2-1

BOLTON WANDERERS v. ASTON VILLA.

These teams, after playing their first League game on Monday at Perry Barr, and which, by the way, the Villa won by six goals to two, decided their last League encounter of the season at Bolton on Saturday, when, in a storm of wind, the Villa bagged a second couple of points.

There would be fully 8,000 spectators present. The Villa had Crabtree still injured and the Wanderers had Jones, Somervill, Millar, Thompson, and Gilligan absent, so that their team was practically a skeleton side.

The Villa, having won the toss, set the Wanderers to face the wind and sun. Joyce kicking off.

It was at once seen which was the better team, for the Villa halves tackled the Bolton attack superbly, and never allowed them to settle on the ball.

All this time the Villains were making sharp raids on Sutcliffe, and tuns after time the custodian had to look alive to get rid of shots. Paton once came near beating Whitehouse with a long shot, but the first score came to the Villa. Athersmith, who always takes a prominent part in the Villa’s scoring, initiated the run and centring grandly, enabled Campbell to guide the ball past Sutcliffe.

The Wanderers pulled themselves together a bit after this, and twice Whitehouse was lucky to get rid of shots from Joyce and Nichol. Evans at this stage of the gams twisted his knee, but was enabled to resume almost immediately.

The game was, taken all round, going very much in favour of the Villa, and just before the interval Wheldon with a header diverted the ball past Sutcliffe and the Brums led by two to nil at the interval.

On resuming, Campbell soon got in a shot but he was wide, and a corner to the Wanderers almost saw the downfall of the Villa goal, M’Geachan kicking over the bar.

A regular bombardment subsequently proved abortive. Whitehouse and Evans jammed Wright as he was shooting. A free kick close up was taken by Freebairn, but the ball was sent just wide.

Athersmith got well up, but Scott sent him empty away. In fact the Bolton backs were playing a great game.

From a free kick for a foul close up, the ball, after rebounding a few times, went through from the foot of M’Geachan, thus making the game two-one in the Villa’s favour.

This success was highly pleasing to the home supporters.

Devey took a flying shot without effect, and Wheldon sent over.

The Wanderers tried desperately hard to equalise, but their efforts were of no avail, and the whistle sounded with the Villa winners by two goals to one.