SOUTHPORT CENTRAL V. EVERTON.

September 15, 1916, The Evening Express

By the Judge.

Grenyer will not be able to turn out at Southport tomorrow, as was anticipated in these columns on Wednesday, consequently McNeil will come into the side, which may be taken as at full strength, as McNeil’s capabilities can in no sense be described as of the emergency order. Southport are placing a strong eleven in the field, and the teams are accepted to turn out as follows: – Everton:- Fern; Thompson, Simpson; Bradbury, Fleetwood, McNeil; Lloyd, Kirsopp, Champey, Clennell, Harrison. Southport; – Campbell; Dorward, J.H. Wright; Rigsby, Stringfellow, Abrams; Merritt, Caulfield, Watson, Toms, Scholfield.

FLEETWOOD ABSENT AGAINST CENTRAL

September 16, 1916. The Liverpool Football Echo

Hard Game At Southport Ground

Everton have rarely had to do without the services of Tom Fleetwood, who considering his wear and tear game at centre-half, has been very immune from accident. However, Fleetwood, though an injured toe, was unable to help his side in the big match at Southport today, when the Central were looking forward to points from their near and dear neighbours. Central had a strong side out, even if they had to tempt Fate by playing Watson, an international half back, at centre forward. They had Liverpool’s goalkeeper Dennis Campbell to guard the sticks and to the other hand, Everton gave at centre half where Challinor, the Northwich boy deputised, had no chance from the side which drew with Stoke. Grenyer a doubtful starter, finding himself able to play. The home side was at the fullest available strength and the men lined up as follows:- Everton:- Fern (captain), goal; Thompson and Simpson, backs; Bradbury, Challinor and Grenyer, half-backs; Lloyd, Kirsopp, Campey, Clennell, and Harrison, forwards. Southport:- Gunner Campbell (Liverpool), goal; Dorward and Wright, backs; Rigby, Stringfellow, and Abrams, half-backs; Merritt, Caulfield, Watson, Toms and Scholfield, forwards. Referee; Mr. J.H. Alderson. The Evertonians made a short if somewhat crowded journey to Southport, a good time, and drove straightaway to the Central enclosure. The weather was perfect after the cold spell of the previous two days, and the springy part promised a fast encounter. The composition of the opposing teams moreover suggested a more than usually interesting game. The visitors made one important change from the team originally selected. Fleetwood was found to be suffering from a badly damaged toe, and his position was therefore given to Challinor, a player who has done good service for the Everton Club in the past. It was ten minutes after time when play started in the presence of some 2,000 spectators. Everton started in the face of the sun and a cross breeze. They at once made play on the left and a series of throws in might have been turned to account if Dorward had not interfered. He cleared vigorously, and the home right made ground only to pulled up by Grenyer. The visitors at once returned to the attack and after Campey had failed at close range, Clennell dashed in and with one of his imperious shots sent the leather flying just wide of the target. The spirited movements gave us a foretaste of what might be expected at warming to their work both centre forwards proceeded in turn to exert pressure. There was, however, a lack of combination and the nearest approach to a goal was when Watson wriggled between Thompson and Simpson nearly to fail at the critical juncture. Everton tried hard to make play on the left, but the clever wingers were, very closely watched and Rigsby on more than one occasion managed to put a decided spoke in their wheel. Challinor once in trying to serve up to his forwards drove the ball ever the line, and subsequently a pretty movement on the part of Kirsopp and Lloyd came to nothing. The pace was now aggreedly fast, and Southport pressing strongly gave the Everton defenders rather an anxious time. Watson getting hold strongly, but he was offside, and when a little later a corner was forced Scholfield put behind. Everton retaliated with a series of somewhat struggling movements, in which Clennell was the most conspicuous figure, but the only shot that came to hand was well dealt with by the ex-Liverpool custodian Central returned to the attack, caused further apprehension, which was only allayed when Fern fielded a hot shot from Toms. The Southport vanguard were not to be denied and coming along once more Everton drove with tremendous strength straight at Fern, who effected a wonderful clearance. The Battle was now of a really ding-dong character. Everton breaking through the home defence on both wings made openings only to lose them, and Campey, when well placed shot over. So far there had been comparatively little science about the struggle, but there was no taking the determination of the opponents and so we had a sense of thrills, which are often lacking from the more precise and schoisrity game. Twice the visitors made clever play on the right where Lloyd once again demonstrated his capabilities as an accurate director of the ball, but in each instance there was no one up to complete the movement. The same player and Kirsopp were next prominent in the first really concerted movement of the match, and Clennell looked like putting in the finishing touch on when Dorward and Stringfellow successfully stopped his progress.
Half-time; Southport Central 0, Everton 0
The visitors at this period were rather more than holding their own, but there was still a lack of understanding and matters were not improved when Campey put the ball high over the bar. A little slackness on the part of the home halves let Clennell and Harrison in, but the latter shot rather wildly and Campbell coming out cleared with comparative ease. Further spells of the quick and rush order led to Southport making further attacks, and after Simpson had lost one shot from Toms, the latter named player returned and gave Fern such a handful that he was only just able to turn it outside the upright. Towards the interval the visitors showed something of their real cleverness and it was well for the home defence that Campbell was between the sticks. Campey and Harrison both tested him, and he had scarcely recovered his place when Lloyd tried hard to draw first blood. The galliant runner, however, still kept the breach and fisted clear with marvellous agility. Central made a desperate attempt to gain the lead, but the Everton defence was sound, and half time came with no score.
Comments.
The proceedings in the first half may best be described as a rough and tumble exhibition, in which vigour took the place of class football. The Central forwards set such a querry pace at the commencement that the Evertonians seemed to be taken by surprise and it was some time before they appeared to realise that they were up against stern and steady opponents. Watson in the centre position led the attack with great cleverness, and Toms was unlucky in twice failing to score. Everton’s attack as I have said, was scrappy, and therefore in effective. Campey ought certainly to have found the target, on more than one occasion. Clennell was so closely watched that he was allowed very little rope, and the centres of the outside men were more often than not neglected.
The Second Half.
There was an increased attendance when hostilities were resumed in still brilliant sunshine. Southport at once advanced on the right, side the ball was moving dangerously across the goalmouth.

