EVERTON v. ASTON VILLA

The return engagement of these clubs was brought off on the Everton Club’s Grounds on Saturday, when fully 24,000 spectators paid the admission. The ground was of course hard as adamant from the heavy frost, but notwithstanding this the game was played grandly, the men maintaining their feet in a surprising manner. The game was wonderfully consistent, though, on the whole, the Evertonians had, taken all round, slightly the best of matters, particularly in first half.

The Villa, however, showed the better stamina, and when Wheldon scored their only goal a few minutes from time, the Everton spectators were getting quite anxious for the whistle to sound.

The Villa started play, and at once Cowan and Athersmith, on their respective sides ran the ball past the home half backs, but they found in the home backs a better pair of men than they have had to face for a time.

Still, Maur was tested by a teaser from Devey, who made welcome reappearance in the ranks of the Villa. The Evertonians, however soon took the running and Crabtree and Bowman were each lucky to stop Cameron and Taylor, while on several occasions nothing more than inches divided Robertson’s shots from the inside of the posts, Wheldon several time's got the ball sent to him, but Freddy was not at his best, and missed the target.

Then, when play had been going on for about 30 minutes, the Everton forwards went down in a body, and after a free kick had been given against the Villa for handling the ball, Robertson placed Everton one up.

This set the Everton going to a still livelier tune, and the Villans had to fall back into goal to avert disaster on several occasions, while for several minutes the home backs and custodian were practically spectators.

Just before the interval, after Whitehouse had saved brilliantly from Taylor. Chadwick rushed up, and put Everton two goals ahead, and the interval was sounded with the score - Everton, two; Aston Villa, none.

With the resumption the Villa began a very different style of play. Still Muir managed all the shots which were sent his way. Everton, by J. Bell on the right, got going, and when the Villa halves had been passed the old Dumbartonian pinned himself to the ball, and nothing but a bit of bad luck in the form of a slip prevented his scoring. As it was the ball only just topped the bar.

Then the Brums attacked, and Wheldon followed the example of Bell and skimmed the bar when a goal seemed certain from him.

The pressure on the home defence was kept up, and the visitors took several corners, from one of which Wheldon headed over the bar. Everton appeared to gain their wind again while these corners were being put in, and raced to the other end, but they found the Villa’s attack just as sound as their own had been when the wind was behind them.

The Villa, however, in the closing stages put forth their best endeavours to score, and in the last few minutes Wheldon after a brilliant bit of work, wound up with a goal, which was cheered to the echo by the Brum spectators present, and those were not a few.

Right at the close the Villa pressed, and were almost incessantly in front of Muir, but the end came without the equaliser.

Result Everton, two; Aston Villa, one.