FOWLER'S TRICKY MOVE GETS A GOAL IN SEVEN MINUTES

OAKLEY SCORES,
HAZLEDINE GIVES GOOD DISPLAY

NORTHAMPTON 2-0 EXETER CITY 
(By FLAG-KICK)

Making his first appearance in Exeter City colours to-day was inside-right John Anderson, signed from the Cobblers during the close season. Also making a return to the County Ground was former Cobblers' wing-half Norman Dodgin, now manager of Exeter, and trainer Harry Hanford, who was assistant at the County Ground a couple of seasons ago. With Frank Houghton rested, Exeter moved local-boy Ellaway from inside-right to centre-forward for the first time in his career.
The Cobblers retained the team held to a draw by Crystal Palace at the County. Ground on Thursday night. Anderson must have created something of a record on being appointed captain of his club on his first-ever appearance for them. He was given an ovation by the crowd as he ran up the field to be greeted by former club mate Cobblers skipper Ben Collins.

Exeter City obtained three points at the Cobblers' expense last term. sharing four goals at the County Ground and beating the Cobblers 1-0 at St. James' Park.

Teams

Northampton: Wood; Marston, Southam; Hughes, Collins, McLain; English, Hazeldine, Oakley, Ramscar. Fowler.

Exeter City: Kelly; Walton, Doyle, B.; Dunne, Davey, Mit chell; Priestley, Anderson, Ellaway, Mackay, McClelland.

Referee: L. Callaghan, Merthyr Tydvil.

Collins won the toss and Exeter kicked off towards the hotel end before a crowd on the 9,000 mark. When the Cobblers lined up, Ramscar took the inside-right position and Hazledine the inside left berth.

The Blues kicked off in brilliant Summer-like weather and Exeter held a slight advantage in the first few minutes without, however, getting close enough to trouble Wood. The City looked like doing so when the left wing broke away, but McClelland's centre went past the far post and out of play.
Anderson was showing prominently in the City's attack and from his through pass Priestley made ground and forced Collins to concede the first corner of the match. The flag kick was cleared with little difficulty but Exeter continued to hold a territorial advantage in the early stages. In a breakaway on the right, however, English and Hazeldine looked dangerous until the winger ran into an offside position. Priestley had the beating of Southam several times. His speed took him past the full-back to force an unproductive second corner. Then the anti-climax, Exeter, who had controlled the game hitherto, were a goal down in the seventh minute. The first really threatening Northampton attack of the game developed in midfield, and Hazeldine released a neat long pass along the ground to FOWLER.
The outside-left was quick to move into the open space, and he shot from outside the penalty area. Kelly standing in the middle of his goal, evidently expected a centre, and the probability is that Fowler intended it that way. But unluckily for the City the ball swung into the far corner of the net, Kelly being deceived by a high slow-moving ball which he would normally have cleared with ease. It was an undeserved City setback, because the better football had been played by them. From the moment of this goal, however, Northampton were the more forceful side, and their fast combined movements often had the City defence worried.
Offside goal
English, showing typical flashes of opportunism, cut in and drove across the face of the goal, and renewed Northampton attacks were beaten back only with the greatest difficulty. When Exeter finally struck again, McClelland shot into the net. Alas for the City, the winger was in an offside position when he received Ellaway's forward pass. Northampton were awarded a free kick, and rightly so. Play switched from one end of the field to the other, with Northampton slightly the more menacing in attack. Another English drive, low, and from an oblique angle, was parried by Kelly, the ball going away for a corner. The next threat was by Exeter, Mackay had the defence beaten with a diagonal pass through the middle, and it was unfortunate for the City that Priestley overran the ball as he was cutting in to within shooting range. Northampton were settling down
to fast and purposeful football now, and the City's goal survived by inches when Oakley headed a fraction outside an upright, with Kelly beaten. Ever increasing danger came from the Northampton wingers, and the odds were on a second goal. When the best move of the day followed and Ellaway fully deserved a goal.

Anderson was the next sufferer. He moved across to the inside-left position, beat his man, and shot. But again the ball missed the objective by a fraction. Fifteen minutes after the restart, Northampton scored again. Fowler was sent away by Ramscar, and his long centre brought disaster to the City. The ball dropped at the feet of English, who tried a first-time shot. He mistimed his effort. Instead of going goalwards the ball skidded squarely into the middle, hit a defender, and cannoned back to OAKLEY, who scored easily with a close-range shot. McClelland almost reduced the arrears just afterwards with an angled shot from just outside the penalty area. He beat the diving Wood only to see the ball go less than a foot on the wrong side of the far post. Northampton survived again when Ellaway headed over with only Wood to beat. It was a favourable oppor tunity, and Ellaway was unfortunate in that he got too much under the ball. In the closing stages Wood made a magnificent one-handed save from Anderson.
Result:
NORTHAMPTON TOWN 2-0 EXETER CITY

COMMENTS

City were beaten by two bad goals, and were discouraged after making a promising start. Northampton, the more forceful side, had one big advantage; they covered better in defence and were generally stronger in the tackle. Territorially, there was not a great Ideal to choose between the rivals. but Northampton were the more
dangerous within shooting range. Their wingers, particularly Fowler, were a constant menace. Anderson shaped well in his first match for the City. He and the persistent Ellaway were the liveliest members of the attack. Exeter fought well, especially at the start, and again after the interval, and Northampton's goal was fortunate  to escape two or three times in the second half.

