SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL.
THE LEAGUE- DIVISION I.

ASTON VILLA v. SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY.

The return League match between these terms was played at Perry Barr. The weather was very wintry, but there was a large attendance.

During Friday afternoon and Saturday morning a hundred men had been engaged in clearing the ground of the snow, and, in, fact, every- thing possible had been done to ensure the success of the game.

The visitors were short of H. Brandon, Brady, and Davies, but capable players filled their places

The Villa were also without several of their regular representatives, Cowan, Evans, and J. Brown not being in a condition to play.

Fortunately, however, the Villa had sufficient men at their disposal to fall back upon.

Dowds made his reappearance in the eleven, and was In one of his happiest moods whilst W. Devey, late of the Wolverhampton Wanderers, was, seen to great advantage as inside right wing, and if he maintains his form of Saturday, will be invaluable to the Perry Barr club.

The latter's eleven, smarting under their Sheffield disaster, played with great determination, and fairly and squarely beat the visitors, their victory of 5 goals to 1 being in every, way deserved.

The defence was very sound, whilst the attack was most deadly.

Whilst all the forwards played well, Logan deserves praise for the way in which he kept his wings together and there is no doubt that he is reopening into a centre forward of considerable ability.

Spikesley was the pick of the Sheffield forwards, and T. Brandon played faultlessly as full back.

The Villa lost the toss, and Logan started the ball towards the Wellington Road goal. A judicious pass by Logan enabled J. Devey to make a nice run but he was unable to centre.

A dangerous attack by the Wednesday was resisted successfully by Dunning, and then the Villa forwards, who were playing with beautiful combination, once more pressed. For a time they were unable to penetrate the defence but at length - twelve minutes from the start - the ball was paisley passed from Hodgetts to John Devey, and thence to Logan, who shot it into the net, amidst much enthusiasm.

Coming away again, Logan had another fine shot, but Allan kicked away and he visitors dashed up the field, Spikesley terminated the run with a splendid shot, but Dunning came out of his goal and saved brilliantly.

Pressed again a moment later, he gave a Corner-kick, but it was of no advantage to the Wednesday, who were soon In trouble. The home forwards, well backed up by the halves, made some fine attacks, but the shots, made for the most part by John Devey, were all a little too high.

Now the visitors, whose forwards played a very pretty game, ran the ball up the field, and Woodhouse shot into Dunning's hands, but although three of the visitors rushed at him he eluded them all.

Some capital passing took the Villa close in, and Hodgetts tried a shot, but it passed aver the bar amidst a prolonged “Oh."

The game was very fast, and the Wednesday pressed severely, obtaining three corner-kicks in succession, but failing to score off either. On the last occasion they were awarded a free kick; but Stokes rushed the ball away, and a series of fine attacks was commenced by the Villa, whose forwards were all playing brilliantly.

The goalkeeper for a time defied all the Villa's efforts, stopping shots from Logan and W. Devey in splendid style, but at length he was forced to give a corner-kick. It was well taken by Athersmith, and Hodgetts, amidst loud cheering, headed the second goal for the Villa thirty minutes from the start.

Despite their reverses, the visitors played pluckily, and Spikesley soon got into a good position for scoring, but Stokes' came with a rush at the critical moment and carried the ball out of danger.

Just before the interval Athersmith made a dashing run, and his shot, amidst great excitement, flashed across the bar. The cheers that greeted this fine bit of play had hardly subsided when the Villa came again, and W. Devey, receiving the ball from Hodgetts, shot It past the goalkeeper for the third time.

Then the same player made a great shot, but the ball, unfortunately for the Villa, struck the post. The Villa kept up the pressure, but failed to score again, and at half-time led by 3 goals to 0.

On Changing over the Villa at once pressed, and after two minutes' play Logan got the ball and scored a fourth goal with a lovely shot.

The Wednesday attacked, but were checked, and the Villa right wing ran up the field and Athersmith put the ball right across. It was returned in front of goal by Hodgetts, and Logan, who was playing irreproachably, dashed up and put on the fifth point.

These rapid successes told their tale, and the play was now chiefly confined to the Wednesday's half of the field. Several corner-kicks were won, but the Villa -were unable to improve upon them. A break-away by the Wednesday changed the scene of the fight, and Macintosh, dodging Cox, put in a pretty shot, which Stokes kicked out. The corner-kick gave Brown a chance, but Dunning turned his shot round the post, and the second corner-kick was abortive.

An unsuccessful visit having been paid to the Wednesday goal, the visitors tried their luck, but Brown's shot was aimed a few inches too high. Another attempt was no improvement on the first.

The next few minutes saw the game at the other end, but Logan, after playing finely out in the field, shot outside. The Wednesday were now showing a. decided improvement, and Spikeseley, after some clever dodging, sent in a perfect stinger, but Dunning just reached the ball, and twisted it outside.

Loud cheers greeted a beautiful bit of play by Spikesley, but full advantage was not taken of the chance that he gave his side, and the other defence was then severely taxed, but it gallantly withstood the strain.

Cox was cheered for checking a dangerous run by the Sheffield left wing, but a moment later he fouled the ball. The kick was trickily taken by Spikesley, and a nasty shot was directed at Dunning, whose judgment, however, proved equal to the occasion.

Just before the finish the visitors made a desperate attack, and McIntosh scored their only goal. They were thus defeated by 5 goals to 1.