Saturday, December 2nd 1911.
SOUTHERN LEAGUE:
LEYTON v EXETER CITY.

Leyton have been deprived of a home engagement for some time now owing to Cup-ties intervening, but by losing their tie last Monday the Grecians were enabled to pay their annual visit to the Essex club this afternoon, when two thousand spectators assembled in dull weather. Exeter once again had to make team changes. Garside had not recovered from the injury he sustained at Bristol, and though Enos Whittaker was selected at outside-right he was far from being fully fit. Rutter was dropped, and the centre-forward position given to F. Chenneour, of the Reserves. Rigby was brought in at right-half with Bassett in the centre, and Garside's place on the left wing was given to Griffiths. The Rev. Kenneth Hunt made a welcome reappearance in the home side.

LEYTON Whitbourne Busby Newton Hunt Bell Gray Holland Buchanan Buchan Shanks Burrell
Referee: Mr R.P.Dommett, of Portsmouth.
CITY Whittaker (W) Evans Coates Rigby Bassett Prideaux Whittaker (E) Watson Chenneour Cornan Griffiths 

Leyton were successful with the coin, and Exeter had to face the breeze. The City opened the attack in determined
fashion, Bassett pushing the ball forward to Chenneour, but Newton got in the way of the shot. Hunt then beat Griffiths to the ball and set his own forwards on the move, Buchan racing
through with Evans in close pursuit, the home centre-forward being forced over the goal-line. Cornan tested Whitbourne with an awkward shot, and Buchan transferred play up to the Exeter end, where Coates relieved with a long kick. A pass from Bassett put Cornan in possession, and Exeter's forwards crowded round the Leyton goal until Hunt plunged in and got the ball away from Griffiths. It went up the field to Shanks, the old Irish International, who is renowned for his shooting powers, and that worthy promptly demonstrated that feature of his play with a fierce drive which whistled just past the upright.

A duel for the ball between Chenneour and Bell was won by the new City centre, who then initiated a sparkling movement which would have resulted in a goal had Corman shot a little more accurately. However, Exeter continued to press, a fine centre from Whittaker being netted by Cornan, but the goal was disallowed for offside, a very doubtful decision. Leyton then took a turn to attack, but it was very weak, and Coates coolly stepped in and cleared his lines. Shortly afterwards, however, Evans completely misjudged the flight of the ball as he rushed out to clear, and Shanks went through but his centre was headed over the bar by Buchan. More work was now being thrust upon the Exeter defence, but Leyton were unable to take advantage, and at the interval the score was:
LEYTON 0-0 EXETER CITY

On resuming Leyton forced the pace, Whittaker being called upon to save from Shanks. Exeter soon reasserted themselves, however, and Watson centred for Griffiths to put in a fast shot, which Whitbourne saved. A splendid run by Holland took play to the other end, but the final shot went over the bar. Watson got through and transferred to Cornan, but again the latter's shot was too hasty, and went yards over the bar. Buchan then got away on his own but failed to beat Walter Whittaker. The game was now being very evenly contested, but the finishing work of both sets of forwards left a lot to be desired. Apart a bright opening Chenne our was not much in evidence at centre-forward, and apart from being too slow he did not seem to have any idea at all of how to keep his line together. A combined move by the Leyton forwards was halted by W. Whittaker fisting out from Buchan, then a huge clearance by Prideaux was followed up by E. Whittaker, whose shot was punched straight back to him by Whitbourne and rebounded over the goal-line from Whittaker's legs. Leyton began to force the pace towards the close, and in the gathering gloom Whittaker had some anxious moments in the Exeter goal. A miskick by Evans let in Buchan, but his shot went just a few feet wide. No further incident of any note occurred, and the match ended, as did last Saturday's against Coventry, without a goal being scored by either side. It was essentially a game which brought to the front the splendid defence possessed by both Leyton and the City, but Exeter should have crossed over at half-time with a lead by virtue of the chances that came their way and were missed. The second half was more evenly contested, but both the defences remained firm. During the last ten minutes the light began to fail, and it might have been good policy to have started earlier.

CITY RESERVES v TORQUAY TOWN. Plymouth and District League.

Exeter City Reserves were engaged in a Plymouth & District League match today at St. James's Park against Torquay Town, who headed the table and had played ten matches without losing any. They had drawn against the R.G.A., and at St. Austell, and had won the rest. They were at full strength today with the exception of Dean, whose place at centre-half was taken by P.C.Evans, the Welsh amateur international and former City player. Exeter were strongly represented, with Fort, Rutter, and Lockett included, though White was absent. Teams :

EXETER: Chapman; Fort, and Labbett; Pym, Martin, and Clarke; Arscott, Lockett, Rutter, Taylor, and Drew.

TORQUAY: Paltridge; W. Cudlipp, and J.Cudlipp; Simmons, Evans, and Hill; Luscombe, Singlehurst, Glinn, Pridham, and Reed.
Referee:- Q.M.Sgt. Rundle, of Plymouth.

Showers of rain fell before the start, and the crowd was a small one. Torquay, in brilliant scarlet jerseys with black shoulder bands, won the toss, and Rutter kicked off towards the St. James's Road end at 2.55. Martin stopped the opposing forwards and put the ball out to Taylor, who fed Drew, but the move petered out with one of the Cudlipps making a timely clearance. A free kick was given to Exeter for a foul on Fort, but no advantage was gained from it. Martin again checked a Torquay rush, but Labbett had his kick charged down, and Chapman had to come out to save from Glinn, the old Green Waves player. Four players got to the ball in a group, and the leather went sailing over the bar. Fort then cleared from a further attack, and Chapman had to field a long, hard drive from Evans. Lockett subsequently put in a fast cross shot, which Paltridge tipped over the bar for a corner. Arscott however, failed badly with the flag kick, sending the ball behind. Arscott was given offside after Pym and Lockett had worked out a move, while W. Cudlipp, with Rutter following up, sent a long pass back to his goalkeeper. At the other end a centre from Singlehurst went begging right across the goalmouth.

Defence at Fault.
Chapman was fouled on his own line after gathering smartly from Glinn, and the referee promptly whistled for a free kick, though Torquay protested that the goalkeeper had been fairly charged into his own net. Rutter was badly fouled by one of the Cudlipps, but this went unpunished by the referee. Clarke charged Glinn off the ball after the centre had got past three men to within shooting range, and then Singlehurst opened the scoring for Torquay with a good header from Reed's centre. This goal was entirely the fault of Exeter's defence for not coming out and getting to grips with Reed before he got to the goal-line.

Half-time:
Torquay Town 1, City Reserves 0.

Second Half.
Torquay forced a corner soon after the restart. This was cleared by Fort, and then some unpleasantness crept into the game with Hill and Rutter at loggerheads, and "squaring up" to each other, boxing fashion. A lively scrimmage took place round Paltridge's goal, and a free kick against Exeter brought relief to the defenders. Clarke was fouled, but the free kick was made poor use of, and Lockett eventually shot wide. Pridham just failed for Torquay with an overhead kick from a ground centre by Singlehurst, and the visitors were again prominent with good attacking moves. Taylor failed with a high shot, when he was in an easy position, and a tremendous drive by Lockett rebounded off the goalkeeper for a corner, but Arscott put the flag kick into the side of the net. Result: Torquay 1, City Reserves 0.