NORTH END v. BOLTON WANDERERS
— John James Bentley | 13/12/1887 —

THE SITUATION EXPLAINED.

As a great many people seem to be a bit mixed about Preston North End playing Bolton Wanderers in the second round of English Cup ties, when they were already in the fifth, it will, perhaps be as well to explain the peculiarity. Everton threw the Wanderers out of the first round, and the Wanderers protested. The council of the F.A. made the mistake of ordering Everton to play North End in the second round with a protest pending in the first. Everton did so, were beaten, and Halliwell were taken on in the third round, and also defeated. Then the complication arises. After playing Halliwell, the protest of the Wanderers was sustained, and they were ordered to play North End. The next question was — What about Halliwell? North End cannot be said to have played the third round before they were clear of the second, but this is really what they did. A great deal has been said about the F.A. sending a telegram to Mr. Sudell, informing him that if they played Halliwell it must be as an ordinary match. This is perfectly correct, but after receiving the telegram Mr. Sudell put himself in communication with Mr. Alcock, and to get the Association out of its difficulty, offered to play the Wanderers in the second round, if they were allowed to meet Halliwell in the third, and not throw away another date. This was agreed to, and the notorious telegram was null and void. The proposal of Mr. Sudell's was very sportsmanlike, for surely after having done as they were ordered in playing Everton, they could reasonably object to again competing in the second round.

THE WANDERERS START FAIRLY WELL.

The Wanderers were not thought to have much chance of winning, though they had shown very good form the two previous weeks, but on Saturday it was a hundred to one against them, for neither M'Kernan, Dakin, nor Sumners could play. Consequently, Struthers had again to be put in the centre, big Bob Roberts had to go half-back, and a second teamster took M'Kernan's place, whilst another second team man was on the left wing. Somehow, the Wanderers and North End always draw, as the Lancashire Association can testify, and, somehow, Dr. Morley always contrives to put in an appearance. The fine stand was crowded, and altogether there would be about 7,000 present. The first half started very well, for the Wanderers had a burst up the field, and got in close quarters, and for about ten minutes they gave signs of trouble, but N. J. seems to strike terror to little Kenny, and the latter got rid of the ball as if it were one of fire whenever he saw Ross en route. I thought the North End captain did his best to frighten him, and once he behaved cruelly to Brogan, flooring him with terrific force just when the ball had gone out. After the first ten minutes the Wanderers had not much chance, and to make matters worse, Brogan got a nasty kick, which knocked him out of time. The play was kept in the Wanderers' half, and but for good defence and bad shooting, the score would have been heavier than it was. Young Ross broke the ice, and then Dewhurst followed with a second. In the last five minutes of the first half the Wanderers showed fight, and some people say they scored, but Mr. Gregson did not think so. Snow was now falling and the wind had completely turned round, so that North End had the benefit of it all through the game.

SCIENTIFIC FOOTBALL.

Two-nil did not look over formidable to commence the second half with, and after North End had spent about a quarter of an hour trying to beat Unsworth without success, the Wanderers got in front, after several fruitless attempts. N. J. went down, and eventually P. Howarth obtained the first goal that had been scored against North End in the Cup ties. It was a bad job for the Wanderers obtaining this goal. It roused North End up, and they commenced to play what I consider no other club can play, in comparison with them — scientific football. It was clockwork, and the shooting was immense. Little Unsworth was a hero, and stopped shots without end until his gloves were as slippery as the ball. It was only at rare intervals the Wanderers could break away, and then it was chiefly owing to the plodding of Brogan, who, dispite his injury, stuck to his work. Almost every moment saw a shot going at Unsworth, and at the finish the score read 9—1, and yet some people say North End cannot shoot. Unsworth's opinion on this point would be readable.

FREE CRITICISM.

I daresay a lot of clubs will be displeased when I say that, on the form shown by North End in the last half-hour, they could beat any club half a dozen goals. With them in that form football becomes a science, and it is a rich treat to see it. I have had that pleasure twice, and the unfortunate victims on each occasion have been the Bolton Wanderers. The Rovers were clever, plucky players — the most plucky I have ever seen, North End included — but they never played with the same science as North End showed last Christmas Day and on Saturday. Queen's Park some years ago caused spectators to go off their head with the flashes of brilliance displayed by such men as Ker, Highet, and Richmond, but never was there a team that played football as shown by North End. Then it was centre play and wing play; with North End it is the combined play of the whole of the forwards which makes it so effective. Jimmy Ross is a veritable demon. He is a clever lad and scored five of the goals. Fred Dewhurst was also in splendid form, and Drummond shaped better. Gordon was too much for his once dreaded opponent, Bob Roberts, and mde rings round him. Goodall did not shine very much in comparison with the others, Steel being on his track. The halves all played the game and passed beautifully to their forwards, Sandy Robertson being again quite up to the mark. Ross was as usual, which menas something, but Bob Howarth did the dribbling business, and will regret it some day. The Wanderers did not show up well. The forwards were most to blame, and the only one of the five who did not hang out the white feather was Brogan. Roberts was in poor form, but all the other defenders did well. Steel worked hard, and so did Bullough, and both Pearson and Parkinson kicked well, the former playing very pluckily in his first big match. Unsworth was put down as another Trainer, and he played as well as ever Trainer did. If Mr. Sudell could only get his men to play as they did on Saturday, it would be odds on for the Cup, but, as with other teams, North End are not always in their best trim. They would ruin football if they were.