The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post reported on 14th January 1890.

"A madly exciting match between these teams was played at Exeter yesterday before a crowd of just over 2,000 spectators. The Welsh team was taking the place of Lancashire, which disappointed Devon,and considerable interest was centred in the result. Both combinations were fairly strong, and, as the result shows, pretty evenly balanced. In the first half Devon proved quite equal to their opponents, but towards the close of the match showed signs of tiring. Collier kicked off on a greasy ground, and after some pretty work by Thomas and Webb, Gould got away with a spanking run, and seemed certain to score. He passed all but Middleton, and was just going to dart over the line when he slipped, and the chance was gone. Davis, Wilcocks, and Sutthery, Devon's threequarter men, then shone, but the Newport quartet commenced passing with telling effect. Davis got in some good punts, and once nearly dropped a goal. England, Newport's back, had plenty to do, and did it well, gaining a lot of ground by his kicks into touch. At half-time each side had saved twice. After changing over Newport commenced the passing game, and Webb was pegging away with the ball in his hands when Sutthery "grassed" him. This was well backed up by some fine forward rushes, until the visiting pack, screwing scrum after scrum, and getting the better of the loose, worked down upon the Devon goal line, where C.J.Thomas nearly got over. Then Packer sent out the oval to Gould, who just missed dropping a goal. Two mauls in Devon's goal followed, but the pressure was relieved. It was only, however, for a moment; for the oval was soon back again on the home line. Here Packer sent out to Gould, and all the Devon men standing still, as if the whistle had blown, he had a walk over, and landed between the uprights. England sent up a goal. Devon now made a last effort to score, but the defence was too good for them, and one of the best matches ever played in the city ended in a victory for Newport, by a goal and three minors to two minors. Teams:- Newport - Back, T. England; threequarters, A.J.Gould, C.J.Thomas, and W.Webb; half-backs, Parfett and Down; forwards, T.C.Graham, J.Hannen, G.Edwards, W.Watts, W.Dowell, F.Hancock, H.Day and H.Packer. Devon - Back, Middleton(Barnstaple); threequarters, H.Holmes-Davies(Albion), A.M.Sutthery and J.Wilcocks(Exeter); half-backs, J.Davies(Torquay) and Labbett(Crediton); forwards, C.Collier, captain (Tiverton), J.R.Harper(Barnstaple), W.Lucas(Exeter), W.Ashford(Exeter), G.Hawking(Totquay), F.H.Toller(Barnstaple), M.W.Ball(Newton), G.Boddy(Crediton), and D.Williams(Cambridge)."