SATURDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 2 (Walsh, Lee) BURNLEY 1 (Spencer)
Referee:- H.T. Wright, Macclesfield
Sanders; Rickaby, Millard; Kennedy, Vernon (capt), Ryan;
Allen, Williams, Walsh, Barlow, Lee;
Strong, Woodruffe, Hayes; Kirkham, Cummings, Bray (capt);
Stephenson, Morris, Holden, Spencer, Hays;
George Lee, Albion's most dangerous forward, put them ahead three minutes before half time. The first half had been very even up to this point with Burnley's forward line, particularly Welsh international Billy Morris, always looking dangerous. The Albion defence, with Joe Kennedy outstanding, was also in fine form.
Ten minutes after the interval, Spencer equalised for Burnley following an overhead kick by Morris. Albion's wining goal did not come until three minutes before the end of the game when Walsh beat Cummings for about the only time. His shot passed just under the crossbar to win the points.
Match report from the Birmingham Gazette by Peter Morris.
It was only in the last couple of minutes that Albion secured victory and then it was scarcely a 'missable' opportunity for Walsh. It was a goal which secured two points for Albion after a drab match in which good football was at a premium and the thrills rationed to the last ten minutes. In that final phase Albion attached constantly and missed so many chances that the crowd must have left behind a trail of bitten finger nails and chewed up handkerchiefs.
It was Williams' long looping pass that gave Walsh his chance and fortunately it was almost just below the bar. Fortunately as, if I am any judge of angles, the shot would have finished up over the stand from another yard out. That was the fault with much of Albion's shooting throughout the match - too much elevation and not enough steadiness. The indefatigable Barlow was the only Albion forward with the right idea in this department and Strong must have been thankful to see a couple of sizzling drives go the wrong side and one glorious 30 yarder which boomeranged off the far upright.
Barlow, together with George Lee who came back into the side at outside left, had a good match on the whole and it was Barlow's tenacity which enabled Albion taking a rather undeserved lead just before the interval. The inside man who was giving the unusually shaky defence a lot of trouble, twice had shots charged down within the Burnley penalty area and it was while the crowd were clamouring for a handling penalty after the second of these efforts that the ball ran loose for Lee who crashed it in off the foot of the post.
Burnley are still an uninspiring team from an attacking point of view. They had little method and less sting although in Holden and Stephenson they have two youngsters with definite possibilities. Holden a strong and tenacious centre forward, with a hard shot, gave Vernon some trouble at times and his good work led to Spencer's equaliser in 55 minutes. Stephenson frequently sparkled on the right wing, especially in the second half, but he missed the chance of the match almost on time when he shot straight at Sanders having taken the ball right in. Sanders, as usual, performed efficiently in goal and Rickaby gave a classic exhibition at right back.
SATURDAY 7TH OCTOBER, 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 3 (Hancocks, Dunn, Swinbourne)
MIDDLESBOROUGH 4 (McCrea 2, Spuhler, Walker pen)
Parsons; McLean, Shorthouse; Croook, Chatham, Russell;
Hancocks, Dunn, Swinbourne, Mullen;
Ugolini; Robinson, Hardwick (capt); Bell, Whittaker, Gordon;
Reagan, Delephena, Spuhler, McCrea, Walker;
Referee:- J.H. Clough, Bolton
My first ever visit to Molineux proved to be quite an occasion. Wolves who had won the cup in 1949 and finished second in the league (on goal average) in 1950 were just starting one of the most eventful periods in their history. However, today they were missing goalkeeper Bert Williams and captain Billy Wright both playing for England against Northern Ireland in Belfast. Wilf Mannion was also missing for Middlesborough because of the international.
There was no absence of incident and excitement which proved that Middlesborough's current position of second in the league table is a true one. Wolves took the lead after only five minutes play when Dunn headed a Mullen centre down to Swinbourne who scored his ninth goal in eleven games. The centre forward nearly scored again when he deflected a shot from Dunn, but Ugolini threw himself across goal to save.
Middlesborough did not seem upset by this early Wolves pressure and settled down to play some good constructive football. After 25 minutes Spuhler found himself in an unmarked position and McCrea, the former Charlton man, headed in his centre. The inside left put the visitors ahead ten minutes later when he drove Reagan's cross past reserve goalkeeper Parsons. Half-time 1-2.
Four minutes after the interval Crook fisted out a header from Walker and the outside left took the penalty himself and made no mistake. Wolves fought back to level terms with two goals in two minutes through Hancocks and Dunn and looked as though they might win with Hancocks giving George Hardwick, the former England captain, plenty of trouble.
Middlesborough came back again with the decisive goal after Walker had beaten Chatham and laid on the perfect pass for Spuhler to score easily. Hard to say what would have happened if the three England men had taken part, but they too would be happy with a 4-1 win in Belfast with Billy Wright among the scorers.