SURPRISE FOR EVERTON

September 18, 1916. The Evening Express.

By the Judge

The Everton team gave a disappointing display at Southport on Saturday; indeed, neither the Central nor the Blues could by any stretch of imagination lay claim to having provided an exposition of footwork calculated to stir the pulses of followers of the sport. That the Central deserved their success by the bare margin of a goal could not be denied, for they were the more virile if not clever set, and it was the former quality that settled the issue. Clennell and Harrison were the strongest wing on the Everton side, and it was through no fault of the inside man that his scoring proclivities received a check. Campey, as the centre, got more into touch with the comrades as play progressed, and the sprinting, of Lloyd was one of the features in Everton’s advances, Watson, the ex-Burnley player, was a capable leader of the Central forwards, of whom Toms like Clennell on the Everton side, caught the eye by reason of clever marksmanship.

CENTRAL’S SUCCESS

September 18, 1916, The Liverpool Echo

Bee’s Notes

“The Shrimpes will be highly delighted that they have beaten Everton. It is a feather in their cap. F.E.B here tells how it came about:-
The Evertonians invariably fail to do themselves full justice when playing at Southport. Saturday proved no exception to this rule, and as the result of a ding-dong encounter in which brawn was more prominent than brain, they deeded a couple of points to the fisher folk. This was perhaps, more than the Southport team deserved for they were by no means as well balanced side, yet their vigour persistence entitled them to some reward. As on former occasions it was the ground that beat the visitors. The sandy soil, with its uneven surface, caused the ball to perform all sorts of convention movements, and it was not until well in the second half that the Everton players appeared able to keep the leather under complete control. This we had a series of “balloons ascents” that led to some smart headwork, but which got us “no forrarder,” so to speak. Everton despite their obvious defects displayed at times something of their inside cleverness and in the closing stages they made fine target practice. Fortunately for Southport Kenneth Campbell, the famous Liverpool custodian, was between the sticks, and gave the crowd a wonderful display of his powers in fielding the ball from all angles and in intelligently anticipating the course of its flight. The first half, though of a rather boisterous character, was full of incident. Southport early on howled a disposition to get through at any cost and with a little better under standing among the forwards they might well have made good. As it was, their final charges were erratic, and either the backs or Fern were able to cope with them. Everton were equally at fault in this direction. Abrams almost completely bottled up one wing, and Clennell was so well marked that he was not permitted to get his customary goal. In the second period play was still fast and furious fluctuating from goal to goal with agreeable rapidity. Neither side, however, succeeded in breaking the defence until eight minutes from the finish; Toms scored with a telling shot. It was a fitting climax to a capital individual performance. Watson did well at centre and Abrams shone climax to a capital individual performance. Watson did well at centre and Abrams shone brilliantly in the middle line. Both the full backs played really good football. The Everton forwards, as we have indicated, might have been seen to much better advantage. Campey lost many golden opportunities and the wingers were scarcely up to concert pitch. The halves were moderately sound, and it is just as well that Thompson and Simpson, together with Fern, exercised judgement in one or two tight places.