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 		 Saturday, 19 March 1887
 British International Championship 1886-87 (4th) Match
 
 England 2 Scotland 3 [1-1]
  

Leamington Street, Wagtail, Blackburn, Lancashire
Kick-off (GMT): ''punctually, at half past three'; 'within a few minutes of 3 30'; 'at 3.32'; 'at 25 minutes to four'.
 Attendance: 'upwards of 12,000'; '12,000 spectators who were present'.

Norman Bailey won the toss William Sellar kicked-off
 

[1-1] Tinsley Lindley 32
 'after Macaulay had thrown away'		 [0-1] James McCall 30
 'McCall got off and outpacing Bailey and Walters had no difficulty in shooting'

[2-2] Fred Dewhurst 51
 'a good pass by Bambridge'
 The Daily Mail match report states that Cobbold deflected in Dewhurst's shot. The goal was appealed against for offside, but allowed		 [1-2] Leitch Kier free-kick 50
 foul awarded for hands

[2-3] Jimmy Allan 53
 'rushed the leather past Roberts, three goals being scored in three minutes'
"Owing to the recent bad weather the ground was very wet and slippery"
 

Match Summary
Officials [umpires and referees are of equal relevance]

England

Team Records

Scotland
Umpires
Richard Philip Gregson
34 (9 March 1853), Clitheroe
Lancashire FA secretary		 Richard Browne           
Queen's Park FC & SFA President   Other reports state that Tom Lawrie was the Scottish umpire.
Referee
John Sinclair
 31 (27 August 1855), Belfast (Irish FA) P 3 W 0 D 1 L 2 F 3 A 5
played in the 1882 England-Ireland fixture
   

England Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 2nd		 Colours "some arrayed in their spotless white flannels and trousers, and others in white flannels and black unmentionables".
Captain Norman Bailey Selection The Football Association Committee following trial games, with Secretary Charles W. Alcock having the primary influence, on Monday, 7 March 1887.
most captaincies so far
P 15 of 15 - W 6 - D 3 - L 6 - F 40 - A 28.¹ P 31 of 31 - W 14 - D 5 - L 12 - F 97 - A 61.
England Lineup
 (a record-equalling low one change to the previous match)
17   Roberts, Robert J. 23
91 days		 18 December 1863 G

West Bromwich Albion FC

 1 3ᵍᵃ
139 first Albionite to represent England
  Walters, Percy M. 23
170 days		 30 September 1863 RB Old Carthusians AFC & Corinthians FC 7 0
  Walters, Arthur M. 22
52 day		 26 January 1865 LB Cambridge University AFC, Old Carthusians AFC & Corinthians FC 5 0
  Haworth, George 22
211 days		 17 October 1864 RHB Accrington FC 3 0
  Bailey, Norman C. 29
239 days		 23 July 1857 CHB

 		 Clapham Rovers FC & Corinthians FC 19 1
 
oldest player to represent England competitively so far
one of two who became the last player born in 1850's		 most experienced captain & most apps
final app 1878-87
  Forrest, James H. 22
268 day		 24 June 1864 LHB Blackburn Rovers FC 9 0
  Lofthouse, Joseph M. 21
339 days		 14 April 1865 OR Blackburn Rovers FC 5 0
Dewhurst, Frederick 23
93 days		 16 December 1863 IR Preston North End FC & Corinthians FC 5 5
Lindley, Tinsley 21
143 days		 27 October 1865 CF

