'THE MATCH' 'At twenty minutes to four o'clock
p.m. Trainer started the ball towards the Pavilion end of the ground; the
English skipper at once returned, and Gosling, in conjunction with
Sandilands, broke away. The ball was forced out by J.D. Jones. For a few
seconds the home forwards pressed, but failed to send the ball past
Trainer, who was remarkably safe between the uprights. A free kick for
hands to Wales was well taken by Jenkins, who throughout played a champion
game at centre half. Lewis was making tracks when Oakley brought him up.
Henfrey sent on to mid-field, Sandilands, over eager, infringed the
off-side rule; still, having better luck, the English forwards swarmed to
the attack, Dewhurst and Sandilands failed to combine, and as J.D. Jones
and Parry were on the alert, but little was done. Both Gosling and
Sandilands sent the ball wide. In turn Davies and Meredith wont away.
Oakley, well backed up by Lodge, returned to mid-field. Smith tried to
break away, only to be robbed by Jenkins. A free-kick for a foul fell to
the Welsh. Lewis's shot just skimmed the upright. Fast play ensued,
Meredith just failing to score. Again returning to the attack, Pryce-Jones
compelled Raikes to save his charge at the expense of a corner. Henfrey
and Wreford-Brown got the ball away, and Dewhurst getting possession,
after a fine single-handed run, passed to Stanbrough. The latter being
interfered with, middled to Smith, who sent in a low screw shot. Trainer
saved, but at the cost of a corner, which, however, was of the fruitless
order. The superior speed of the English forwards was of no use against
the Welsh defence, and so half time arrived with the score-sheet blank.
The
Welsh players took a longer breather—in fact, far too long considering
their opponents did not leave the field. Within a few seconds of the
restart Henfrey handled the ball, Jenkins taking the free kick, which was
all but successful, Raikes only getting the ball away just in the nick of
time, and so Lodge was enabled to kick into touch. From the throw-in
Barker placed on to Smith, who in turn transferred to the right.
Sandilands sent in a hot shot that was well turned aside by the Welsh
custodian, Parry, with a tall kick, clearing the lines. Pryce-Jones failed
to beat Lodge for speed, and so did not get within shooting distance. At
this juncture there was nothing to actually choose between the elevens,
both goal-keepers being kept busily engaged, Raikes, having, if anything,
more to do than Trainer. At length the Welsh found an opening. Pryce-Jones
going away, passed to Lewis, who neatly dodged Lodge, and middled to
Trainer, the latter, amidst great excitement, sending the ball past
Raikes, and so opened the scoring account. This reverse set the homesters
thinking, and to such an extent that Sandilands went from outside right to
inside left, with the desired effect, as he, within a few minutes of the
change, equalised the scores. Nothing further as regards scoring taking
place, the match ended.
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The
eleven famous amateurs who
were picked to play for England against Wales at the Queen's Club were
not themselves yesterday, with the result that Wales were able to play a
tie match. There was a want of dash about their game, and until the last
quarter of an hour there was missing before goal all those swift shots
which as a rule do finally triumph against even the best defence. The
Englishmen, in fact, never got into their game. This was attributed to
various causes. The warmness of the weather, the effects of Saturday's
hard work, and the untiring energy of the Welsh full-backs and halves
were all things that might have accounted for the absence of the
brilliant rushes and the fine long passing usually so closely allied
with these Corinthians' game. Perhaps the chief secret was to be found
in this defence of Wales, whose halves and backs, in their keenness to
break up the attack, did occasionally err in the matter of tripping...
...The English were frequently
pressing, but at last the spectators were startled with a success for
Wales. After long kicking by the backs Lewis, standing close by Oakley,
got the ball and dribbled through and scored. It was a clever goal. The
Englishmen played with much more spirit after this and in a few minutes Wreford-Brown sent the ball up to Sandilands, who outstripped the Welsh
backs and, closing in from the left, kicked a fine goal... ...Of the 17 matches now played
England have won 13 and Wales two, and two have been drawn. |