ASTON VILLA V. WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS.
THE WOLVES DEFEATED.

This Cup tie was played at Wolverhampton, and probably never before has such a match engendered so much excitement in the Black Country. The teams are old rivals, so they had been trained for the encounter, the Villa at Holte Fleet, and the Wanderers at Arley, two little villages on the banks of the Severn, and both were in splendid form when they journeyed to Wolverhampton on Saturday.

The Wolves were without Mason and Devey and the Villa were short of Coulton, Brown, and Campbell, but both sides were very confident of winning.

The weather was exceptionally fine, and the attendance was larger than had ever been known on the Molineux Grounds, even in the prime of the football boom, when Howell and J. Keen could draw gates.

The Villa had a slight wind in the first half, and for a few minutes the interest centred in four fouls. Working down very nicely, the Wanderers had just the pull in the early stages of the game, and seven minutes from the start they scored through Heath, who got a beautiful opening.

Villa then pulled themselves together, and gave the Wolves’ back division a lot of trouble. The local defence, however, was exceptionally sound, and although the visitors kept pegging away, they could make impression on their opponents. There was no doubt that the Villa were the smarter team, and the way they worked the ball down time after time was a treat to the assembled thousands.

Rose was in fine form, and fisted out in a way which delighted the Wolves’ supporters, while at the other end Evans and King were equal to all the attacks made upon them.

The Villa half backs were not equal to the Wolves centre two but the Villa combination, taken altogether, were little above the Wanderers, and were especially superior so far as regards the forward string. In this respect the Villa had the best of the Wanderers, and from this cause alone they were enabled to win in the end.

Alert, swift and sure all the way through, the Villa forwards kept working with consummate judgment, and by pretty passing they succeeded at just getting through the Wolves defence and equalised only a few minutes before half time.

When the interval occurred the game was Wanderers, one; Aston Villa, one.

On resuming the Wanderers went off with a dash, and the Villa goal w as in danger for some time, but the defence was too sound for them to get the ball through. There appeared every reason to believe for a time that the Wolves would score again easily, but they were kept out and then the Villa look up the running, and pressed in a manner which gave the Wolves plenty of work to defend their citadel.

Smarter on the ball than the Wolves, the Villains continued to attack, and ultimately they gained another point amid the tumultuous cheers their many friends present.

From this point the Wolves seemed to lose heart, and the Villans working with great judgment shortly after put on another point. Rose saved a number of hot shots afterwards, and worked hard to prevent further scoring, in which he succeeded, but at the other end the Wolves were unable to break through the defence, and they had retire defeated three goals to one.
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*Lancashire Evening Post*
Saturday 13 February 1892

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS v. VILLA.

This game, along with the one at Nottingham, has since the draw was made, shared the bulk of the attention of the supporters of the pastime. The teams have for years been strong local rivals, and though the Villans have had the best of it both in club, League, and Cup ties, these were all cast aside, and today the Wolves were made favourites.

On all hands however, the game was looked upon as one in which the result would be doubtful to pretty well on to the close. When, in December last, the teams met in the League on the Molineux Ground, the Wolves, as today, were made the favourites, and they won by two to nil. The teams met on the same ground on September 7th in friendly encounter, and each side then failed score ; but in the League game at Perry Barr the Villains won 3—1. So that looking at the match all round it was decidedly an open one.

In the previous rounds of the English Cup the Villans had a much better record than their opponents but against that must be set the fact that the Wanderers’ opponents were on each occasion superior to those of the Villa. In addition to these facts, the Molineux ground was much more in favour of the Wolves than the Villa.

Both sides realised the importance of the meeting, snd stripped in the pink of condition.

Over 20,000 witnessed the match. Topham kicked off. and the game started very briskly, both sides playing with vigour and determination. Athersmith and Devey took the ball along the field, and shot for goal, but Rose saved. The Wanderers then transferred play to the other end of the field, and Baker shot over the cross-bar. The home team quickly attacked again, and Heath sent in a high shot, which Warner could not reach, and the first goal was scored.

Villa, roused up by this reverse, were soon swarming around the Wanderers’ goal, but the danger was averted by the ball going over.

Wykes and Baker ran the ball other end, but Cox turned it aside, and then Booth dashed towards the goal, but Cox was again successful in stopping the attack. Booth was then injured through being charged in the side, and the game was stopped.

Athersmith, on the resumption, worked the ball into the Wanderers’ territory, but Baugh stopped him, and then Rose had save a shot from Campbell.

The Villa continued passing in determined fashion, and Rose again smartly saved. The home backs were severIy tested until the ball went outside.

After this the Wanderers began to pass, but the Villa returned the leather into the home half. Hodgetts sent in a stinging shot. This was met and repelled by Baugh. The visitors still pressed, but the defence of the homesters was sound. Two minutes from half-time Cowan, for Villa, notched their first point, and thus equalised, amid tremendous excitement and enthusiasm. The ball was restarted, and the homesters tried hard to break away, but the sphere was kept near the division line.

The whistle then blew, and the teams crossed over. Half-time - Wanderers 1, Villa 1.

The first half’s play was throughout fast. The ground was in good condition, and the brilliant weather prevailing made the game all the more enjoyable.

On the game being resumed the Wanderers kept in close proximity to the visitors’ citadel. The Wanderers obtained a corner, but nothing came of it, a cry arising among the home team followers as the ball went outside again. The supporters the Wanderers had the mortification of the ball strike the upright and rebound outside.

The Villa effected a temporary rush down the field, but the ball was returned. The Wanderers’ right wing was then particularly active, but Baird prevented them getting near the goal. Then the Villa transferred operations, and Kinsey and Dunn had to stop shots. From a throw-in Wykes got down and put in a capital centre. Baker shot tor goal, but Evans ran out and smartly stopped the ball. Wykes again put in grand centre but the other forwards not being close up nothing came of it. Both put in a splendid shot, but Evans again kicked out.

A goal-kick relieved the pressure, which the home team had kept up, but Dunn, with a long kick, again placed the ball in the visitors’ half.

The Villa then pressed very hard and shot. Rose ran out to save getting the sphere between his legs, and several of the Villa forwards got round him. He managed to throw the ball away, and Baugh averted danger with a long kick. The ball was again taken up to the Wanderers’ goal, and Villa scored a second point, John Devey putting it through.

Shortly afterwards Athersmith struck the net with another shot. The visitors tried to score again, and Athersmith putting in a fine shot Rose ran out to save, but Dickson pounced on the ball, and scored a third goal within 20 minutes of restart.

The Villa continued to attack, placing shot after shot into the Wanderers’ goal, and Rose saved twice fine style.

The Villa were having much the best of the game, until the Wanderers broke away, but they failed to take advantage. The Wanderers obtained a foul, but the ball was easily got away. The home team then played with a little more spirit, and made one or two fruitless attempts to score, but the ball was constantly put outside.

For sometime after this the Wanderers had to sustain heavy attacks by the visitors, and Rose had many shots to save. Villa were playing much the superior game, and beating the home team at every point. Getting down at length the Wanderers tried to score, but the ball went behind the post. The whistle then blew.

Result— Villa 3, Wanderers 1.

NOTES ON THE GAME. Undoubtedly the best team won. The score of the Villa would have been larger only for the goalkeeping of Rose. The Wanderers having drawn the first blood, were encouraged to play, but Campbell, with a back-heel kick, put the ball through, and equalised. An extremely fast game was played in front of goal. The Wanderers' forwards hardly appeared to so great advantage as those of their opponents