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BURNLEY V. ASTON VILLA.

The Burnley team paid the League champions a visit on Saturday with their return League fixture. Ideal football weather prevailed, and fully 12,000 spectators were present. The visitors won the toss, and the Villa started the game uphill. Campbell started, and Cowan got in a neat pass, but Wheldon failed when he received the ball. Burnley, however, soon retaliated, and going away with a strong rush, Black shot the ball through Whitehouse’s legs and scored a clever goal for his team, although Toman was palpably off-side and should have been pulled up before the point was registered.

The Villa got away from the restart, but the visitors were quickly again to the attack and won a corner, and looked very much like increasing their load, but the ball was cleared, and the homesters got away and treated the spectators to a fine display of passing, but their final attempts were rather weak.

After a smart dribble Campbell got a good shot, which, however, fell wide. Wheldon made a very fair effort to get through. James Cowan and Reynolds were also conspicuous in the front ranks. Burnley soon got clear and forced their way down the field, and might have increased their score but for the sterling defence of the homesters. The pace went warm right to the interval, but Burnley still were to the front when whistle sounded.

Burnley, one; Villa, nil

After the interval the Villa were soon the aggressors and had more than their share of the game, but their luck was very bad; while Burnley took advantage of every opportunity. After some time Smith headed into the mouth of the goal, but the ball travelled over the posts. Burnley then had an innings, and made good use of their opportunities ; after travailing into the home quarters they were assisted by Evans passing the ball to Toman right in front of goal, the latter had no difficult in netting the ball, but for this mistake on the part of Evans the point would not nave been registered.

The Villa now commenced a series of smart attacks, but none bore fruit, and their passing when in close quarters was injudicious and inaccurate. Burnley stuck at it until the finish, and Bowes added a third goal for them before time sounded. This is probably the worst performance the Villa have taken part in this season and they were deservedly beaten. Burnley, three; Aston Villa, nil.