Attendance, 9,448, receipts, £999 2s 9d.

Southern League 
CITY RES. OFF MARK EARLY
3-1 defeat for Dartford

Exeter City Reserves were a goal up in less than three minutes against Dartford at St. James's Park, Exeter, this afternoon. Early attacks had been in favour of Dartford, with their coloured inside-left, Nunes prominent, but the first real Exeter attack brought a goal. Doyle made quick return pass to FRANK HOUGHTON, and Blowers was beaten by a low 30-yard drive. Dartford returned to the attack, and should have equalised when Nunes put Keene through, but the winger was too slow.
Frequent Dartford attacks were broken up by a hard-tackling half back line, but the visitors were unlucky when Cullum's shot hit the cross-bar. Immediately the Reserves took play to the other end, and Blowers just won a race for the ball with John. Dartford were still having more of the play, and Exeter's new goalkeeper, Alec Bell, showed his worth when he deflected a stinging drive from Carroll. Rarely was the Exeter attack working smoothly, although twice. Rees earned applause with clever work. Luckily for Exeter, most of the Dartford attacks broke down inside the penalty area, and their long shots brought little danger. Towards the interval Exeter came into the attack more, and Doyle was robbed in a scuffle on the goal-line. An offside against Doyle spoilt another City move, and then a pass from John lacked force with Rees and Doyle bearing down on the goal.
Half time:
CITY RESERVES 1-0 DARTFORD
Rees lost a good chance for the Reserves a minute after the interval. He received the ball on the left of the goal, but tried a pass instead of shooting. Exeter went further ahead from a goal which looked off-side. Douglass's long lob went to SETTERS and he went on unhampered to score.
After a shot from Nienes had been blocked on the goal-line, CULLUM scored. for Dartford in the 56th minute.
HOUGHTON completed the scoring for the Reserves.
Result:
CITY RES 3-1 DARTFORD

IS REES A SECOND CLIFFORD BASTIN?
Young Exeter Forward Shines in Southern Cup Tie

CITY RESERVES V BATH CITY: SEPTEMBER 1ST

Said a Bath City director on Wednesday evening "Your team found another Cliff Bastin." may have The reference was to 16 years old Graham Rees, outside left, and the idol of the crowd in the Southern League cup-tie in which four goals were shared.Young Rees is a most promising prospect. There can be no doubt at all on that score, for he possesses pace and pluck, ball craft, and best of all a football brain. He was the pick of the City Reserves team in this bright cup-tie at St James's Park. But these are early days to attach the Bastin label to the boy from South Wales. Rees, an unspoilt lad, does well to recognise that he has a long and difficult road to travel if he is to attain the heights reached by Bastin, one of Britain's greatest ever footballers.

ACCENT ON YOUTH

Keith Harvey, centre half in the "accent on youth" City side, turned. in a performance distinguished by soundness in defence and thoughtful use of the ball. He more than held his own with Pinchbeck, the experienced Bath City leader, who has gone the Football League rounds with Everton, Port Vale, Brighton, and other clubs. The City Reserves fully deserved to share the spoils, for while the heavier and more seasoned Bath side were stronger in the first half Exeter were on top after the interval, and the onlookers revelled in the many neat and speedily executed triangular moves on the left wing. To those moves Callan gave grand support, while Grinney, a teen age inside forward from Crediton, showed good ideas, though finding the tempo a bit faster than that to which he has until now been used to in Exeter and District League football. Alec Bell, the new goalkeeper from Scotland, also gave a very sound display. His chance of saving either of Bath's goals was nil. A glorious crossfield pass from Jenkins to Newman created the chance from which Mitchell, a former Exeter City player, rounded a defender and gave his team the lead with a first class shot.
DISPUTED PENALTY KICK
Exeter were on terms before the interval and the equaliser started 
with a quickly taken throw-in. Paddy Doyle carried on the good work and passed low into the goal area where Ray John dashed forward to drive the ball hard into the net. The second Bath goal accrued from a disputed penalty kick. With Bell drawn from his charge a visiting forward shot, and on the goal - line the ball struck Williams, standing beneath the Exeter crossbar. "Hands" was the decision of the referee. Williams made a protest that the ball had hit him on the shoulder, but to no avail however, and Gale scored from the spot. Then the City Reserves had their brightest spell to score a second equalising goal when Setters crossed over a high centre and Paddy Doyle bundled both goalkeeper and ball into the net. It was bad luck on Liley, who was a tower of strength in the visiting defence, yet a deserved reward for Doyle, who had earlier in the game been responsible for several first-rate scoring attempts.

Exeter City Reserves: - Bell; Rowe and Williams; Owens, Harvey, and Callan; Setters, John, L.Doyle, I.Grinney, and G. Rees.

Result:
Exeter City Reserves 2 Bath City 2.