SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL.
THE LEAGUE.

ASTON VILLA V. WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers won a creditable victory over the Aston Villa at Wolverhampton by 2 goals to 0. At every point of the game they outplayed the Villa, who were rather fortunate in not being beaten by a much heavier score.

From first to finish the Perry Barr men were not in the hunt, and their play, especially in, the forward division, was very disappointing.

The good form exhibited by the Villa in their recent matches had inspired their supporters with a great deal of confidence, and Saturday's match had been looked forward to with no gloomy forebodings, the general opinion being that the Villa would just succeed in snatching the victory after a hard and severe struggle-or at any rate would make a drawn game.

Consequently a number of persons journeyed by special train to Wolverhampton, and when the game commenced there was upon the ground a crowd which numbered about 12,000 persons.

The Villa kicked off towards the Molyneux Hotel, and during the first ten minutes were rarely aggressive, the Wanderers being cleverer, passing much better, and playing in all points a vastly superior game to their opponents.

It was pleasing to witness their nimbleness, and the adroitness they displayed in obtaining possession of the ball. Such was their skill that their opponents seemed completely at a loss what to do, and, as everyone foresaw, they soon a scored, W. Devey making a grand shot, which Hinchley was quite unable to reach.

Of course, the great bulk of the spectators went wild with joy, and cheered the Wanderers on to renewed effort. They responded to the appeal, and pressed almost incessantly up to the interval. Their opponents' combination was utterly wrecked, and except for two attempts their play was feeble and impotent.

On those two occasions L. Campbell and Hodgetts made gallant attempts to equalise, and the little Villa left-wing player was well-nigh successful, for it was with the greatest difficulty that Rose stopped the shot and cleared his goal.

Whilst the forwards compared very badly with those of the Wanderers, the Villa half-backs did not play in their usual dashing manner, Cowan excepted.

Brown was frequently outpaced by Booth, whilst Wyles and H. Wood repeatedly beat G. Campbell.

Of course the Wanderers pressed heavily, and some exciting play was witnessed in the Villa goal mouth, but Hinchley played brilliantly, and saved time after time when it seemed to a spectator well nigh impossible to do so.

To his fine goalkeeping, and to the steady play of Evans. Cox, and Cowan, may be attributed the fact that the Wanderers did not score three or four times in the first half. However, they had to be content with one goal, and so the hope of the Villa supporters hope was not quite gone, and it was desired that in the second half the-players would be seen in something like their true form, for that they can play no one would wish to deny.

The spectators, however, were doomed to disappointment, for although the Villa played better than before. they were never seen to real advantage, and their attack was slow and loose. The forwards, indeed, passed very badly, and thus fell an easy prey to the powerful defenders whom they were pitted against.

Dickson got past the backs almost immediately, and shot for goal, but, unfortunately the ball passed the post a few inches on the wrong side. Then some good play resulted in a corner-kick, but Hodgetts shot out.

The goal-kick raised the siege, and for the t next ten minutes or so the 'Wanderers pressed the Villa heavily, and a recurrence of the first half's play was witnessed.

Topham made two fruitless attempts to score, and then the Villa goal survived through a series of mistakes by the Wanderers' forwards. Wykes missed a grand opportunity, and Devey repeated the fault.

A visit was made to the other end but L. Campbell headed the ball out, and then the Wanderers again had the best of it, and at length put the result beyond any doubt by scoring a second. It was the result of a grand centre by E Booth being taken just at the proper moment by Wykes.

The Wanderers continued to have much the best of the play until the finish, and thus won the match by 2 goals to 0.