23rd September 1972
Football League
Torquay United 0, Exeter City 2

What the papers said!

Jubilant John Newman calmly emerged from the dressing room, and said: "They were magnificent." There stood a man who was obvi ously proud to be the manager of Exeter City after seeing his side's 90-minute performance that brought what it well deserved-victory. It was nine seasons ago that Exeter and Torquay last met in a league game. The long wait for the revived Devon derby was well worth while, though, with Exeter winning 2-0 at Plainmoor on Saturday night. Jack Edwards, the Torquay manager, admitted: "Exeter deserved their win. Their work rate was better than ours."
Newman added: "If we play like that all the time, we will not lose games. We did everything, and it was our best performance of the season I could never see us losing." 

Exeter were well organised and disciplined. The whole side played for each other-fighting, working, and running so hard for the whole 90 minutes. Torquay tended to play as individuals rather than as a selec tive combination. The City's work rate was tremen dous, and it was justice that Exeter should win. It cracked Torquay's unbeaten league record this season, and gave Exeter their first away points.
Express & Echo

Exeter stars Tony Scott and Fred Binney were the men who set early problems for Torquay in the all action local derby last Saturday night. Both former Torquay players, they set up scoring chances in the first 10 minutes.
Then a beautiful centre by Scott floated to centre-forward Dick Plumb, in the goalmouth, but Plumb gave away a free kick with a foul on goalkeeper Mike Mahoney. Then Binney's cross presented Plumb with another chance. Plumb's header flashed outside the Torquay goal. Torquay came into the picture and the home crowd rose to a shot by Steve Morrall which dipped over the crossbar. Clinton Boulton set up a chance for Mike Trebilcock from Cliff Jackson's cross. But Trebilcock, Torquay's leading scorer with seven. goals this season, sent the ball straight into the arms of Bob Wilson. A fast forward pass by Tony Morrin opened up Torquay. But Binney could not get to the ball. Torquay's hard working winger Bruce Stuckey was booked by Swansea referee Bill Gow for dis sent in the 32nd minute. Plumb had more bad luck for Exeter when his shot thrashed over the goal from a few yards out. Torquay's defender Ken Sandercock was booked for a foul on tantalising Tony Scott in the 51st minute. Within four minutes Scott got a booking when he brought down Sandercock. Exeter still looked the more convincing up front and Mahoney was extended to save from Campbell Crawford, who was let in by
Morrall. In the 65th minute the local boy John Wingate shot Exeter into the lead. Robin Stubbs substituted for Torquay's injured Tearse in the 69th minute and two minutes from time Binney added Exeter's second goal.
News of the World

Newman emerged from the deserved win over Torquay saying: "I'm absolutely delighted at the way we played. The lads were magnificent and showed an incredible amount of character. They are beginning to believe in them selves now.

"At half-time I urged them to maintain their discipline and go on tracking the men they were told to mark, while Fred Binney and Dick Plumb were instructed to keep running hard at United's defence in the hope that something would go. These things don't always come off, but they did this time and we got what we went for.

NO KILLER INSTINCT
"The game called for much sweat and mental energy and I was very pleased with the result. Every member of the team played for each other. That is the way I want it to be." Obviously, failure at home against Exeter must have been a blow to Torquay's morale and this slip ended their unbeaten run in the League. Exeter fans weren't premature in shouting "We are the champions." United's boss Jack Edwards was unhesitating with his verdict on the match: "Exeter deserved the points because more of their playerswanted to win." he said.
Western Morning News

The local derby thrills promised by managers Jack Edwards of Torquay and John Newman of Exeter were quick to come. And it was Exeter, who had to be regarded as the underdogs away from home, who provided the first of them. Tony Scott, the feared winger who went from Torquay to Bournemouth and then to Exeter, crossed the ball perfectly to Dick Plumb in front of goal but the whistle went for a foul on goalkeeper Mike Mahoney by Plumb. Moments later a Plumb header glanced outside the goal from a cross by Fred Binney, another former Torquay player. Steve Morrall, the 19-year-old university graduate who is being hailed as Torquay's most exciting discovery for years, had the home crowd roaring with a fast shot which skimmed the Exeter crossbar. A cross by Cliff Jackson exposed Exeter at the back and Clinton Boulton sent the ball on to Mike Trebilcock. But Trebilcock, with seven goals already this season, planted the ball into the arms of Bob Wilson. Exeter's leading scorer, six-goal Binney, was given a chance by Tony Morrin, but he could not quite get to the fast forward pass as it curved towards the Torquay goal. Torquay's Bruce Stuckey was booked for dissent in the 32nd minute, and then Plumb shot over from point-blank range. In an attacking flurry Wilson held a brilliant Dave Tearse header. In the 51st minute Ken Sandercock was booked for a foul on Tony Scott and four minutes later Scott was himself booked when he brought behind. down Sandercock from John Wingate shot Exeter ahead in the 65th minute. Two minutes from the end Fred Binney scored Exeter's second. Sunday Express