Match Report – Southport Visiter – 07/01/1882

Southport v Tradesmen of Southport – There was a fair attendance to see this match. The tradesmen had the assistance of several players from a neighbouring club, who did very good services. Platt kicked off for the club, but the ball was soon returned, and Bridge and Ratcliffe ran the ball into the Southport quarters, but the ball went out. for about twenty minutes the play was of a give-and-take character, both teams working hard. The Southport team now began to work better together, some capital runs being made by both wings, and from a centre by Burnett, Melross shot the ball through. The Tradesmen were not penned for a bit, and two more goals were scored – one from a foul in front of their fortress – Rylance giving the final touch, and Smith doing the needful in the other case. The ball was once more kept in the middle of the ground, and some neat play was shown; but not having played together before, the tradesmen were unable to combine together enough to secure the downfall of the Southport goal, although they had several chances. Ramsbotham and Platt were next to the fore, and Platt was instrumental in adding to the score. At half time the score was four to nothing, and for the rest of the game the Southport team had the best of the play, the fine back play of Rylance and Irving preventing any score, although the play of Parry and Fletcher, and in fact all of the forwards, was really deserving of better luck. Three more goals were secured before time was called, two being kicked by Burnett and one by Melross, Southport eventually winning by seven goals to none. Besides those mentioned Pidduck deserves special notice for the lof of work he did. Teams :- Southport – Goal, T.Barrow; backs, A.Irving and J.H.Hollis; half-backs, C.R.Rylance, H.Baxter; forwards, H.A.Smith, W.Platt, J.Topliss, J.Melross, E.Ramsbotham, and T.B.Burnett (captain). Tradesmen – Goal, J.T.Harrison; backs, H.Sherrington, B.Pidduck; half backs, T.Marsden, S.Ratcliffe, A.Ramsbottom (captain), M.Boyd, E.Bridge, Feltcher, Parry and Robinson.