Nottingham Forest FC, Cambridge University AFC & Corinthians FC

 6 8
  Cobbold W. Nevill 24
43 days		 4 February 1863 IL Old Carthusians AFC & Corinthians FC 9 6
final app 1883-87
  Bambridge, E. Charles
 		 28
232 days		 30 July 1858 OL  Swifts FC & Corinthians FC
 		 18 12
most gls
one of two who became the last player born in 1850's final app 1879-87
reserves: Herby Arthur (Blackburn Rovers FC, goal); Frank Coulton (Aston Villa FC) and Bob Howarth (Preston North End FC, backs); Andrew Amos (Old Carthusians AFC) and Frank Saunders (Swifts FC, forwards).
team notes: Arthur and Percy Walters are the first set of brothers to play in the same team five times.
Charlie Bambridge's brothers, Ernest, played for England in 1876, and Arthur in 1881-84.
Charlie Bambridge is the second England player to make eighteen appearances, whereas James Forrest and Nevill Cobbold are the fourth/fifth to make nine appearances.
Percy Walters is the ninth player to make seven appearances, Tinsley Lindley is the twelfth player to make six and Arthur Walters, Joe Lofthouse and Fred Dewhurst take the total number of players who have made at least five appearances to twenty.
Only 24 players have made four or more England appearances, whereas 39 players have done so for more than three, only 68 have done so more than once.
records: This defeat puts an end to England's record unbeaten record of nine matches that had been in place since March 1884. It also ends their unbeaten Home record of five matches. They have, however, created a new record of playing 280 minutes without conceding a goal at Home.
This is the first occasion that all ten outfield players have remained unchanged from the previous match.
Norman Bailey continues to hold on to and extend the world appearance record.
 
2-3-5 Roberts -
P.Walters, A.Walters -
Haworth, Bailey, Forrest -
Lofthouse, Dewhurst, Lindley, Cobbold, Bambridge
Averages: Age 23 years 332 days Appearances/Goals 7.9     2.7
most experienced team so far

England previous teams vs. Scotland:
1886:

Arthur

P.Walters

A.Walters

Forrest

Squire

Bailey

Spilsbury

Brann

 Lindley

Cobbold

Bambridge
1887:

Roberts

 Haworth Bailey Forrest Lofthouse Dewhurst

 

Scotland Team
 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 1st		 Colours "Most of the Scotties wore a sombre costume, dark blue jerseys and black unmentionables being the prevailing dress".
Captain Jimmy McAuley Selection The Scottish Football Association Selection Committee, chosen, following a trial match, on Tuesday, 8 March 1887.
P 1 of 2, W 1 - D 0 - L 0 - F 3 - A 2.
Scotland Lineup
  McAuley, James 26
203 days		 28 August 1860 G Dumbarton FC 8 1
 7ᵍᵃ
  Arnott, Walter 25
311 days		 12 May 1861 RB Queen's Park FC 7 0
  Forbes, John 25
65 days		 13 January 1862 LB Vale of Leven FC 4 0
  Kelso, Robert Robison 21
168 days		 2 October 1865 RHB Renton FC 4 0
131   Auld, John Robertson 25
71 days		 7 January 1862 CHB Third Lanark FC 1 0
Keir, Leitch 25
270 days		 22 June 1861 LHB Dumbarton FC 2 1
  Marshall, John 27
325 days		 28 April 1859 OR Third Lanark FC 3 1
132   Robertson, William 20
360 days		 24 March 1866 IR Dumbarton FC 1 0
  Sellar, William 22
149 days		 21 October 1864 CF Battlefield FC 3 0
McCall, James 22
17 days		 2 March 1865 IL Renton FC 2 2
133 Allan, James 20
275 days		 17 June 1866 OL Queen's Park FC 1 1
reserves: John Lindsay (Renton FC, goal); Andrew Hannah and Archibald McCall (both Renton FC, backs); James McGhee (Hibernian FC), A.Martin (Abercorn FC) and J.Hutton (St Bernard's FC, half-backs); Alexander Hamilton (Queen's Park FC) and William Groves (Hibernian FC, right-wing); John Lindsay (Rangers FC, centre); James Lowe (St. Bernard's FC) and C.McLaren (Vale of Leven FC, left-wing);
team notes: James McAuley played as a forward on his debut, scoring one of the five goals, against Wales, 25 March 1882.
2-3-5 McAuley -
Arnott, Forbes -
Kelso, Auld, Keir -
Marshall, Robertson, Sellars, McCall, Allan
Averages: Age 24 years 3 days Appearances/Goals 3.3 0.2

 
Match Report - York Herald, Monday, 21 March 1887 In Other News.....

