SATURDAY’S FOOTBALL.
LEAGUE MATCHES.

ASTON ViLLA v. BLACKBURN ROVERS - This match was played on the Leamington Ground, Blackburn, before about 10,000 spectators. The Villa was fully represented, but the Rovers were minus Townley, and in his place Jimmy Brown donned the jersey, after an absence from the arena of three years.

The teams were - Villa: Warner, goal; Coulton and Cox, backs; Devey, Burton and Goodall, half-backs; A. Brown and Green (right wing), Hodgetts and Allen (left wing), and Hunter (centre) forwards.

Rovers: Arthur, goal; James, Southworth and Forbes, backs; Douglas, Almond, and Forrest, half-backs; Beresford and Walton (right wing), Brown and Fecitt (left wing), and John Southworth (centre) forwards. Mr. J. T. Helme, of Farnworth, referee.

A stiff breeze blew from goal to goal, and, winning the toss, the Villans chose to have the benefit of it in the first half.

The Rovers started the ball, and at once became dangerous, but the Villa backs relieved, and for some time the home team were pressed. The play of the backs, however, was very fine, and it was not long before the forwards were peppering away at the Villa goal. The wind, however, had its effect, and the Villa forwards by some neat passing had a good look in, and secured three corners in succession, which they failed to realise.

After twenty minutes play the Rovers’ forwards kept up a prolonged attack on the Villa goal, and from a centre by Beresford Fecitt headed through, only to be ruled off-side. Two minutes later, however, Beresford again sent in a flying centre, and John Southworth headed the first goal, amid great cheers. Play now ruled very fast, the Rovers having, if anything, the best of it, but they always found Warner and the backs ready for them.

At last the Villans broke away, and about five minutes before half-time Hodgetts dodged Douglas and sent in a beauty, which Green headed through. The Rovers put in a claim of off-side, but it was disallowed, and half-time was called with the score 1 goal each.

Immediately on resuming the Rovers dashed away, but were driven back, and by some pretty passing play the Villa forwards got a look in, but their efforts in front of goal were painfully weak.

The same remark also applied to the Rovers, for the right wing pair on at least half-a-dozen occasions missed ridiculously easy chances. Both sides began to show signs of the fast game, and the Villa looked like wearing their men down. Hodgetts shot against the post from the corner flag, but this proved the last chance, as with a combined rush the home forwards went along the field, and from a scrimmage Fecitt scored the second goal, and within two minutes followed with a, third, amid great enthusiasm.

The Rovers still kept up the pressure, and, despite the really magnificent defence of Warner, John Southworth gained the fourth point with a hard low shot about five minutes before the close. The Rovers still put in all they knew, and in the last minute John Southworth put in a hot one; Warner got at the ball, but failed to stop it, and the whistle blew with the the result - Rovers 5, Villa 1.