The second of the English
international contests under Association rules took place at Newcastle,
yesterday, and resulted in a victory for England, who defeated the
representatives of Wales by six goals to none. Inasmuch as Wales drew
with Scotland at Wrexham two or three weeks ago the success of the
English players yesterday was very gratifying, especially after the
severe reverse which the English League team sustained at Glasgow, for
included in the Scottish eleven which could not beat Wales were the
majority of the men who represented the Scottish League on Saturday. Had
yesterday's contest taken place under favourable conditions Englishmen
might be quite hopeful of the result of the match against Scotland at
the end of next week. The weather proved bright and cold, and the wind,
if fresh, blew across the field of play, but unfortunately there had
been a lot of rain during the few previous days, and a downpour
yesterday morning reduced the turf at St. James's Park to a deplorable
state. So muddy and soft was the ground that had the players failed to
combine at all effectively no one could have been surprised. As it
happened they rose to the occasion in the most spirited fashion, and the
8,000 or 10,000 people present saw some remarkably good football. No
doubt, with the ground slippery and the ball sodden, an element of luck
entered into much that happened, so that it would not be wise to attach
great importance to the result. Certainly England were the better side,
but the difference between the two elevens did not amount to anything
like half-a-dozen goals. For fully half an hour England failed to score,
and at the interval all that they could claim was a single goal, kicked
by Bloomer, after some clever work between Needham, Corbett, and
Foster...
Within five minutes of the
change of ends came England's second point, one of the Welshmen tripping
Foster within the 12 yards line and Needham making no mistake in taking
the penalty kick...
Another piece of foul play
outside the 12 yards line gave England a free kick. Needham took it,
turning the ball over to Foster, and, although the amateur's shot was
kept out, Bloomer got up and gave Roose no chance of saving...
...Before the finish, however,
came three goals in quick succession. The first of these Bennett helped
Bloomer to get, the latter's final shot hitting the inside of the
upright. A minute later Foster dribbled down and scored, and then a
miskick by Morris let in Bloomer. Once more the Derby County-man duly
seized the opportunity, and he put on a sixth goal for England...
- The Times - Tuesday
19th March, 1901
IN OTHER NEWS...
It was on 18 March
1901 that an inquest was held into the deaths of four people in a house
fire, three days earlier, at Upper Norwood in London.