NOTES ON SPORT.
THE FIGHT FOR THE ENGLISH CUP.

As was generally supposed, the Villa proved far too strong for Newcastle United at Perry Barr, and had the players exerted themselves to their utmost in the second half they might almost have doubled their score.

THE VILLA WIN EASILY.
When the draw for the second round was made known, it was conceded on all hands that the Villa had practically secured a walk-over, notwithstanding the fact that the Newcastle United had beaten Burnley by two goals to one in the first stage of the competition.

There is a great difference, however, between, the United at home and the United away; at least we presume so, judging from their display at Perry Barr on Saturday.

Such form could not possibly have accounted for the defeat of Burnley, without, indeed, the Lancashire club gave a wretched display. We are inclined to think that on Saturday’s form the United would not have been able to defeat the Aston Villa Reserves.

From first to last; the visitors were outclassed; and, had the Villa players worked with the same energy in the second half as they did in the first, they might easily have doubled their halftime score, and won by a dozen goals to one instead of by seven to one, the recorded result.

From the commencement of play it became manifest that there was only one side in it, for the Villa set about their opponents in fine style, and within five minutes of the kick off Dorrell scored with a magnificent shot. He met the ball from a pass by Devey and kicked it obliquely into the net, Ward, the visitors’ custodian, having no chance whatever of stopping it.

The home team passing with great accuracy, kept pressing; but a sudden break away for the visitors’ forwards, and a miskick by Spencer, enabled them to equalise, Thompson being left in front of goal with the ball at his toe, and he had no difficulty whatever in beating Wilkes.

Before five minutes had elapsed the Villa scrimmaged a a second goal through, however, and everyone realised that the only question was by how many goals the home team would win.

The passing of the forwards was very fine, and they attacked with such persistency that the game was little better than one of “shots in”.

Occasionally the visitors’ forwards reached the Villa backs, but they were always pulled up, and after one of these temporary diversions Athersmith raised a round of cheering by scoring the goal of the match. A neat pass by Dorrell gave the Villa sprinter a chance, and he ran the ball three-quarters of the length of the field and finished his run by a brilliant and successful shot.

The story of the ensuing twenty-five minutes can be told in a few words.

The Villa, had matters all their own way, and Devey shot a fourth goal and headed a fifth, whilst a long shot by Russell was responsible for the sixth, and by six goals to one the Villa led at the interval.

The Villa had been playing uphill in the first half with the sun shining brilliantly in their faces, but for which they might even have scored more often than they did.

It was, therefore, anticipated that they would score heavily in the second half, and the way in which they commenced lent strength to this belief.

Within five minutes of the resumption of play DorrelI received a pretty pass from Devey, and obtained the seventh point with a shot very similar to that which took effect at the beginning of the game.

Then, however, the Villa began to relax their efforts, being apparently satisfied with their lead, and their goal was more often visited than it was prior to the interval.

It must not be imagined, however, that the Villa did not attack, for they did, and that severely, but there was not so much dash in their attempt as before. They gained corner kicks innumerable, and many free kicks near goal, but failed to score again, and seven goals to one was the result when the referee blew his whistle to signal that the game was over.

The character of the play may be judged from the score, and from the fact that Wilkes did not touch the ball until a quarter of an hour before the finish. He then saved finely twice in succession, and this was the sum total of his work on Saturday.

The Villa backs were only tested severely on a few occasions, and then they were always equal to the emergency, tackling well, and kicking with power and judgment. Spencer’s mistake, which cost the Villa a goal, was a very bad one, for he had plenty of time to lift the ball quietly up the field.

The Villa half-backs were far too clever for the opposing forwards, whose combination was very weak - and ineffective - Smith - one of the visitors’ right-wing players - however, made several fine individual runs, and was responsible for several dangerous rushes.

The Villa forwards had a field day, doing pretty much as they liked and showing some excellent combination, Hodgetts and Smith were a fine wing, Davey a capital centre, whilst Athersmith and Dorrell did very well together - the latter showing much cleverness, whilst his shooting was very-deadly.