TORQUAY'S NON-STOP ATTACK

FAIL TO BREAK EXETER

13,655 SEE TAME DRAW

By Buccaneer

Torquay United 1, Exeter City 1

MOST of the thrills, both goals, and nearly all the football in this match between promotion rivals Torquay and Exeter, came in the first half. After the troupe of eight can-can dancers had performed at half-time, the game dragged out to another tame draw-an adequate result for Exeter, but not for Torquay, who needed a full dividend to bolster their promotion challenge. Said Exeter manager Jack Edwards: "We came here for a point and we got it. I am satisfied." Torquay chief Eric Webber said: "The result was fair enough, but it was a disappointment. We had chances which could have won us the game. At least it was a better match to watch than the one on Good Friday."

The crowd of 13,655-Torquay's best since the 1958 Derby with Plymouth will agree with Mr. Webber on his last point. At St. James's Park Torquay played Exeter at their own defensive game for a goalless stalemate. Yesterday United opened out a full-scale attack from the start and an indication of the pattern of the game is given by the record of corners-Torquay 16. Exeter 0.  The flag kicks were of little advantage, however, against Exeter's iron-clad defence system. Torquay's forwards wore themselves to near exhaustion battering away at Exeter's bastion. In the second half Torquay looked a set of very tired men and there was a long spell when Exeter had the initiative. Apart from some sharp shooting efforts ex-Torquay right-half Dave Hancock they stuck to their safety-first style of play and hardly seemed interested in trying to snatch a winning goal. Robin Stubbs was passed fit to play, and turned out for Torquay at inside-right wearing plasters on his injured thigh. Stubbs almost scored after 30 seconds with a shot arte against a post, but not much was seen of him after that. Brian Handley, who put in a spirited performance at centre-forward. missed closely with two headers in more Torquay raids.

Diving header
Exeter were the first to score and dangerman Alan Banks had a hand in the 14th-minute goal. He took a through pass from Graham Rees and sent the ball into the goalmouth for Dermot Curtis to beat Terry Adlington with a diving header.  Alan Barnett made good saves from Handley and Jenkins before Torquay equalised in the 28th minute with a hard shot from Handley after a Peter Anderson pass. Fullback Cecil Smyth helped the ball into the net. Pym got the ball into Exeter's goal again, but his attempt was disallowed for handling and Les Macdonald turned a shot from a promising Handley around post for a corner. During a period of Exeter dominance Adlington took a dangerous drive from Hancock just under the bar. Torquay could still have won the game when a neat centre from Anderson foxed Exeter's defenders. Pym shot over the bar and the outside left sent a shot wide when he had the defence beaten. 

TORQUAY UNITED 1,
Adlington; Williams; Allen, Spencer, Bettany, Wolstenholme; Anderson, Stubbs, Handley, Jenkins, Pym,

EXETER CITY 1,
Barnett; Smyth, MacDonald; Hancock, Harvey, Anderson; Rees, Banks, Curtis, Grace, Thorne.

Scorers
Torquay Handley,
Exeter City Curtis,

Attendance 13,655,

WESTERN LEAGUE 

EXETER CITY RESERVES 0, BIDEFORD 2,

City Team 
Parkhill; Quarrington, Edmunds; Pope, Henderson, Rutley; Welsh, Riding, Gerrard, Redwood, Ley.