YESTERDAY’S FOOTBALL.
THE LEAGUE.- DIVISION 1

Aston Villa inflicted a decisive defeat on the Wolverhampton Wanderers at Perry Barr. They scored no fewer than five goals, whilst the Wanderers failed to credit themselves with a single point. The beautiful weather and the prospect of seeing the English Cup holders drew a large crowd, and when the game started there must have been fully 12,000 persons present.

The Wanderers were short of Rose (who was injured on Saturday, and who is reported to be progressing favourably), Baugh, and Malpas; whilst the Villa were unable to put their strongest available team into the field.

Matters were thus fairly balanced, and the crowd expected a close and exciting finish. The Villa, however, fairly excelled themselves, and there can he no denying that on the day's play were much the better side. Their forwards played with better combination, and Hodgetts, J. Devey, and Woolley were seen to great advantage.

Fed by Hodgetts, Woolley played beautifully and shot two excellent goals. John Devey played a great game, and worked unceasingly from start to finish. The Villa halves were better than the opposing three, but Kinsey was as good as anyone in the half-back division. Baird did well at back, and Dunning and Hassall kept goal excellently for their respective sides.

Although the Villa crossed over with a lead of 2 goals, their superiority was not so marked in the first half - indeed, the game was very close, and the Wanderers had a fair share of the attack.

In the second half, however, they were distinctly the worst side, and fully deserved to lose. It was twenty minutes to four o'clock when the Wanderers; headed by Allen, filed on to the field. They met with a fine reception from the crowd, and the band played " See the conquering hero comes."

The Villa soon followed, and were also applauded. Cowan beat Allen-in the toss, and placed his men facing towards Wellington Road. They thus had the advantage of the sun at their backs. The Villa were the first to attack and Brown shot across the front of goal. From the goalkick the Wanderers ran up the field, but Baird checked their attack, and the home forwards playing with beautiful- combination brought the ball close to the Wanderers' goal. J. Devey dodged for an opening, and getting it, sent in a high shot, which Hassall just managed to reach. Still keeping the ball in their opponents' half the Villa were awarded a free kick for a foul, but Cowan sent the ball into the net without anyone having previously touched it.

The Villa still kept up the pressure, and a pass by John Devey gave Hodgetts a splendid chance, but he missed the ball. A corner was, however, given, and Athersmith placed it to Brown, who passed to Hodgetts, and he atoned for his previous mistake, by shooting the first goal. This occurred ten minutes from the start, and was the signal for great applause.

The Wanderers now played better, and their forwards, getting well on the ball, ran it close up to the Villa goal. Topham made a fine centre, which Griffin headed in, but Dunning saved well. The Wolves returned to the attack, but Dunning saved again, and then the scene of the play was changed, and in as many minutes three shots were directed into the Wanderers' goal, but the defence beat back the attack.

The Villa forwards at this particular time were very keen on the ball, and their passing was excellent. Devey had a try to run through, but just failed, and the Wanderers worked their way up to the other end, where Dunning saved three times with great skill.

Some pretty passing between Hodgetts and Woolley gave the Villa the attack; and J. Devey made a fine effort, but Hassall saved. The next moment Athersmith, who had been sadly worried by Kinsey, shook the half-back off and centred. The ball, however, struck Dunn's hand, and the free kick, although it caused some exciting play was unproductive of any result.

The Wanderers sprinted up to the Villa goal, where Dunning, who was keeping his charge irreproachably saved two shots. The attack was not finished and seemed likely to result in a goal, but at a critical moment Baird rushed across the front and headed away.

Some fine half-back play by Kinsey enabled the Wanderers’ left to get away, but they were pulled up by Baird, and a long. kick gave the ball to the Villa forwards. The run was spoiled by Athersmith getting offside, and once more the Villa goal was endangered. A long shot was put in by Wykes, but Dunning caught the ball, and although hampered by Butcher, successfully got rid of it.

A second attempt was similarly stopped, and then the Villa five passing prettily raised the hopes of their supporters. Woolley beat Dunn and centred, but Allen, who had come well back, kicked out.

A long kick now enabled Topham to break away, but his shot just passed clear of the post, and one by Devey, two minutes later at the other end, also went wide.

