21st October 1972
Football League
Bury 2-1 Exeter City

What the papers said!

Spectacular saves by both goalkeepers provided the best moments of this match. Exeter were fighting hard for the equaliser in the second half when Forrest flung himself sideways to turn away a shot by Binney. Then, at the other end Wilson streaked across his line to stop a surprise effort by McDermott. He could only knock the ball into the air, but luckily for City, the ball spun outside the post. Bury took the lead when Craw ford was harassed by Hamstead in a goal-line scrummage and put the ball into his own net. Hamstead added Bury's second goal by hitting the ball almost out of Wilson's hands. And there was no questioning the quality of Exeter's goal. It came when Scott flighted a corner, Balson headed it across and Binney nipped in to score.
Sunday People

Exeter City for an hour made a fight of it and then Bury took such control that they should have won with a big margin. All the three goals of a match which produced abundant incidents came in the first half when the Devon side played much enterprising soccer.
They began with a flurry of attacks and were not upset by an own goal by Crawford after eight minutes and a cheeky goal by Hamstead who kicked the ball almost out. Binney netted five minutes from the interval. Then a superb save by Forrest in the Bury goal from Banks early in the second half marked the end of the City's hopes. For Bury then took complete control. Wilson, in the City goal, made a series of fine saves, but was lucky. when Dougherty hit the crossbar and Blain cleared off the line. Bury's mastery increased as the game progressed but they squan dered many chances. Near the end Forrest saved bril liantly from Binney but Bury de served their win despite Exeter's brave fight.
Unknown Report 

Bury collected the points against fighting Exeter, but there was more than a tinge of good fortune in both their goals. After eight minutes Tinsley back headed a free-kick by Heslop, Ham stead appeared to give Crawford a nudge in the back and the City player could do nothing except turn the ball into his own goal. In the 20th minute Connelly should have been penalised for a foul before he crossed the ball to the far post, where Tinsley hooked the ball back into the middle and Hamstead dived into a ruck of players to poke home the second. At that stage there was little to suggest an Exeter revival, for although Scott was finding plenty of room on the left, his crosses were ably dealt with. Five minutes before the interval Binney, Exeter's most dangerous attacker, neatly slotted home a back-header from Balson following Scott's corner. Then he was only just off target with a fine header.
News of the World

For nearly an hour it seemed that Exeter could avoid defeat at Gigg Lane, but in the end they could not complain on the run of the play that they got no reward as in the last half hour Bury really took com mand as City's effort slowed down. Yet with Bury squandering a bag ful of not so difficult chances there was always the possibility of Exeter snatching an equaliser, and in the closing minutes Forrest pulled off the second of two spectacular saves to foil them. A superb save by Forrest from Banks prevented the Devon side getting on terms. As the ball came to him in the penalty area the City inside-forward let fly and in remarkable fashion. Forrest flung himself yards to his right to turn the ball away. If this was not the turning point of the match it was a crucial factor. City then needed the encourage ment of a goal to give them the needed impetus to get on terms. But from that point to the end the game was in Bury's keeping, or would have been if only they had exploited all the open spaces they created as Exeter moved more of their players upfield in an effort to get the equaliser. In this period Wilson was the busiest man on the field as his defence found itself outwitted by the speed of Bury's thrusts. Wilson was repeatedly in action, and his handling in the air and on the ground. was masterly. He was, however, fortunate when shot by full back Dougherty a bounded behind off the top of the cross bar. Then in the most exciting inci dent of the match, after Wilson had been drawn out to the edge of the penalty area Blain cleared off the line. In the first half there was nothing to choose between two enterprising sides, who both promised more than they achieved. If Heslop and veteran Robson had not been powerful bulwarks in the home defence, Binney and Banks would have been trouble some. Exeter could claim that both the Bury goals were freakish affairs. After only eight minutes Crawford,challenged by Hamstead on the line as the ball bounced awkwardly, turned the ball into his own net. Twelve minutes later Hamstead. increased Bury's lead. Again there was another goal line scramble and this time the Bury winger kicked the ball almost out of Wilson's hands. The goal that kept City's hopes alive was a much cleaner cut affair, for when Scott dropped the ball short of the near post from a corner five minutes before the interval, Balson headed it on for Binney to prod it into the gaping net. The Sunday Independant

MANCHESTER FOOTBALL PINK: Bury were stretched at times by Exeter's quick breaks and keeper John Forrest did well to punch away a dangerous cross from Scott. Exeter fought back hard and got a goal right out of the blue from centre forward Fred Binney. It began with a corner on the left. cleverly headed off by half-back Mike Balson to the feet of Binney, who made no mistake with a crisp ground shot from 12 yards. Binney was unlucky not to equalise seconds later when his powerful header scraped the wood work with Forrest well beaten .... McDermott had a fine 20-yard volley well saved by Wilson, who was in action again with a full length dive to cut out a cross from Connelly with Murray and Tinsley unmarked.

BURY TIMES:
The visitors, des pite their errors at the back, were still looking dangerous up front where Binney and Banks were always ready to take on their man and let fly at any half chance and with Saile really struggling to hit anything like form there were some anxious moments before Exeter pulled themselves back into the game. They won a corner on the left which Scott aimed for the near post. Balson managed to get in the back header and Binney readily accepted the opportunity to slot home his ninth goal of the season. Binney tested Forrest with a very good glancing header and Banks might have landed Exeter a point after Heslon had kicked the ball straight at Stott, but when the ball was centred a well hit shot was superbly turned aside by Forrest. It was a refreshing sight to see a visiting team not relying on a mass of defenders.