SATURDAY 14TH OCTOBER, 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1 (Walsh) LIVERPOOL 1 (Taylor)
Sanders; Rickaby, Millard, Kennedy, Vernon (capt), Barlow;
Allen, Williams, Walsh, Betteridge, Lee;
Referee:- R.A. Mortimore, Huddersfield
Albion, with Betteridge playing his first game of the season at inside left, dominated the play for most of the game, and but for poor finishing would undoubtedly have won by a considerable margin. The home side hit the post on two occasions, had innumerable shots charged down and perhaps most unlucky of all Betteridge sent in a shot which Ashcroft knew little about, but the ball hit the goalkeeper's body and was deflected out of danger.
It was not until seventy minutes had elapsed before Albion eventually took the lead through Dave Walsh. This was the Irishman's 100th goal for the club. With little being seen of the Liverpool attack and danger man Billy Liddell being blotted out by Stan Rickably there seemed little danger of Albion loosing their lead.
However, in a breakaway three minutes from time Sanders just failed to get to a Liddell centre and Phil Taylor scored from close range to give Liverpool a point they scarcely deserved.
SATURDAY 21ST OCTOBER, 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT VILLA PARK, BIRMINGHAM
ASTON VILLA 1 (Canning) ARSENAL 1 (Logie)
Hindle; Parkes, Dorsett; Canning, Martin, Moss (F);
Sellars, Gibson, Edwards, Dixon, Smith (L);
Swindin; Scott, Smith (L); Shaw, Compton (L), Mercer (capt);
McPherson, Logie, Goring, Lishman, Roper;
Last season's cup winners Arsenal were without Wally Barnes and Alex Forbes, playing for Wales and Scotland respectively at Cardiff and Villa were also without two Welshmen, Ivor Powell and Trevor Ford.
This game was ruined as a spectacle when Arsenal full back Lionel Smith had to leave the field due to injury. Don Roper moved from the left wing to left back and put up a splendid performance to completely subdue Villa's new outside right Sellars.
This seems to be Villa's problem position and Sellars does not look likely to solve it.
After Jimmy Logie put ten man Arsenal ahead, it was nearly all one way traffic but Villa could only manage one goal through reserve wing half Larry Canning, who scored with a fierce shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Don Roper doing a good job as emergency full back for Arsenal.
SATURDAY 28TH OCTOBER, 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1 (Barlow) TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS 2 (Medley, Walters)
Sanders; Rickaby, Millard; Kennedy, Vernon (capt), Barlow;
Elliott, Williams, Richardson, Smith, Allen;
Ditchburn; Ramsey, Willis; Nicholson, Clarke, Burgess (capt);
Walters, Bennett, Duquemin, Bailey, Medley;
Referee:-R.J. Burgess, Reading
The Spurs, newly promoted from the Second Division, have already set the First Division alight with their brilliant push and run football and their star studded line up was obviously a severe test for the home side.
The visitors playing calm, and often brilliant, man to man football took a comfortable two goal lead by half time. Both goals were scored by their wingers. The first by Medley and the second headed in by Walters, who ran on to a precision free kick from Ramsey at just the right moment. Stan Rickaby managed to keep danger man Les Medley in check but centre forward Len Duquemin perhaps the least publicised of the Spurs forward line, often had Jack Vernon in trouble.
Ditchburn was rarely troubled but made two brilliant saves in the early stages and dealt with everything thereafter in the most confident of manners. Ramsey was immaculate at right back and Burgess, a most inspiring captain, was a force in both attack and defence.
Albion finally scored their consolation goal with only two minutes remaining, Barlow brushing past three opponents before cracking a great thirty yard shot in off a post.
SATURDAY 4TH NOVEMBER 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 0 ARSENAL 1 (Lishman)
Williams; McLean, Pritchard; Chatham, Shorthouse, Wright (capt);
Hancocks, Walker, Swinbourne, Pye, Mullen;
Platt; Barnes, Smith (L); Forbes, Compton (L), Mercer (capt);
McPherson, Logie, Goring, Lishman, Roper;
Referee:- W.H.E. Evans, Liverpool
Arsenal, the league leaders, were fortunate to encounter Wolves on a day when their forwards could not find the target. For most of the game play was fairly even with Arsenal seeming the more methodical whereas Wolves violent attacks usually finished in wild shooting. Swinbourne in particular missed two good opportunities in the first half by shooting over the bar.
Platt, an extremely efficient deputy for George Swindin, did very well to save a fierce shot from Mullen, and later a similar effort from Hancocks which came when he was partially unsighted. Hancocks, so often Wolves match winner, was effectively bottled up by Lionel Smith, recovered from his recent injury at Villa. Arsenal's outside right McPherson was able to do more or less as he liked against the indecisive Pritchard.
