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EVERTON v. ASTON VILLA.

The Everton team journeyed to Perry Barr on Saturday to play off this return League fixture. It will be remembered that the teams met at Everton last week in the first League match, when the Villa won a hard fought game three goals to two.

Weather favoured the game, and notwithstanding that rain had fallen almost incessantly throughout the week, towards midday the sky cleared, and the afternoon was bright and fine, and fully 20,000 spectators assembled to witness the sport.

Considering all circumstances, the ground was in fair condition, although somewhat greasy. Neither teams were fully represented, Cameron and Barker, for the visitors, and Spencer, for the homesters, were absentees, but both clubs have such abundance of talent, however, that these omissions did not materially affect the game.

The visitors won the toss and elected to play down hill, leaving the sun full in the homesters faces. Campbell started the game, and the home forwards were smart in getting away, but Stewart stopped further progress, and play being returned the visiting forwards looked threatening. Crabtree relieved however, and Reynolds neatly centring to Athersmith, the latter ran up his wing at the old pace, passing to Cowan, who was in a good position for scoring, but the referee ruled him off-side.

After some open play the Villa were awarded two free kicks in quick succession, and these helped them considerably, getting well into the visitors’ goal the home forwards compelled Briggs to handle Reynolds, afterwards getting possession when in a winning position, but he made a hash of it, shooting high over the cross bar.

The League champions were having decidedly the better of the play, and taxed the visitors’ defence severely. After a short incursion by the Lancashire men. the Villains’ forwards got away, and after a neat exhibition James Cowan passed and the home captain sent in a lightning shot which scraped the cross-bar and completely beat Briggs, thus drawing first blood for the homesters.

The home team were not to retain their lead for long, however, for the Everton men smelt defeat, and went to work like true sports, and the result of a combined attack Hartley sent in a soft shot which Welford touched without altering its course, and Whitehouse was nowhere the soft shot registered a point and equalised the score.

From now until the interval Everton kept the homesters more or less on the defence, but no further points were scored, and at half time the game stood Villa, one; Everton one.

The homesters had the benefit of the slope in the second half, and immediately commenced an attack on their opponents’ goal, the sun was still shining fairly strong and somewhat perplexed the defenders. The Villa won a corner after about a minute’s play, and this being well taken Reynolds narrowly missed scoring for his side.

The home goal now became the venue of play, and a stiff struggle ensured, during which the ball was netted, but the referee disallowed for offside play.

The champions now had a long innings and bombarded the visitors’ goal for some time, Briggs being fully occupied, but he proved an able custodian and kept his posts clear, but nevertheless the homesters experienced very hard lines in not scoring.

About five minutes from time the Evertonians got away and Chadwick scored with a brilliant shot, practically settling the game.

There is no doubt the homesters should have won on form. They played a really brilliant forward game, by always seemed to fail in the final effort.