EXETER MASTER THE MUD -AND OXFORD

DETERMINATION EARNS POINTS
By Exonian

Exeter City 3, Oxford United 2

ANOTHER step forward. And a soaking, soggy, slogging step it was. In dreadful conditions of driving rain and clinging mud, Exeter, through sheer effort, fought their way to a win and took the step nearer promotion. It was a game in which quality football was impossible, but both sides somehow managed to produce football of some stature. But in the end it was grit and go that was needed to plough through not only the defence, but the mire. And Exeter had that determination. It would be invidious to name one player more than another as shining, because the spirit that won the game was in the whole side. But again Alan Banks stood out for the terrier-like tenacity he showed, and Dermot Curtis has rarely played better for Exeter. In the defence Cecil Smyth was outstanding.

Surprise

Dave Hancock, the new signing from Torquay, turned in a first rate performance, testing goal keeper Rouse in the first few minutes, and two dazzling runs by left-winger Adrian Thorne almost brought goals. But after 20 minutes Exeter were a goal down. An Oxford free kick took the defence by surprise. In nipped centre-forward Calder to score. The goal upset Exeter for a spell, but gradually they got on top, and a Smyth-Curtis move led to Thorne heading in an equaliser. A few minutes later Curtis picked up a ball from Derek Grace and forced his way through to score. But this was a game which cer tainly did not lack in excitement and incident, and within a minute Longbottom, with a ground shot. had put Oxford level. It looked as if Oxford might hold out, but in the 75th minute Grace pushed the ball out to Graham Rees, who cut in from the wing and fired in a shot that was deflected off centre-half Kyle. But the thrills were still not over. Oxford gave the Exeter defence a tremendous pounding, and only a great save by Alan Barnett stopped Hartland from heading an equaliser.

EXETER CITY
Barnett; Smyth, MacDonald; Grace, Harvey, Anderson; Rees, Banks, Curtis, Hancock, Thorne.

OXFORD UNITED
Rouse; Beavon, Quatermain; R.Atkinson, Kyle, Jones; Knight, Longbottom, Calder, Hartland, Harrington,

Final Score 
Exeter 3-2 Oxford United

Attendance :-6602