CITY'S BOWL HAT-TRICK - AND THORNE TOO

By TONY COURT

THE largest-ever crowd for a Devon Professional championship game turned up at St. James's Park last night. And they weren't disappointed. They saw Exeter City round off their best ever season by beating Plymouth Argyle 4-0 and keeping the cup for the third year in succession.

Before the game the City side were cheered all the way round the Park by 8,000 people as they ran a lap of honour. But it wasn't until five minutes. before half-time that the that supporters really got what they wanted a goal from their hero, Alan Banks. This was followed by two quick goals from Ex-Plymouth winger Adrian Thorne at the start of the second half; and then Thorne became the first first-team player to get a hat-trick with another goal in the last minute.

A triumph
It was a complete triumph for the City, who were trying a different playing system, using five attacking forwards, backed by both wing-halves. They got the goals-and were still as defensively sound as ever. They needed to be, for Plymouth had their full Second Division line-up out and when they got going they were dangerous. But if ever the rest of the defence was beaten, Alan Barnett was there. Banks and Dermot Curtis swopped roles for this game and it was very effective. Curtis was up and back doing a tremendous amount of graft as inside-forward, and Banks was the complete striker. With less defensive work to do, there was more scope for the wingmen as Thorne proved with his—three goals. But one of the things that pleased me most was the showing of young Irishman Eric Welsh.

Welsh was playing well at the end of last season and would have been considered for a first-team place this year but for a cartilage injury. This kept him out of the game completely until Christmas, and then he was not able to break into an already successful side. Last night he was given his chance at inside-right-and he took it well. He worked extremely hard, had a hand in two of the goals, and could have scored two himself but for good saves by Maclaren.

Exeter City: Barnett; Smyth, MacDonald; Mitchell, Harvey, Hancock; Rees, Welsh, Banks, Curtis, Thorne.

Plymouth : Maclaren; Baird, Fulton; Newman, Wyatt, Cobb; Corbett, Williams, Lord, Jackson, Jennings.

Attendance: 8,141.

Match Report 2

TUESDAY 28th APRIL 1964.

DEVON PROFESSIONAL BOWL.

EXETER CITY 4,
Barnett; Smyth, MacDonald; Mitchell, Harvey, Hancock; Rees, Welsh, Banks, Curtis, Thorne,

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 0
MacLaren; Baird, Fulton; Newman, Wyatt, Cobb; Corbett, Williams, Lord, Jackson, Jennings.

Scorers
Exeter City Thorne 3, Banks,

Attendance 8,141,

The largest crowd for a Devon Professional' championship game turned up at St James's Park and they were not disappointed as they saw Exeter City round off their best ever season by beating Plymouth Argyle and keeping the cup for the third year in succession, Before the game City' were cheered all round the park as they did a lap of honour, It was not until the 40th minute that supporters really got what they wanted, a goal from their hero, Alan Banks. This was followed by two quick goals from ex Argyle winger Thorne at the start of the second half. Then Thorne became the first player this season to score a hat trick in a first team game with another goal in the last minute. It was a complete triumph for Exeter, they got the goals and were still defensively as sound as ever. They needed to be for Plymouth had their full Second Division line up out and when they got going they looked dangerous. It was pleasing to see Welsh back in the City side, during a season in which a cartilage operation restricted his playing opportunities. It was Exeter's night again at the end of a memorable season,

WEDNESDAY 29th APRIL 1964.

ITS A DOUBLE CELEBRATION.

Two ardent Exeter supporters Dave Hancock and Ted Roberts entertained the players who took Exeter City into the Third Division to a celebration dinner at Buckerell Lodge Hotel following last night's Devon Professional Bowl match against Plymouth Argyle, it turned out to be a double celebration as the players took along the Devon Professional Bowl which they won by defeating Argyle 4-0.