Match Reports – 13/04/1918

TEAMS FOR TOMORROW

April 12, 1918. The Evening Express

By CRI

Spectators at Goodison Park, where the opposition will be supplied by Southport Central, kick-off 3.30 will be glad to witness the returns, of Clennell, Joe has not donned football boots for a month and the many admirers of his dexterity will hope to see him in a scoring mood. He will be partnered by Burgess, the Brynn youth, while there will be on view Stott, of Huyton Quarry, who gave a good account of himself against Stockport. The half-back line will include Cotter, of Kirkdale. Southport win of necessily make changes in the very moderate side, they fielded at Anfield but it will be a starting reversal of form if the “Blues” do not win excellent goalkeeper though Capper be. The match will be worth watching, if only for the cleverness of the Ex-South custodian. The teams may line up as follows; Everton; Mitchell; Collins, Stott; Cotter, Fleetwood, Grenyer; Wadworth, Jefferis, Gault, Clennell, Burgess. Southport; Capper; Dorward, Smith; Sheldon, Fay, Jordan; Eacock, Caulifield, Gerrard, Burke, Stanfield.

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A PROMISE OF STRONGER OPPOSITION

April 12, 1918. The Liverpool Echo

Bee’s Sports Notes

There are five locals playing in the Goodison match tomorrow –Collins, Stott, Cotter, Wadsworth and Burgess. Stott made a very good show last week for a first appearance. Southport’s team selection looks very different to that sent out last week. If Fay helps them and play anothing like the great game he played for Bolton’s few weeks ago against the Everton men we are in for a match well worth our special attention. In any case I like the “read” of the Southport attack, especially in view of the trial in Everton’s defence of Stott and Collins. The return of Joe Clennell is a matter which will please everybody. Team; Everton; Mitchell; Collins, Stott; Cotter, Fleetwood, Grenyer; Wadworth, Jefferis, Gault, Clennell, Burgess.

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METCALF TURNS OUT FOR SOUTHPORT

April 13, 1918. Evening Express

By CRI

There was quite a local favour about the Everton team which received a visit from Southport Central today, for Collins, of Kirkdale, and Stott of Huyton Quarry, were the backs; Cotter of Kirkdale was in the halves amongst the forwards were Wadsworth, of Tranmere Rovers ad Burgess the one armed young Brynn player. A great deal of interest also centred in the return of shareshooter Clennell after a month’s absence. The teams lined up as follows;- Everton; Mitchell, goal; Collins and Stott, backs; Cotter, Fleetwood (captain), and Grenyer, half-backs; Wadsworth, Jefferis, Gault, Clennell, and Burgess, forwards. Southport; Capper, goal; McDonald (Everton Res) and Stansfield, backs; Garder, Sheldon and Kenyon, half-backs; Hooper, Caulfield, Metcalf, Eacock, and Burke, forwards.
The Game
The crowd was of very modest dimensions when Campbell started the game fifteen minutes after time, and then Central were two men. Just as the game was started Metcalf trotted on the field and took Caulfield’s at centre forward. The pressure of a Liverpool player meant something to the Central who began in a much more promising fashion than last week, and Collins had to step in to block a pass to the wing. However, the Blues were not very long before making an advance and Gault just missed the upright with a ground shot. An out across by Clennell placed Jefferis in position but he shot scraped the crossbar.
Everton’s Good Start
Everton were two goals up in the first fifteen minutes, Clennell getting the first from a free kick just outside the penalty area and Gault the second with a clear drive from about twenty yards range. The first goal led to an unusual scene. Capper threw himself at the ball and held it at the foot of the post but the referee ruled that it had crossed the line, whereupon the custodian kicked the leather over his own crossbar and raised after Rylance to protest while the spectators behind the net set up a regular shout of no goal. The official was adamant on the point, but he was caught napping with an offside decision later and had to have a throw down. The game was a very one-sided one, just as it was last week. Mitchell only handling once in half-an-hour and that a very long drive which he dropped but there was nobody up.
Southport’s Innings
Thanks largely to Caulfield Southport had a spell of attacking and forced a corner, but Garner headed over. A nice cross shot by Burgess gave Capper some trouble at the other end. Eacock showed speed in keeping the ball in play. During one terrific melee in the Central goalmouth Burgess had no less than four successive shots, everyone of which struck a defender before reaching Capper. The Brynn although unlucky in this respect was playing fine football and was invariably on the target. Southport were not quite so badly out classed as at Anfield and were triers all the time, but the Everton halves generally had them well under control. The Blues’ goal had one very narrow escape just before the interval after nice-passing between Metcalf and Caulfield, and the ball travelled out to Burke and he shot right across the goalmouth and Mitchell missed the leather which went just the wrong side of the post. The visitors received plenty of encouragement for their efforts from a contingent of wounded soldiers but there was no getting beyond the fact that the home lot were much the superior side. A minute prior to the interval Metcalf scored for Southport. He had nothing to do but tap the ball into the empty net, and all the credit must be given to the outside right who easily beat Stott and struck the crossbar with a grand drive as Mitchell jumped for the shot. Half-time; Everton 2, Southport 1.

