Sunday 5 November 2017

1963-64 - Part three (Albion and Walsall)

Posted by Tony Hutton

SATURDAY 23RD NOVEMBER, 1963

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH         Attendance 15,100

WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1 (Fenton) BLACKBURN ROVERS 3 (McEvoy 3)

Potter; Howe, Williams; Fraser, Jones, Simpson;
Clark, Fenton, Kaye, Hope, Carter;

Else; Bray, Newton; Clayton, England, McGrath;
Ferguson, McEvoy, Pickering, Douglas, Harrison;

Referee:- A. Holland, Barnsley
           
Brian Douglas (Blackburn Rovers)



The attendance was clearly affected by the bus strike at West Bromwich today. Albion manager Jimmy Hagan was hoping that switching Clive Clark to the right wing might bring success. Brian Douglas, operating at inside left for Rovers, rather than his normal right wing position, was soon in the action with accurate passes from midfield. Howe came to the rescue for Albion when Potter missed a cross from Ferguson by heading the ball away for a corner.
          
Switched to the right wing for this game.



Wilf Carter playing his first senior game this season came close after an individual breakaway but shot just wide of the far post. At this stage Albion were on top with their two wing halves keeping control of midfield. Mike England was the kingpin of Rovers' defence and certainly helped keep his side in the game. Rovers only real attack saw Clayton, the former England captain, have a long range effort brilliantly saved by the diving Potter.

However just before the half hour mark Rovers took the lead all against the run of play. A simple goal as Fred Else, the Blackburn keeper, hit a long ball down the middle to McEvoy, who went round Stan Jones, then drew Potter out of goal and slotted that ball past him into the net. Nine minutes later McEvoy scored another, this time thanks to a glorious pass from Douglas. McEvoy cut in from the left and as Potter came out timed his shot to perfection. Half time 0-2.

John Kaye was in the thick of it for Albion at the start of the second half but his best effort just hit the side netting. McEvoy had a chance of his hat trick as Ferguson robbed Williams and squared it inside for McEvoy just to miss the target. He missed another within a minute by blasting the ball over the cross bar from point blank range.


Finally he did complete his hat trick in the 57th minute when Douglas, with another precision pass, sent him through to score with a great shot. Certainly a hat trick to savour. Albion's supporters tried to urge their men back into the game and within five minutes they had pulled one back as Fenton scored with a brilliant header from a Carter corner, given Fred Else no chance in the Blackburn goal.

Albion tried hard to get another, but the game was up and Blackburn had proved the much better all round side. Fred Pickering who had been overshadowed by McEvoy's scoring efforts came close just before the end and then Harrison had a shot kicked off the line by an Albion defender. Douglas hit the rebound with great power but Potter stuck out a foot to save.

SATURDAY 7TH DECEMBER 1963

LEAGUE DIVISION THREE AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL

WALSALL 2 (Hodgkisson, Matthews) SOUTHEND UNITED 0 

White; Sharples, Gregg; Palin, Bennett, Wills;
Smith, Matthews, Wiggin, Hodgkisson, Fell;

Goy; Costello, Neal; Bentley, Watson, Ashworth;
Slater, Gilfillon, Conway, Beesley, McKinven;

Referee:- R. Egan, Cheshire


Walsall struggled throughout November and before today had not won at home since the end of October. However today saw a confident win against Southend, with two very good goals. The first came after 25 minutes when a low cross from George Meek went to Ray Wiggin, who turned the ball on to Hodgkisson to score only his second goal of the season.

Hodgkisson also had a hand in the second goal putting through Graham Matthews who ran on for twenty yards before scoring with a powerful shot past goalkeeper Goy, who has spent most of his career with Arsenal Reserves. This win left the Saddlers just below half way in the league but all the teams have little to choose between them and another few wins could seem them quickly in the top half.


SATURDAY 14TH DECEMBER, 1963

LEAGUE DIVISION THREE AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL

WALSALL 4 (Wiggin 2, Fincham og., Foster) LUTON TOWN 0           Attendance 3,863

White; Roper, Sharples; Palin, McPherson, Wills;
Meek, Matthews, Wiggin, Hodgkisson, Foster;

Baynham; Morton, Bramwell; Pacey, Fincham, McGuffie;
Fairchild, Smith, Turner, Reed, McKechnie;

Referee:- A.W.S. Jones, Liverpool.











SATURDAY 21ST DECEMBER, 1963

LEAGUE DIVISION THREE AT HIGHFIELD ROAD, COVENTRY

COVENTRY CITY 1  (Hale) WALSALL 0

Wesson; Sillett, Kearns; Hill, Curtis, Farmer;
Humphries, Whitehouse, Hudson, Hale, Rees;

White; Roper, Sharples; Palin, McPherson, Wills;
Meek, Mathews, Newton, Hodgkisson, Foster;

Referee:- W.E. Haynes, Wigan


                                                   Walsall's goalkeeper who came from Grimsby.

























                                                 








THURSDAY 26TH DECEMBER, 1963

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH

WEST BROMWICH ALBION 4 (Kaye, Clark, Fudge, Howe)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS 4 (Greaves 2, Smith, Jones)














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