Despite the importance of the game and the continuance of really beautiful weather, not more than 20,000 turned out to witness the international match between England and Wales at Anfield-road, Liverpool, yesterday afternoon. The Mersey city is one of the greatest football centres in the kingdom, but its enthusiasts have had an overdose of the game recently, whilst, of course, the fact that it was a mid-week event militated against the attendance. The Welsh element was, however, a strong force—no doubt in the hope of seeing England worse confounded that had been Scotland at Wrexham three weeks ago. In that they were disappointed, for the English eleven were returned the winners by three goals to one. At least the Welshmen need admit to no great inferiority. Eight minutes from time the score stood at one goal each, and at the moment few of the spectators would have asserted thus far England had been the better team. The game will rank as one of the poorest of internationals, and upon their display the prospect of the Englishmen against Scotland at the Crystal Palace on Saturday next would be very poor but for the inconsistent form the Scots have themselves been showing. The work of the home team was not entirely satisfactory in any department, but it was the forwards who were mostly at fault. S. Harris was at once the best shot and the worst forward on the field, however, contradictory the statement may appear. Whenever he shot he did so with speed and precision, and generally contrived to aim low, but on other occasions his hesitancy in front of goal was painfully apparent, he being robbed time after time; and his play in the open was execrable. Under the circumstances, H. P. Hardman might have been excused an indifferent display, but he shone resplendently throughout, being at once the best and the most effective forward in the side. Woodward played one of his best games in centre without being over dashing, the way he opened out the game being admirable. Bloomer did not get along together at all well on the right wing, but this was due not so much to their individual shortcomings as to the remarkably fine defensive play of Charles Morris and the two Hughes.
   The English halves were equally sound, without being brilliant, and taking the game throughout they were the most consistent line in the field. Spencer's judgment and Hebert Smith's powerful kicking were greatly admired, but neither of the backs impressed one as being equal to a first-class attack, Meredith and, at times, Oliver outpacing them with ease. On the Welsh side Roose in goal was very safe, and at times cleared in miraculous fashion. He was not to blame for any of the goals, though curiously enough he was the last to touch the ball in regard to two of them. Of the backs Morris was easily the better, Jones, of Notts Forest, who took the place of H. Blew, being far too slow to cope with Hardman. The Tottenham Hughes was the pick of the fairly good half-back line, Lathom, of Liverpool, who substituted Parry, being the weakest. The forwards were better balanced than their vis-a-vis, and consequently more difficult to cope with, but Oliver was not quite of the same class as the others, whilst Lot Jones, of Manchester City, who played instead of Atherton, was good and bad in turn. Meredith, the Welsh Bloomer, played up to his very high reputation, and his beautiful centres been taken advantage of Wales would probably have won. It will be gathered that the visitors had to make three changes in the constitution of their eleven, Blew, Parry, and Atherton—three rare players—being absent due to injuries, and no doubt were greatly missed.
   England gained a big advanatge in winning the toss, for not only was the wind blowing rather strongly almost from goal to goal, but a powerful sun shone brilliantly in the same direction. It was, therefore, strange to see Wales doing the initial attacking. Once they were beaten back, without having been dangerous, the English stayed at the other end some time, Woodward first shooting feebly, but Harris following immediately with a great effort, which Roose gained rounds of applause for clearing strongly. Hardman sent wide with a shot almost as speedy, and then Bloomer placed the ball in the net, after he had been declared offside. Harris was twice wide in the same minute, with furious attempts, and Bloomer was again offside as he shot over, Meredith experiencing similar luck at the other end without being penalised. Then Morris thrilled the crowd with a lightning flash across the goal-mouth, which Linacre could not have seen. The English custodian saved from Meredith, and for England Harris struck the bar with Roose in the air. A neat pass by Oliver gave G. Morris a chance, but he was just wide, and the interval arrived without score, just as Roose had saved grandly from Harris.
   In the second half the Englishmen had even more sunshine to contend with than had Wales in the first, but they were the first to make an invasion, and Hughes heading into his own goal, Roose fisted out almost into midfield. Eleven minutes of the half and fifty-six in all had done by when the first goal came along. Hardman raced down the left, and crossed to Bloomer, who placed forward for Bond to struggle for possession. The Preston youth for once got the better of Morris, and touching into goal, all that Woodward had to do was to push the ball past Roose in the mouth . Directly from the centre, Hardman gained possession, and he drove splendidly, Roose turning the ball behind with a touch of the foot at full stretch. Then Lathom and Hardman collided, the former clearly fouling. Both were cut, but Lathom rather badly over the eye and Hardman on his head. Lathom retired for attention, but he was back in a few minutes, in time to see Morris equalise for his side as the result of a brilliant effort by Meredith, who outpaced both Leake and Smith, and centred perfectly for the Nottingham forward to fire strongly past Linacre. Again Meredith got off, and again he centre to an inch, but this time—with the most glorious opening of the game—Watkins lifted the ball skywards and tried to hide himself in the earth for his rashness. It was the Welshman's last chance, for after Roose had saved miraculously from Woodward, Hardman, at the end of thirty-seven minutes, took the ball away from Jones and placed swiftly to Harris, who, in shooting, must have spun the ball at the two yards' range, for it struck Roose's leg, and curled into the net. Meredith made one dying effort for Wales, but received no support, and after Bloomer had made a bold bid for his usual international goal, and had been denied, Woodward rather luckily obtained England's third point just on time.
   To be beaten so late in the game Wales were most unlucky, and if England were, perhaps, entitled to the verdict of a disappointing game, it was only by the narrowest of margins. 
   

England beat Wales, at Liverpool, yesterday, by three goals to one. It was a splendid game, but England were, perhaps, rather fortunate to win by the margin of two goals. Wales played good, hard football and Meredith, the Welsh outside right, was certainly the most prominent forward on the field. At half-back Wales were strong and skilful, and were continually breaking up the English attack by their superior tackling...
The first goal of the match was scored by Woodward, and England held this lead until a quarter of an hour from " time." Then came A. G. Morris's goal from a wonderful centre by Meredith. Wales nearly got through again and then, with scarcely ten minutes to play, S. S. Harris scored from a rebound off Roose, Woodward getting the third goal from a scrimmage just before the close. Fine weather favoured the game and there was an attendance of 20,000 spectators.