The Villa, however, were not to be denied, and a timely pass from Burton to John Devey, gave that player the wished for opportunity, and amidst loud cheers he again shot the ball into the net. This second goal was scored thirty minutes from the start.

From the centre-kick the Villa once more attacked and Woolley, who was playing very pluckily and with capital judgment, beat Dunn and centred, but John Devey’s shot was well saved by Hassall.

Cheers greeted a fine bit of tackling by Evans, who robbed Butcher just as he appeared likely to score; and the Villa once more went for the opposition goal, but Woolley received the ball when lying offside.

The Villa were now playing distinctly the better game and the contest for the most part took place near the Wanderers' goal.

A. Brown made an attempt, but Hassall saved and Dowds was cheered, for some clever tackling. A nice kick by Cowan again gave the Villa forwards command over the ball and Hassall had a nasty shot to stop, but rid himself of the ball just as Hodgetts rushed him through.

Dunning saved well at the other end, and then Dowds, when hotly pressed, gave a corner. It was well placed, and Kinsey tried a long shot, which went wide. A mistake by Brown left Wood with the ball, but his shot was also wide; The next moment the bail was put into Dunning's hands and was thrown away. It was brought down and Devey, again tried to score, but Hassall prevented him from doing so.

The Villa were just commencing a run when the whistle was blown. They had thus a two goal lead on the first half's play.

On restarting, the Wanderers raced towards the Villa goal, but Baird tripped Griffin. The free-kick was of no use, and Athersmith and Brown changed the venue. The former centred, but Swift kicked away. The ball was again taken up, and Hodgetts only just missed a fine centre by Brown.

Wykes now missed the chance of the match. Evans failed to kick the ball and gave the Wanderer a splendid opening. A goal seemed certain, but amidst a prolonged " Oh " - the forward shot a yard too high.

Still pressing, the Wanderers forced a corner-kick, but could not improve upon it. The other and was visited, but the Villa were driven out by the backs. They returned, and Cowan made a fine shot; which Hassall turned outside. Nothing was done with the corner-kick.

The Villa were now playing decidedly the better game, and the visitors' defence knew no rest. One shot from Woolley just flashed across the front of the goal, but another, a brilliant screw, completely beat the goal-keeper, and goal number three was credited to his side.

After Dowds had spoiled an attack by the Wanderers, Athersmith was conspicuous for a splendid run and centre, but Swift kicked away. Dunning was applauded for stopping a capital shot by Topham, and Woolley simply electrified the crowd by running three parts of the length of the field. His shot, a fine one, just cleared the corner of the goal.

Now the Wanderers pressed, and Topham hit the crossbar, and so fast was the play that the next moment the ball was up at the other end, and a hard shot by Woolley cannoned out off one of the visitors' backs. The corner-kick was of no advantage.

The passing at this point on the part of the Villa five was perfection, and the ball was kept up the field for a considerable time, but no score resulted.

A run by Topham relieved the pressure, and a fine centre caused the strongest attack that had been made on the Villa goal. Four times was the ball shot in, but on every occasion somebody was in the way, and amidst great cheering the Wanderers were driven out, baffled and beaten.

The ball travelled up the field, and another corner-kick -was given, but Dowds put an end to the excitement by heading outside.

A few moments later however, Brown seized upon an opening, and promptly put the Villa another goal ahead.

A half hearted attempt by the Wanderers was easily stopped, and Woolley again distinguished himself by rushing right up to-goal and shooting tremendously hard. The ball in its flight struck one of the backs, and came down the field to the forwards, who made a rush for the Villa goal, but met with no success.

A mistake on the part of Athersmith spoiled a capital run by the Villa forwards, and a combined attack by the Wanderers was defeated by Evans and Dunning. The Wanderers, although so far behind, were playing very pluckily; but the defence of the Villa was excellent, and Dunning in goal so far had made no mistake. He was cheered for preventing a good shot from Topham taking effect, and at the other end Hassall was applauded for his sound custodianship.

The game was now a bombardment of the Wanderers' goal, and six times in succession Hassall handled the ball.

A seventh time he was tried, and again he saved his side.

The Villa tried again, and, after the ball had travelled from wing to wing; Woolley emerged successful from a tussle with Dunn, and shot a fifth point. The Villa held the upper hand until the finish, but, failing to score again, won by 5 goals to 0.