The sixteenth annual contest between Association elevens representing England and this Scotland took place at Blackburn in fine weather, and in the presence of a large attendance. Owing to the recent bad weather the ground was very wet and slippery, and, of course, considerably affected the play. England won the toss, and Sellar started the ball for Scotland. The play at the start was very fast, and within the first ten minutes each goal-keeper had to save twice The Englishmen, who were playing in the wind, pressed their opponents, and Cobbold sent in two fine shots, which Macaulay, the Scotch goal-keeper, just saved A little later Macaulay had to handle the ball repeatedly, and then McColl got right away and scored a goal for Scotland after half an hour's play. Soon afterwards Lindley made matters even, and at half-time the score stood�one goal each. Within five minutes after changing ends 'hands' against England was given, and from Kier's free-kick a goal resulted for Scotland. The Englishmen played up splendidly, and directly afterwards equalised matters, the goal being appealed against but allowed. Then within a minute of the kick-off, Allan shot a third goal for Scotland. The English team made a fine effort to save the game, and forced their opponents to play on the defensive, Macaulay having to save shots from Bambridge, Cobbold, and Bailey. Though hard pressed the Scotchmen averted any further score, and the match ended in a victory for Scotland by three goals to two.
  

 

It was on 19 March 1887 that Father Keller, a Dublin priest, was imprisoned in Kilmainham Jail for refusing to disclose details relating to a bankruptcy case, on the grounds that they were given to him in confidence as a clergyman. He was released two months later by the Court of Appeal.

The Football Association this year decided to play the international match with Scotland at Blackburn. No more appropriate ground could have been chosen, considering the keen interest that has been taken in the game by the district and the skill shown there, a proof of which lies in the fact that previous to this season the national competition had been four times successfully carried off by Blackburn teams. Though threatening in the early morning, the weather proved bright and seasonable. This, however, had its drawback. The hot sun soon caused the frost to disappear, and by the time fixed for the start the turf was in an almost unplayable condition. Great preparation had been made for the match, and special trains from Scotland and other parts brought large numbers of visitors. It was estimated that there were upwards of 12,000 people present. Both teams were thoroughly representative. Within a few minutes of 3 30 the game was begun by Sellars, England at first playing down the incline, with the wind at their backs...
The home players again visited their rivals' half, but Arnott relieved his side by a long kick, while M'Coll finished up a splendid run along the left side and scored the first goal for Scotland. A very short time had elapsed, when a combined rush by the forwards ended in Lindley equalising matters...
 M'Coll and Allan resisted this invasion, and a free kick fell to the Scotchmen. This was undertaken by Keir with such judgement that the ball was scrimmaged through, and Scotland scored their second goal. Again the record was made level, Dewhurst scoring from a fine pass by Bambridge. Directly afterwards Allan registered a third goal for the Scotchmen; the last three points had been scored in less than five minutes... - The Times, Monday, 21 March 1887

 The play was very good considering that the men had to operate with a heavy and dirt-laden ball...
 Shooting was very difficult but Lindley and Bambridge were too slow in getting rid of the ball. Cobbold was good, but Dewhurst has been seen to better advantage, while the same might be said of the Walters brothers...
The contest was a match between goalkeepers and Roberts (England) fumbled twice and lost the match... - North British Daily Mail, Monday, 21 March 1887

 A. M. Walters handled the ball in trying to get it away, and Scotland had a free kick in front of the home citadel. The ball was rushed down at the forest of players round the goal, and seemed to pass all but keeper Roberts, who fancied someone had touched it, and got his hand on the leather but was charged through the goal, thus causing the registration of the second goal for Scotland.
 No sooner had the start been made from the centre than Dewhurst shot the ball in, and Cobbold helped it past Macauley, an appeal for offside being disallowed, and the scores were two each... - Daily Mail, Monday, 21 March 1887
Source Notes  
TheFA
Scottish FA
Cris Freddi's England Football Factbook
ScottishSportHistory: Andy Mitchell		 LondonHearts.com
The Football Association Yearbook
James Corbett's England Expects
Original Newspaper Reports
John Treleven
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