England could do no better than draw in their 'Soccer' international game with Wales at Fulham, yesterday, the result being one goal each, and a moderate game it was.
For this the high wind that prevailed was not wholly responsible, though it evidently handicapped the players.
Brilliant sunshine shone for the greater part of the match, and though the 22,000 people present may not have been over pleased with the display of some of the men, they at any rate, had a fair measure of excitement and favourable overhead conditions.
Curiously enough, the play ran in two distinct directions, and each side did best when having the wind adverse to them.
England began so well with the wind in their favour that they seemed to be all over Wales, and in the first three minutes the ball was forced into the net by Bloomer, only for the referee to disallow the points for 'hands.'
The glaring sun appeared to bother the players, especially the English, for a considerable space, and both the home backs miskicked; in fact, though they did many brilliant things, they gave one the impression of being unsound in the first half, and there were periods of unsteadiness in the second.
For some ten minutes England held the upper hand, Wedlock always showing up well, the little Bristol centre half getting in his kick remarkably well.
Suddenly the Welshmen appeared to be alive to the fact that they had W. Meredith on their outside right. He had been practically neglected, but he showed what a consummate artist he is when he was properly fed by Lot Jones and Lathom.
Time after time he sped down the wing and put in centres which deserved to score. He made his opponents look like mere hacks in front of him, and once he rushed three-parts the length of the field, beating Wall, Veitch, and Pennington in succession, and finishing with a great centre.
Pennington apparently did not know what to do with the Welsh wonder until after the ends were changed; then the scene altered entirely, Meredith being seldom seen to advantage.
It was from one of W. Meredith's passes that the only goal for Wales was scored twenty-five minutes after the start. He got the ball placed out to him, beat the backs, and sent in a wonderful centre from almost off the line. The ball whizzed past the goal-bar, but was quickly put back by Evans, and from among a forest of legs Lot Jones sent the ball through, Hardy being helpless.
Roose was given a lot of work after this, but he saved magnificently, first from a shot by Bloomer, and then from Wedlock. A minute later he made a frantic attempt to save a corner from a mis-kick by Lloyd-Davies, and all through the game, except that he twice left his goal open by running out, he showed what a splendid goalkeeper he is.
England should have got on terms before half-time, but Wall and Stewart were weak on the left wing, while Thornley wasted a couple of simple chances in the three minutes that preceded the interval.
With these mistakes to think over, the Englishmen began the second half a goal in arrears. But they did their utmost to rectify their errors when play was resumed, and Hardy had practically a holiday right up to the end of the match, so completely were Wales overplayed.
Crompton and Pennington also had little work of a serious nature, for Warren, Wedlock, and Veitch played finely at half-back, the last named having the worse of the argument with W. Meredith.
For quite three parts of the second half Wales were on the defence, and it is mainly to Roose that they owe their immunity from heavy disaster. All sorts of shots he saved in grand style until seventeen minutes had gone by, and then after a grand shot by Wall had hit a Welsh back, the ball rebounded to Stewart, who scored with a tremendous drive.
All this time Rutherford had been playing magnificently on the extreme right wing, and he was to England in the second half what W. Meredith was to Wales in the opening stage. Center after centre he directed into the goal mouth, and if all the openings he made had been well supported England would have won easily.
Bloomer played up to him finely, and Thornley also did capitally at times. The former hit the upright with one of his old-time shots, and Thornley experienced the hardest of luck in having a shot glide off a Welsh back while Roose was yards out of goal.
Towards the close a corner fell to Wales, but England's goal was only once in danger, whereas Roose had many more shots to negotiate before the final whistle brought welcome relief to the Welsh defenders.
Of these, Roose was a long way the best, but S. Meredith proved a fine substitute for Blew, whole Lloyd-Davies was serviceable in C. Morris' usual position.
Hughes, M. Morgan-Owen, and Lathom were a useful set of halves, but the forwards, after a lively first half, were run off their legs by their opponents.
To sum up, Roose saved Wales, and England want a new left wing, though it is only fair to Wall to state that he was badly hurt on Saturday. But, then, if he was not fit, why was he played?
   

Owing to the poor play of the forwards, England failed to beat Wales, at Fulham, yesterday, the match ending in a draw of one goal all.
During the first half, when a strong wind blew at their backs, the Englishmen generally gave a disappointing display. Such an advantage did winning the toss appear to carry with it that England's prospect of escaping defeat looked rather bad when they crossed over a goal behind ; but as it happened they improved wonderfully. They were wanting in dash and certainty when everything favoured them, they rose to the occasion splendidly on realizing their danger, but they could do no more than avert defeat. Except when breaking away three times Wales practically had to defend all the second half ; yet they were only once beaten. The inability of the English forwards to play effectively made the Welsh half-backs and backs very good. Particularly in the first half, when the necessity to dribble close and keep the ball low was most apparent, the Englishmen constantly kicked high, attempting to rush through...
W. Meredith often ran down the right wing, Pennington rarely stopping him, and a shot by the outside right led up to the Welshmen's goal. Hardy touched the ball, which went across to Evans, from whose centre Jones scored...
England's goal was in a sense lucky, and in no way due to first-rate football. For once Wall shot hard and straight, Davies kicking it out to Stewart, who returned it with great force out of Roose's reach...
There were well over 20,000 spectators, the receipts amounting to £700.