal, came at Stockport with drive and determination. Goalkeeper Alan Ogley did well to dive to a blister ing shot from Fred Binney, but in the 10th minute he was beaten again. Full-back Jimmy Blain started the Imove off with a through-ball to Scott. The winger streaked away and his cross was right on target for bustling Binney to head Exeter's second. Stockport fought back and lan Lawther tried to set up a chance for winger Eddie Garbett, but his shot was wide. Exeter might have gone further ahead in a terrific goalmouth skir mish, but Stockport managed to clear. In the second half Stockport opened with plenty of aggression and Joe Ashworth was only inches wide when he headed a corner over the top. Stockport kept going but it was still Exeter who looked more likely to score and a mighty shot from John Wingate was tipped for a corner by Ogley. Then tragedy. Referee Jim Finn of Chigwell Row, Essex, collapsed in the 68th minute with a heart attack. He was carried off on a stretcher but died soon after. A linesman took over control of the match. Nine minutes from the end striker Dick Plumb collected a pass from Morrin to hit Exeter's third goal.
Sunday Express

Two goals in the first 10 minutes gave Exeter complete control, and Stockport had no hope of saving their unbeaten record. Graham Parker-lobbed Exeter ahead after Stockport had been under heavy pressure from the start. Morrin found a gap with a fine cross from near the corner flag and Parker controlled the awkward bounce to lift the ball over Ogley. Stockport defended well but Exeter pounced on even half chances. Binney almost got a second with a fierce volley on the turn from 30 yards. Ogley saved this effort brilliantly. A minute later Binney netted when he shrugged off the challenge of two defenders and the keeper to head home after Scott had made a tremendous run down the left. Just on half time, Binney almost scored again with a header that hit the bar. It was a reassuring display for the Exeter fans, who had been disillusioned by last season's poor home showings. New signings Tony Scott, the ex-Bournemouth schemer, and Dick Plumb, former Charlton striker, both impressed. Scott had a hand in one goal and Plumb scored Exeter's third. Stockport's only consolation was that they happened to meet a top form Exeter.
Sunday People

Stockport-about the most talked of team in the land since their shock League Cup victory over First Division Crystal Palace-left St. James Park Saturday without as much as a sound. For what could they possibly have said after this three-goal mauling by an Exeter side that has now scored twelve goals in their opening four League games at home? It could even have been more, especially in the first half when Fred Binney, having scored one, struck the crossbar with a bullet-like header from one of Tony Scott's many immaculate crosses.
Western Sunday Independent

A team which takes its chances wins matches. The axiom might be obvious, but the football columns of newspapers are full of quotations from woeful managers who have seen points disappear because their players have squandered their chances. No such quotations from Exeter's John Newman, however, because City grabbed two goal-getting opportunities in the first ten minutes, and from then on the issue of this match was never really in doubt. Certainly after that there were a couple of moments when keter might have cashed in on chances as smartly as they did in those opening minutes, but for Stockport the two-goal margin was just too great a handicap to overcome.
Western Morning News