ASTON VILLA v. WEST BROMWICH ALBION.

The Aston Villa team visited the Stoney Lane enclosure on Saturday to decide their return League fixture with the “Throstles”.

This match is always considered the classical event of the season at West Bromwich, and given fine weather like that of Saturday, a big gate was a certainty. Fully 15,000 people were present when play opened. The visitors relied on the same team that defeated Sunderland last week, but the ranks o( the Albion had undergone slight revision. Kilsey took the place of Richards on the left, and Bassett was in his old place on the right.

Bassett won the toss, Campbell set the ball motion facing the wind, which blew fairly strong down the field. Villa went away with a rush, but the tell was returned by Banks.

Play was fast and exciting, the ball being all over the field in the course of a few minutes. Both sides worked like Trojans, spurred to greater efforts the shouts of their supporters. Each goalkeeper had to defend his charge in turn, but there seemed no weak spot in either team.

The Villa defence was perfect, Spencer and Welford never letting a chance go by. Considerable excitement was evinced by the crowd after Athersmith had put in one of his characteristic runs. A foul fell to the Villa close in Albion quarters and a fierce scrummage ensued for a couple of minutes.

Shortly after this another scrum took place under the Villa posts, but Welford cleverly relieved.

Just before the interval the Villa made a beautiful run. Reader rushed out to save a shot from Athersmith, and this let Campbell in who headed the ball through.

The second half opened with plenty of dash, but play was even though full of interest.

Hutchinson rushed away and passing across Paddock shot past Wilkes and put the scores on equality.

After this the struggle was most keen, the Albion with their characteristic rushes coming within an ace of scoring on several occasions. Time arrived, however, without alteration to the score, the result most interesting and well-contested game being a draw of one goal each.