EXETER CITY V WATFORD.
Saturday, December 30th 1911.
SOUTHERN LEAGUE

Watford were the visitors to St. James's Park today, and perhaps chief interest in their visit lay in the fact that their custodian was Webster, a man who has piled up a very big reputation this season and is considered by many good judges to be the best goalkeeper in the country, and certainly in the Southern League, even including Shaw of Queen's Park Rangers. The City played their first match of the season at Watford, and divided the points in a goalless draw. Before to - day's match Exeter were 17th in the League, with only Lut on Town, Leyton, and New Brompton being worse off. The visitors, who were beaten at Cassio Road by Luton Town on Boxing Day, lacked the services of F. Gregory, injured, and his brother, V. Gregory, was therefore introduced into the side at centre-forward, Dixon being moved to inside-right. Lockett, the club captain, was reinstated at right-back, and altogether Watford brought down a very good representative team. Exeter City, as usual this season, could boast no such favourable circumstances, for Prideaux, Coates, Parnell, Pratt, Garside, and Chapman were still on the injured list, whilst last night doubts arose whether Walt Whittaker and Cornan, who had been picked, would be able to take part in the match. For Whittaker had his hand trodden on in the Boxing Day match at Exeter, and Cornan was still showing effects of the injury he sustained in the same match. In consequence, therefore, Crute of Babbacombe, and T.R.Kent were called in.
Teams :
CITY Crute Evans Fort Rigby Bassett Griffiths Whittaker(E) Lockett Watson Kent Rutter

Referee:- Mr G.H.Muir, of Southampton.
Linesmen: - Sgt. R. Green and Q.M.S. Rundle.
WATFORD Webster Stewart Lockett Blythe Grimsdell Bulling Squires White Gregory (V) Dixon Tattersall

The attendance was in the region of five thousand when the teams came out. The pitch resembled a sea of mud, especially at the far end, and a large quantity of sand, sawdust, and cinders had been spread around each goalmouth. Watson lost the toss, and Watford chose to defend the City end. Watson at once got through but his long pass to E.Whittaker went over the goal line. Gregory was offside from Squires pass, and after Webster had fielded from Whittaker the Watford outside-left again got moving. He passed Fort and swung the leather across to the opposite wing, but from Tattersall's pass Dixon shot wide. Brilliant heading between Watson and Whittaker took play to the other end, Watson eventually screwing the ball over from a difficult angle. Webster then saved a "pile-driver" by the Exeter Lockett, and Whittaker made a bad centre, but atoned for his error just afterwards with a beautifully judged long shot which Webster saved near the post. A slip by Griffiths let Tattersall through, and Crute was brought into action for the first time, handling a back pass from Evans. Enos Whittaker showed the crowd what he could do by going off with the ball at a great pace past Blythe and Stewart. His final shot hit the bottom of the crossbar and bounced down, Kent being too slow to turn it to account. Crute distinguished himself by making too great saves from Gregory, and half-time arrived with nothing scored.
Second Half.
Watford quickly showed their determination upon resuming, and Crute had to save a header by Dixon, while Fort cleared a centre from Tattersall. A three-man move by the City inside trio looked promising, but Webster came out to intercept the centre. Rutter spoiled another good move by getting offside, and in a Watford attack Crute expertly saved a stinging shot from Dixon. The City forwards were now shaping in a haphazard way, and could not get going properly at all. Watford, in this half, were repeatedly dangerous, and from a centre by Squires Gregory touched in a shot that Crute ran out to but missed, and the ball passed to the back of the rigging for the first goal. White looked like repeating the dose just afterwards, but this time Crute made no mistake and saved well. Exeter made a brief raid, but Watford were soon back again, and Tattersall, from whom most of the danger stemmed, dribbled past Griffiths and Evans. Griffiths ran back and this time got the ball, but in doing so conceded a corner from which nothing resulted, and after Crute had saved Evans cleared his lines. Rutter almost got through for the City, but Webster came out and smothered the ball, but before he could clear Watson came dashing through and charged him over the goal-line for a corner. The kick was well placed by Whittaker, and made a good save from a header by Griffiths. Exeter attacked Webster again, and Blythe nearly put through his own goal. Webster brought off a very plucky save from the scrimmage which then followed. There was now only five minutes remaining, and the game seemed as good as lost. Tattersall skied over from a fairly good position, then Crute saved from White and was stunned in a collision with a Watford forward, following up. At the other end Whittaker put an intended centre behind the goal line.
WATFORD 1-0 CITY
Last season: City 2 Watford 0.
In 1909-10: City 1 Watford 1.

Comments.
Compared to the Boxing Day encounter it was a poor game at St. James's Park, and Watford quite deserved their victory by the only goal scored. This latest defeat places the City in a very precarious position, and a great improvement is needed, particularly in the shooting by the forwards, if any progress is to be made. This failure was a primary cause of their non success against Watford, and in the first half especially they should have scored at least once. Exeter again had William Crute, of Babbacombe and Devon County, in goal, and he performed valiantly apart from one slip, which unfortunately resulted in Watford scoring.

TORPOINT v CITY RESERVES.
At Torpoint, the Reserves lost their fourth successive match in the Plymouth and District League, going down by 3-2 after being two goals in arrears at half-time. Pound opened the scoring, and Rouse added a second goal in the first half. Goodall increased the lead after the interval, then a late rally by the City resulted in Bailey getting two goals.

• EXETER'S NEW CENTRE.
  A. Tompkinson, a centre-forward from Doncaster Rovers, has been transferred to Exeter City on a month's trial. Tompkinson previously played for Glossop, and last season scored four goals in eight Second Division appearances for the Derbyshire club. He was born at Burslem 23 years ago, and is 5ft. 9ins. in height and weighs 11st.101b. He is described as being strong, robust, and fearless, and a go-ahead player.