SATURDAY’S FOOTBALL.
ASSOCIATION RULES.
ENGLISH CUP TIES.

WALSALL TOWN v. ASTON VILLA

These crack teams met on the ground of the former, the Chuckery, Walsall in the presence or probably from 6,000 to 7,000 spectators.

The visitors having won the toss chose to play up the field. Bradbury kicked off for the home team, and the ball was at once taken to the lower end and kept in the vicinity of the visitors’ goal for a brief space, but after a corner kick there, which proved fruitless, it was taken into the home quarters, where another corner kick was had without result; run down again, brought back, and put over the bar; transferred again to the lower end, and got past Jones, who missed his kick; run up again and sent in, compelling Beech to use his hands; and after a desperate scrimmage in front of goal, sent between the posts with a good swift shot, by Hunter making first point for the visitors in five minutes.

Play went on vigorously for another five minutes, when Albert Brown scored a second goal.

Directly afterwards R. Davis made a good try, but only succeeded in putting the ball over the bar. Brettle speedily repeating the operation at the other end, and C. Hobson being compelled to use his hands.

Then the visitors obtained a corner kick, which was taken by Whateley, and from it Arthur Brown got third goal twenty-two minutes from kick off.

The play continued very fast, with some good tries on both sides (two of which Beech foiled by punching out, and another by running out and heading the ball away, whilst at the other end the ball on one occasion just skimmed the cross-bar), until shortly before half-time, when as Heyes was taking the ball away from the home quarters, Burton and R. Davis took it from him, and the latter put it through, making fourth for the visitors.

At half time the score stood: Villa 4; Town 0.

Not long after the restart, Vaughton headed the ball through from a centre by Davis, making 5 to nothing. Subsequently, attack after attack upon the home goal was repulsed., Beech once saving his charge very creditably. Then Hobson was called upon and, as it seemed, received a nasty blow from Cox as they met just in front of goal. After that the ball travelled swiftly from end to end, being first put over the home bar, then over the visitors’ bar., then over the home bar again, and then being landed, twice in rapid succession, in Hobson’s hands.

At this point Cope retired with a damaged face or mouth, and another spell of fast play ensued, the most noticeable incidents being a throw-out by Hobson, done with tantalising coolness and successful defence of the home goal by Beech, and another throw-out by Hobson. The play had meanwhile been growing rougher and rougher, and the display of feeling on the part of the partisans of the respective clubs more and more marked.

About four minutes from time the crowd invaded the ground and play was put an end to, the score then standing - Villa, 5 ; the Town, 0.

The Villa team had to be protected by the police and the lovers of good order on both sides as they left the ground, hostile demonstrations being made, particularly against Jones and R. Davis, presumably because of their having left the Walsall Swifts recently and joined the Villa, and when, after a long stay in the dressing-tent, the team reached a break which was in waiting for them, which they did through another field, they were followed and pelted with stones, brick-ends and turf.

Mr. Richardson (secretary of the Villa) and Mr. Ramsey (one of the vice-presidents) were both hurt.

Walsall Town: Beech, goal; Cox and Reynolds, backs; Collington, Brettle and Heyes, half-backs; Hunter and Shaw (right), Bradbury (centre), and Cope and Wilson (left) forwards.

Aston Villa: Hobson, goal; Jones and Riddell, backs; Burton and Price, half-backs; Albert Brown and R. Davis (right), A. Hunter and Arthur Brown (centre) and Whateley and Vaughton (left) forwards.

Umpires, Mr. A. Beech and Mr. Macgregor; Referee, Mr. Moon, Wednesbury Old Athletic.