4-0

ASTON VILLA v. SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY.

The cutlery team journeyed to Perry Barr on Saturday to keep this return fixture. Ideal football weather prevailed, and fully 10,000 spectators were present. Last week’s match Olive Grove proved an easy win for the Villa by three goals to one, and the home supporters felt very confident that their team would be successful. Both teams lined up representing last week's field, and Villa, winning the toss, chose to play first half with the slope.

Davis started the game, and the homesters were soon busy. Athersmith raced down the wing and sent in a beautiful centre, which Earp managed to clear with a clever kick. Athersmith was quickly to the front again, being fed with a smart pass from Devey, which he manipulated in his usual good style, centring right in front of goal. Wheldon reached the ball, and had the goal at his mercy, but did not steady the ball, and shot high over the cross-bar.

Villa kept up the pressure, and found the Sheffield defence plenty to do ; but they always seemed to lose the ball after working it down the field. Sheffield had one or two innings before the interval, but at half-time neither team had managed to score.

Upon resuming play the Villa, who had missed several opportunities in the first half, went to work to make amends, and, forcing the play from the start, they commenced a long series of bombardments on the visitors’ goal.

The defence stood out for some time but finally fell to a smart shot from Smith. after Wheldon had caused the visitors’ custodian to handle.

Continuing the pressure, the Villa forwards were conspicuous, but the Sheffielders eventually broke away, and for a time Iooked dangerous, but the homesters cleared, and then Devey and Athersmith got possession, the latter eventually scoring after a brilliant run.

Before ‘’Time’' Devey and Wheldon each managed to add a point to the League champion’s score, while the Sheffield were unable to penetrate the home defence, and the game ended—Aston Villa, four goals; Sheffield Wednesday, nil.