It was from one of the Arsenal winger's centres that the only goal came. Chatham half stopped, the ball, confusing Williams in goal, and Lishman, the former Walsall player, was able to scramble the ball home from close range.
The England selectors watching this game cannot have been impressed with either of the centre forwards as international candidates, but both Lionel Smith and Leslie Compton, dominant throughout, may well have caught their eyes.
SATURDAY 25TH NOVEMBER 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (Birch)
Heath; Rickaby, Millard; Dudley, Vernon (capt), Barlow;
Allen, Gordon, Richardson, Ryan, Lee;
Allen; McNulty, Aston; Gibson, Chilton, Cockburn;
Bogan, Pearson, Rowley, Birch, Mitten;
United were without their captain Johnny Carey for whom McNulty deputised at right back. They also included an 18 year old inside forward Brian Birch and it was he who scored the only goal of the game. It was his first league goal and came after an hour's play when he headed into the net during a goalmouth scramble.
Albion's defence played well throughout, with Vernon blotting out Jack Rowley, and Rickaby and Barlow also outstanding. The forwards however rarely got going and the nearest they came to scoring was when Ronnie Allen hit the bar. Lee was racing in for the rebound but Reg Allen, Britain's most expensive goalkeeper, recovered to clear.
Bogan and young Birch, their least experienced players, were Manchester's best forwards with Allenby Chilton the pick of the defence.
SATURDAY 7TH OCTOBER, 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 3 (Hancocks, Dunn, Swinbourne)
MIDDLESBOROUGH 4 (McCrea 2, Spuhler, Walker pen)
Parsons; McLean, Shorthouse; Croook, Chatham, Russell;
Hancocks, Dunn, Swinbourne, Mullen;
Ugolini; Robinson, Hardwick (capt); Bell, Whittaker, Gordon;
Reagan, Delephena, Spuhler, McCrea, Walker;
Referee:- J.H. Clough, Bolton
My first ever visit to Molineux proved to be quite an occasion. Wolves who had won the cup in 1949 and finished second in the league (on goal average) in 1950 were just starting one of the most eventful periods in their history. However, today they were missing goalkeeper Bert Williams and captain Billy Wright both playing for England against Northern Ireland in Belfast. Wilf Mannion was also missing for Middlesborough because of the international.
There was no absence of incident and excitement which proved that Middlesborough's current position of second in the league table is a true one. Wolves took the lead after only five minutes play when Dunn headed a Mullen centre down to Swinbourne who scored his ninth goal in eleven games. The centre forward nearly scored again when he deflected a shot from Dunn, but Ugolini threw himself across goal to save.
Middlesborough did not seem upset by this early Wolves pressure and settled down to play some good constructive football. After 25 minutes Spuhler found himself in an unmarked position and McCrea, the former Charlton man, headed in his centre. The inside left put the visitors ahead ten minutes later when he drove Reagan's cross past reserve goalkeeper Parsons. Half-time 1-2.
Four minutes after the interval Crook fisted out a header from Walker and the outside left took the penalty himself and made no mistake. Wolves fought back to level terms with two goals in two minutes through Hancocks and Dunn and looked as though they might win with Hancocks giving George Hardwick, the former England captain, plenty of trouble.
Middlesborough came back again with the decisive goal after Walker had beaten Chatham and laid on the perfect pass for Spuhler to score easily. Hard to say what would have happened if the three England men had taken part, but they too would be happy with a 4-1 win in Belfast with Billy Wright among the scorers.
Middlesborough 1950-51
SATURDAY 14TH OCTOBER, 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1 (Walsh) LIVERPOOL 1 (Taylor)
Sanders; Rickaby, Millard, Kennedy, Vernon (capt), Barlow;
Allen, Williams, Walsh, Betteridge, Lee;
Referee:- R.A. Mortimore, Huddersfield
Albion, with Betteridge playing his first game of the season at inside left, dominated the play for most of the game, and but for poor finishing would undoubtedly have won by a considerable margin. The home side hit the post on two occasions, had innumerable shots charged down and perhaps most unlucky of all Betteridge sent in a shot which Ashcroft knew little about, but the ball hit the goalkeeper's body and was deflected out of danger.
It was not until seventy minutes had elapsed before Albion eventually took the lead through Dave Walsh. This was the Irishman's 100th goal for the club. With little being seen of the Liverpool attack and danger man Billy Liddell being blotted out by Stan Rickably there seemed little danger of Albion loosing their lead.
However, in a breakaway three minutes from time Sanders just failed to get to a Liddell centre and Phil Taylor scored from close range to give Liverpool a point they scarcely deserved.