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TRIAL OF MANY LOCALS AT GOODISON PARK

April 13, 1918. The Liverpool Football Echo

Everton-Southport Game

By Bee

Everton; Mitchell, goal; Collins and Stott, backs; Cotter, Fleetwood (captain), and Grenyer, half-backs; Wadsworth, Jefferis, Gault, Clennell, and Burgess, forwards. Southport; Capper, goal; McDonald (Everton Res) and Stansfield, backs; Garder, Sheldon and Kenyon, half-backs; Hooper, Caulfield, Metcalf, Eacock, and Burke, forwards. Five locals were playing for Everton today at Goodison Park against Southport Central. Clennell was also selected. He has been absent a long time through a troublesome complaint.
Southport were hard pressed to name a team and delayed the start. Referee Ryance who has been connected with Lancashire County Circket club, Southport were two men short when the teams lined up, but the game was delayed still further and when operations started it was seen that Arthur Metcalf the Liverpool forward had been pressed into service at centre forward.
Clennell Opens The Score
The game had not been going long before it was seen that Everton were toying with their opponents. This was a natural result. In eight minutes Everton were one up. Clennell had been fouled, and when he took the free kick a Southport defended advanced more then ten yards with the result that the free kick was taken again, and this time Clennell fired in a low ball which seemed to be scoring all the way. The ball, however, hit Capper’s chest and judging by the extraordinary protest y Everton supporters at the back of the goal the referee had made a severe mistake in judging the ball over the line. Whether he was right or wrong there could be no mistaking the fact that he was quite wrong in prolonging an argument with Capper.
Gault Improved
There was nothing of point for seven minutes after this, and then came a second goal scored by Gault, who fad to thank Jefferis for a lovely pass. In spite of a long lob by Shelden and some tricky back heeling combination between the old Nottingham player, Hooper and Caulfield, Everton kept well on top of their opponents. The home backs moderately being uncertain in their kicks. It was as well they steadied up, because Southport in attack were better represented today them throughout the season this was shown when Hooper gave Caulfield and Metcalfe fairly good chances of scoring. A rather remarkable succession of shots was tried by Burgess who had four trices to goal in as many seconds and was crowded out each time. In a trice that left winger had an open view of goal, but this time fired too high. Souhport were not entirely out of the hurt, and when their half-backs gave them a chance the visitors attacked reasonably well. There was one occasion when Metcalfe screwed wide, and Burke went very close with a nice low shot. Of course Southport’s left-wing was their might and it needed a safe pair of hands to prevent Caulfield scoring.
Metcalfe Scores for Southport
After Capper had made a save from Fleetwood by wing his body. Hooper darted away, had the field well beaten, and hit the crossbar. Fortunately, Metcalfe was handy and scored quite easily from the rebound.
Half-time; Everton 2, Southport Central 1
The game in the second half opened more briskly than the first half. Metcalfe went just over, and then followed a glorious piece of goalkeeping on the part of Capper, who edged away a terrific shot by Jefferis. Wadsworth, Jefferis, and Clennell were concerned in a practical passing bout, Clennell scoring. Within four minutes Gault scored a beauty. Clennell scored for Everton in five minutes. Jefferis made the score 5-1.
Goal-Scores
Clennell scored for Everton after 8 minutes
Gault scored for Everton after 15 minutes
Metcalfe scored for Southport after 44 minutes
Clennell scored for Everton after 51 minutes
Gault Scored for Everton -55 minutes
Jefferis scored for Everton -60 minutes

