FOOTBALL MATCHES PLAYED ON SATURDAY.

ASTON VILLA v. WEDNESBURY OLD ATHLETIC - English Cup (Second Round).

A meeting of these old opponents, all times Interesting, gained additional significance on the present occasion, as the fate of one or the other of the strongest clubs in the contest would be decided, while it will be remembered that last season the Old Athletic knocked the Villa out of this competition.

Although dull and very cold, a large concourse—about 6,000 strong—assembled at Perry Barr to witness the encounter. The visitors won the toss and elected to play up hill, Archie kicking off at 3.13.

The Wednesbury men went off in good form, and both Clarke and Harvey saved their goal with timely kicks.

Gradually, however, the Villa forwards gained the upper hand and brought the fine defensive powers of the Wednesbury team in full play - Cliffe, Nicholls, Moon, and Kent showing up especially well.

Whateley and Hunter made several unsuccessful shots, but at length G. Holden, who had been very busy, got the better of Apperley and centred to Morley, who shot for goal and Clarke, cleanly missing his kick, the ball rolled through the Villa posts.

Upon resuming, the Villa forwards were again seen to advantage, but the defence was very stubborn, until at length Harvey, backing up, shot the ball at Kent, who did not fairly fist it away, and Archie equalised matters out of the scrimmage which followed.

Three minutes later Andy Hunter screwed the ball in when on the verge of the goal line and Whateley shot it past Kent for the second time. An appeal against the legality of the goal was overruled.

Ends were now changed, and again the Athletic went off well, but Harvey was equal to the occasion while Brown also put in skilful work, and a third goal soon fell to the Villa; while shortly after Whateley kicked a fourth.

Towards the close the visitors played up hard, but their attempts to score proved futile, the Villa winning by 4 goals to 1.

The winners played well all round while G. Holden, Grocutt, and Roberts (forward), and Cliffe. Nlcholls, and Noon behind, played especially well for the Athletic.

Sides - Villa : Goal, W Clarke; backs A. Harvey, T. Bryan; half-backs, C. W. Apperley. A. Brown, D. R Anderson ; forwards, Archie Hunter (captain), H. Vaughton, E. Davis, O. Whateley, Andy Hunter.

Old Athletic : Goal, W. Kent; backs, W. H. Noon. J. Nicholls; half-backs, J. Holden, J. Cllffe, T. Hodgkiss ; forwards, G. Holden (captain), R. Morley, A. Woodcock, A. Grocutt, J. Roberts.

Umpires. Messrs. W.B. Mason and E. Holmes. Referee, Mr. C. Crump (president Birmingham Association).