|
On Saturday last the international match, according to the
rules of the Football Association, was played on the Surrey Cricket
Ground in London. The weather during the morning was anything but
inviting, as rain threatened, and at two o'clock matters had become
still worse by a slight drizzle, which continued until the close of
the game, and no doubt considerably reduced the number of visitors.
Still there were over a thousand spectators, including the Marquis of
Lorne, the President of the Scottish Football Association. Three
o'clock was the hour fixed for commencing, and punctually at that hour
the two elevens took the field. The choice of positions fell to
Rawson, the English captain, but there was no material benefit derived
therefrom. The Englishmen occupied the western goal, and three minutes
after three o'clock Campbell kicked off for Scotland. The Englishmen
for the first few minutes were busy in Scottish quarters. Cursham and
Wollaston distinguished themselves by some good runs. The first event
on the Scotch side was a general rush of the forwards into the English
lines, and after some clever passing M'Dougal made a good run, and the
result was a corner kick to Scotland. Campbell's shot at goal was not
well directed, and a fine run along the upper side by Cursham and
Wollaston placed the Scottish goal in danger, Wollaston driving the
ball sharply just over the bar. The Scottish team were then pressed
for a short time, but they rallied, and after a neat run M'Gregor shot
one hard to the goal-keeper, which he just managed to turn aside.
Again the ball approached the lines of Scotland, but a splendid piece
of play between M'Dougall, Smith, and Ferguson took the ball quickly
up the ground, and after some very clever passing Ferguson secured a
goal for Scotland amidst loud applause twenty-two minutes after the
commencement. Soon after the kick off Campbell failed to utilise
another corner kick, and then Lyttelton made a fine run, following it
up with a very bold and clean shot, which just went over the bar. A
run by Mosforth and Stratford along the lower side took the ball up to
the Scottish goal, and the latter had a very easy shot, which he
missed altogether. Hands near to the Scotch fortress gave Rawson a
chance, but M'Geoch managed to get the ball behind. A corner kick now
fell to England, and Wollaston nearly got the ball through; another
corner kick immediately afterwards falling to the English team. Soon
afterwards halftime was called, and end were changed. The Scotchmen
now assumed the offensive, and as the back play, which the exception
of that of Bury, who played right well throughout, England began to be
pressed. A good run by Bain was well checked by Vallance, and
immediately after Phillips stopped Lyttelton just as he was about to
make his shot. Smith now got the ball behind the English goal line,
and then a dash of the Scottish forwards took the ball in front of the
English posts, and after a short scrimmage between the posts. England
next had a kick for hands not far from the Scottish goal, and this
enabled them to keep the ball well up in the quarters of Scotland.
Cursham, Lyttelton, and Mosforth, playing well together, got the ball
in front, and after a scrimmage, at two minutes to four o'clock, a
goal was scored for England, Lyttelton sending the ball sharply
against the bar, so that it fell under. M'Geoch had some difficulty in
getting rid of the ball after a pretty run by Cursham, and Bain and
M'Kinnon for their respective sides showed some clever dribbling.
Campbell next sent the ball just over the bar of the English goal, and
then an unfortunate piece of handling by England gave Scotland a free
kick within a yard of the opposite goal. The result was that at 4.12
o'clock Ferguson landed the third goal for Scotland. A fine run by
Lyttelton and Wollaston next imperiled the Scottish goal, and after a
corner kick by Bury, Cursham drove the ball over the Scottish bar.
Some good runs were made about this period for England by Mosforth and
Cursham, but the Scotchmen again were the assailants, and after a
corner kick the ball was taken over the English line. A corner kick
fell to England, but without result, and then Betts was just in time
to divert the ball after a good run by M'Dougall, Smith, and Richmond.
Another unsuccessful corner kick to Scotland followed, and then time
was called at 4.33—Scotland winning a good match by three goals to
one. Owing to illness J. Blower was absent on the Scottish side, but
the team played well together, and the backs all played well. Cursham
played exceedingly well for England and did any amount of while, while
Bury's kicking was fine throughout. Otherwise the play was not so good
as might have been expected, the forwards playing very selfishly.
|
flg.jpg){kind=small}
England
Team
Scotland
Team
England
Football Online