SATURDAY 21ST OCTOBER, 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT VILLA PARK, BIRMINGHAM
ASTON VILLA 1 (Canning) ARSENAL 1 (Logie)
Hindle; Parkes, Dorsett; Canning, Martin, Moss (F);
Sellars, Gibson, Edwards, Dixon, Smith (L);
Swindin; Scott, Smith (L); Shaw, Compton (L), Mercer (capt);
McPherson, Logie, Goring, Lishman, Roper;
Last season's cup winners Arsenal were without Wally Barnes and Alex Forbes, playing for Wales and Scotland respectively at Cardiff and Villa were also without two Welshmen, Ivor Powell and Trevor Ford.
This game was ruined as a spectacle when Arsenal full back Lionel Smith had to leave the field due to injury. Don Roper moved from the left wing to left back and put up a splendid performance to completely subdue Villa's new outside right Sellars.
This seems to be Villa's problem position and Sellars does not look likely to solve it.
After Jimmy Logie put ten man Arsenal ahead, it was nearly all one way traffic but Villa could only manage one goal through reserve wing half Larry Canning, who scored with a fierce shot from the edge of the penalty area.
SATURDAY 28TH OCTOBER, 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1 (Barlow) TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS 2 (Medley, Walters)
Sanders; Rickaby, Millard; Kennedy, Vernon (capt), Barlow;
Elliott, Williams, Richardson, Smith, Allen;
Ditchburn; Ramsey, Willis; Nicholson, Clarke, Burgess (capt);
Walters, Bennett, Duquemin, Bailey, Medley;
Referee:-R.J. Burgess, Reading
The Spurs, newly promoted from the Second Division, have already set the First Division alight with their brilliant push and run football and their star studded line up was obviously a severe test for the home side.
The visitors playing calm, and often brilliant, man to man football took a comfortable two goal lead by half time. Both goals were scored by their wingers. The first by Medley and the second headed in by Walters, who ran on to a precision free kick from Ramsey at just the right moment. Stan Rickaby managed to keep danger man Les Medley in check but centre forward Len Duquemin perhaps the least publicised of the Spurs forward line, often had Jack Vernon in trouble.
Ditchburn was rarely troubled but made two brilliant saves in the early stages and dealt with everything thereafter in the most confident of manners. Ramsey was immaculate at right back and Burgess, a most inspiring captain, was a force in both attack and defence.
Albion finally scored their consolation goal with only two minutes remaining, Barlow brushing past three opponents before cracking a great thirty yard shot in off a post.
SATURDAY 4TH NOVEMBER 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 0 ARSENAL 1 (Lishman)
Williams; McLean, Pritchard; Chatham, Shorthouse, Wright (capt);
Hancocks, Walker, Swinbourne, Pye, Mullen;
Platt; Barnes, Smith (L); Forbes, Compton (L), Mercer (capt);
McPherson, Logie, Goring, Lishman, Roper;
Referee:- W.H.E. Evans, Liverpool
Arsenal, the league leaders, were fortunate to encounter Wolves on a day when their forwards could not find the target. For most of the game play was fairly even with Arsenal seeming the more methodical whereas Wolves violent attacks usually finished in wild shooting. Swinbourne in particular missed two good opportunities in the first half by shooting over the bar.
Platt, an extremely efficient deputy for George Swindin, did very well to save a fierce shot from Mullen, and later a similar effort from Hancocks which came when he was partially unsighted. Hancocks, so often Wolves match winner, was effectively bottled up by Lionel Smith, recovered from his recent injury at Villa. Arsenal's outside right McPherson was able to do more or less as he liked against the indecisive Pritchard.
It was from one of the Arsenal winger's centres that the only goal came. Chatham half stopped, the ball, confusing Williams in goal, and Lishman, the former Walsall player, was able to scramble the ball home from close range.
The England selectors watching this game cannot have been impressed with either of the centre forwards as international candidates, but both Lionel Smith and Leslie Compton, dominant throughout, may well have caught their eyes.
SATURDAY 25TH NOVEMBER 1950
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (Birch)
Heath; Rickaby, Millard; Dudley, Vernon (capt), Barlow;
Allen, Gordon, Richardson, Ryan, Lee;
Allen; McNulty, Aston; Gibson, Chilton, Cockburn;
Bogan, Pearson, Rowley, Birch, Mitten;
United were without their captain Johnny Carey for whom McNulty deputised at right back. They also included an 18 year old inside forward Brian Birch and it was he who scored the only goal of the game. It was his first league goal and came after an hour's play when he headed into the net during a goalmouth scramble.
Albion's defence played well throughout, with Vernon blotting out Jack Rowley, and Rickaby and Barlow also outstanding. The forwards however rarely got going and the nearest they came to scoring was when Ronnie Allen hit the bar. Lee was racing in for the rebound but Reg Allen, Britain's most expensive goalkeeper, recovered to clear.
Bogan and young Birch, their least experienced players, were Manchester's best forwards with Allenby Chilton the pick of the defence.
No comments:
Post a Comment