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EVERTON JUNIORS

April 15, 1918. The Evening Express

By CRI

Everton are pursuing a very wise policy in taking advantage of the present time to develop promising juniors. On Saturday they put five in the field against Southport and all shaped well, though I was chiefly attracted by Burgess a good shot, who keeps the ball low, and the backs, who met the attacks led by Metcalfe with great steadiness. True, the Blues halves did not show Southport too much latitude and Central were well beaten. Of course they could not have expected “anything else with only nine men at the outset. Southport ill luck began when Capper claimed that the first goal should not have counted, as the ball had not gone over the line, and when the referee decided on a goal it seemed to take some of the heart out of the visitors, though the custodian was again in great form. The height of the Everton press box makes it impossible to give any opinion on the goal referred to, but the official was several times at fault with his offside decisions.

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HOW EVERTON JUNIORS SHAPED V. CENTRAL

April 15, 1918. The Liverpool Echo

To what extent some football clubs are reduced can be gathered by the fact of Southport Central on Saturday having to borrow players at the last moment. It was good of Metcalfe at the last moment. It was good of Metcalfe, the Liver man, and McDonald an Everton Reserves player, to join up with the Central side and certain it should be, if it isn’t that war-time football should bring clubs together and bind them in a friendly knot.
Smart Goalkeeping
Everton won pretty well as they liked, in spite of their full backs starting as though they had not a straight kick, and in spite of the undoubted capability of such men as Hopper (Nottingham) Caulfield (clever inspite of his inches –a remark hat applied to the clever lad Burke), and Metcalfe. Is Southport’s half-backs could not compare with Everton’s and therein lay the vital difference between the sides. Once again Capper kept a grand goal. The former South Liverpool man was unwise in going on the field with the Blues jersey (a fact the referee did not notice for some moments), and he was unwise to carry his challenging of a referee’s decision to the extent he did, but otherwise he played great football, and his dive after a cannon-ball delivered by Frank Jefferis was an eye-opener, the ball being edged away in first class fashion; in fact it was much like Billy Scott’s patent way of getting to a hot ball. No one was safer than Scott so far as a shot to the left (Scott’s right hand) side, and Capper’s save must have conjured up memories of the Irishman’s saves on the same ground. Referee Rylance started ill –a bad start with a home crowd barking that the visiting side has a goal they do not deserve is something of a novelty and is good sportsmanship on the part of the spectators. Referee Rylance was not happy, but I know that he will do better anon. One or more players one time cried aloud for offside, but the referee had made a good verdict, and the players recognized this so soon as he pointed to a player they had overlooked. So you see all can make mistakes –none more than the writer, however! Burgess improved by association with Clennell, the young backs did well on setting down to business, Cotter comes on all the time, and Wadsworth has lean patches apparently. To Southport our thanks for putting up a good fight. They deserve better luck.

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REFEREE’S EXPLAINS

April 16, 1918. The Liverpool Echo

Bees’ Sports Notes

Mr. Harry Rylance, of Earlestown, favours me with an official view of the Everton-Southport game re the opening goal scored by Clennell. Mr. Rylance says;-
I was not arguing with Capper, the goalkeeper. I took not the slightest notice of his claim about the goal incident, but was instructing him to change his jersey whilst he had the opportunity. I had ordered the change of his jersey at the commencement, but I thought it wise to start the game, as there had been already a delay in kicking off. Now about the incident which led to Everton’s first goal. I was right on the spot, and can assure you that the ball hit inside the post and at the same time the net, and the Southport goalkeeper did not see this, as he had given it up and of course, gathering the ball from the rebound, he may have thought he could try a bluff. I must give him his due, as he did not see it hit the inside of the net.