Three Changes in City Team:
Saturday, September 23rd 1911. Southern League.

BRENTFORD v EXETER CITY

A great deal of interest was attached to Exeter City's trip to Brentford today, for they took the journey with an unbeaten certificate, and were opposed to the side which, until last Saturday, were at the top of the Southern League table. The Exeter players were in a determined mood, for victory today carried with it the probability of Exeter going to the top of the League next week at the expense of Queen's Park Rangers.
Although Brentford announced on Thursday that they would be at full strength for today's match, they dropped a "bombshell" yesterday by the statement that they had come to terms with Clyde, the Scottish League club, for the transfer of Reid, their sharp-shooting centre forward, and that he would appear in Scotland today. Reid, in fact, performed the "hat-trick" for Brentford against the City last season.

Exeter's Changes.
Exeter also had to make changes. Garside, the day he was picked as outside-left for the Southern League XI against the Irish League, was laid up with a bad attack of tonsilitis, and his appearance was out of the question, while Prideaux pulled a muscle in Wednesday's match, and also had to be rested. The amateur, Kent, was chosen at outside-left, and Parnell made a return on the other wing.

BRENTFORD:
Ling
Rhodes Cleverly
Barclay Allen Hickleton
Brawn Sibbald Rouse Hendren Anderson

Referee:- Mr R. Marshall, of Kettering.

Kent Lockett Rutter Watson Parnell Griffiths Pratt Bassett
Coates Evans
Whittaker
CITY:

A drizzling rain was falling when the party left St.David's at 10.17 this morning. The weather was ideal at Brentford, how ever, when the team arrived there by taxis from Paddington at 2.15. The news was to hand then that Rouse, the ex-Everton and Chelsea forward, had been signed on last night, and would play in Reid's place, whilst as Hamilton was not quite fit, Allen, a local youth, was down to play his initial match in senior football. The usual crowd of London Devonians were among the early arrivals, sporting the City colours. 

The Grecians were first out, and Whittaker got a sporting reception from his old crowd. Watson lost the toss, but the disadvantage was only slight. Exeter attacked from the start, and got through on the right wing, Watson's shot going just wide. Allen handled when the ball was going out to Rutter, but the free kick was wasted by Bassett, shooting too hard and too high. The Brentford forwards made a spasmodic burst, only for Sibbald to send behind from about twenty yards out. Watson then dribbled through the opposition, but when he passed to the left Ling ran out and kicked clear. Brawn got moving, and avoiding an attempted charge by Griffiths, sent over a lovely centre, only for Rouse to be offside. Whittaker punched out a shot from Anderson, who was given the ball following clever combination between Rouse and Brawn.

After ten minutes' play Exeter took the lead, Lockett, with a great shot, netting the ball following a free kick taken by Bassett. Exeter kept it up, and Cleverly, in trying to kick away a centre from Lockett, gave his own goalkeeper a shot to save. Fouls were given against Griffiths and Rouse, and play returned to midfield. The City were still holding their own quite capably, and Coates was prominent in the defence.

Rutter and Parnell, in quick succession, were pulled up for offside, and Hendren, the Middlesex County cricketer, shot weakly from a good position. Rouse sent high over the bar when he could have centred to Brawn, and at the Brentford end Kent shot wide from Parnell's centre. The game was very exciting, and being played at a fast pace, and Coates checked Rouse near the goal-line. Watson forced a corner, and Rhodes cleared Pratt's header with a huge volley. Brentford came through with a fast rush, and Evans saved the situation for Exeter by heading out from virtually beneath the crossbar.

Brentford Equalise.

The Londoners were very persistent now, and forced several corners, all of which cleared amid great excitement. Rutter was given offside from Lockett's pass, and for some minutes long kicking was the order of the day, Rhodes and Evans rivalling one another with huge volleys. There was less than eight minutes to go before half-time when a foul throw was given against Bassett. The ball lobbed about in front of goal from the free kick until Rutter got possession. He ran almost the length of the field, but his final shot was saved by Ling. Barclay, from a free-kick, gave Whittaker a difficult curling shot to deal with. Griffiths bowled Brawn over, and the linesman signalled for a penalty but Mr Marshall vetoed it. A minute later, however, Hendren nipped in and equalised for Brentford amid an outburst of cheering. The score at half time was:
Brentford 1, Exeter City 1.

Brentford were the stronger side after the interval, and always seemed likely winners. They obtained the lead as the result of a delightful pass by Rouse to Hendren, who had only to kick the ball straight to succeed, as Whittaker appeared taken by surprise and made no effort to save. Hendren was also instrumental in the scoring of the third goal, coming through at a fast pace and then sending the ball across for Sibbald to drive it on to the post and thence into the net.
Result:
BRENTFORD 3-1 EXETER CITY.

The City met with their first defeat of the season, despite taking the lead early in the game. They went all to pieces for a while after Brentford's second goal, for which Whittaker was to blame. All three half backs played well, however, against a forward line of high class, and although Griffiths at first showed a tendency to play too far forward he then settled down to an excellent afternoon's work against the always elusive Brawn.

CITY RESERVES V ROYAL MARINES. Plymouth League.

Exeter City Reserves played their first League match of the season this afternoon at St. James's Park, winning comfortably by four clear goals. A strong team was fielded, including three professionals, and Knight, the son of the vicar of Topsham, was given a trial at inside-right.

Reserves:- Chapman; Fort, White; Rigby, Martin, Clarke; Whittaker, Knight, Bailey, Taylor, and Lewis.

Marines: Prince; Latcham, Reeves; Whitnell, Dixon, Eldershaw; Williams, Yeo, Wells, Cliffe, and Star.


Wednesday, September 27th 1911. Friendly, at Home Park.
ARGYLE V EXETER CITY.

The match at Home Park turned out to be by far the best in the series of "friendlies" between Argyle and the City so far. There was a £30 gate, and the game was thoroughly enjoyed.

After some early skirmishing round the Plymouth end, the City took the lead through Parnell, and this was maintained until the interval. No further scoring occurred until about ten minutes from time, when Sutherland equalised.

Argyle: Horne; Forbes, Atterbury; McCormick, Wilcox, Baker; Burch, Sutherland, Boden, Hedley, and Holden.

City: Whittaker; Fort, Coates; Rigby, Pratt, Griffiths; Parnell, Watson, Taylor, Lockett, and Cornan.

Exeter were good value for their point, and until the last half-hour did by far the major portion of the attacking. The Parnell and Watson wing was easily the best on the field. In the final stages, when the Argyle pressed, Whittaker was in fine form, while Fort, who gave of his best, created a very favourable impression. If all "friendlies" were contested in the same determined spirit as this was, they would enjoy popularity which they have never known in the past.
Result:
Plymouth Argyle 1-1 Exeter City

• "Tiger" Smith, Exeter City's centre-forward of last season, has been transferred from Burnley to Croydon Common.

The following team will represent the Southern League v the Irish League next Saturday,
at Windsor Park, Belfast.

Johnson (Crystal Palace) goal;
Brittan (Northampton Town) and Robertson (Southampton) backs;
Booth (Brighton and Hove), Bradley (Coventry City), and Randall (West Ham), half-backs;
Jefferson and Fleming (Swindon Town), Peart (Stoke), Moody (Luton Town), and Garside (Exeter City), forwards.