SATURDAY 17TH NOVEMBER 1951 Attendance 28,000
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
W.B.A. 3 (Lee, Griffin, Allen) MANCHESTER CITY 2 (Rickaby og, Hart)
Sanders; Rickaby, Millard; Kennedy, Vernon (capt), Barlow;
Griffin, McCall, Allen, Ryan, Lee;
Trautmann; Brannagan, Hannaway; Paul (capt), Rigby, McCourt;
Meadows, Hart, Westcott, Broadis, Clarke;
Albion were at once on the attack and Trautmann was called upon to make three
brilliant saves in the first five minutes. However, after seven minutes he was beaten and Albion were one up. Allen cut in from the left and his centre was pushed home by Lee.
Kennedy with a beautiful pass gave Allen another chance, the centre forward shot on the turn but there was Trautmann again diving full length to save. Albion continued to play brilliant football and dominated the play. After Ryan had got the ball in the net but was given off side, Albion scored their second goal after nineteen minutes play.
A perfect through pass from Barlow found Griffin unmarked and the winger beat Trautmann with ease. In the very next minute however, Manchester surprisingly reduced the lead. Sanders only partially cleared a centre and Rickaby in trying to prevent Hart scoring , succeeded in sending the ball into his own net. No doubt heartened by this unexpected success, the visitors came into the game much more frequently, well prompted by the brilliant ball play of Ivor Broadis. However Vernon was keeping a firm grip on Denis Westcott, the former Wolves centre forward, and the only real danger seemed to come from Broadis and Welsh international Roy Clarke. H.T. 2-1.
Albion continued to dominate the game throughout the second half thanks mainly to the fine work of their two wing halves, Kennedy and Barlow. Allen was also in fine form and gave City's centre half, Rigby, a most uncomfortable afternoon, indeed nearly all Rigby's clearances ended up in the crowd. After sixty three minutes Albion scored again, this time it was a grand effort from Allen following a corner kick.
Hart scored a second for City just before the end, but Albion were worthy winner.
SATURDAY 24TH NOVEMBER, 1951
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT VILLA PARK, BIRMINGHAM
ASTON VILLA 2 (Dixon 2) MIDDLESBOROUGH 0 Attendance 30,000
Martin; Lynn, Parkes; Blanchflower, Moss (F), Dorsett (capt);
Smith (H), Thompson, Gibson, Dixon, Goffin;
Ugolin; Robinson, Dicks; Bell, Blenkinsopp, Gordan (capt);
Delephena, Fitzsimmons, Spuhler, Mochan, Hartnett;
Referee:- Mr. T.L. Wood, Bury;
The visitors were without their England inside forward Wilfe Mannion, who was injured last week. His place was taken by Scotsman Neil Mochan, recently signed from Greenock Morton. Theo Boro' team had quite an international flavour about with Italian/Scotsman Rolando Ugolini in goal, coloured West Indian Lindy Delephena on the right wing and two Irishman Fitzsimmons and Hartnett also in the forward line. Villa tried Colin Gibson, normally an inside forward or winger, as their sixth centre forward of the season.
After the clever Blanchflower and Thompson had proved dangerous to Boro', Villa took the lead after eighteen minutes play. The move was started by Dorsett, who give the ball to Dixon, on to Gibson, who then gave Dixon a beautiful return pass for the inside left to score with a first time shot. Villa continued to dominate the game right up to half time and just before the interval Stan Lynn was able to come upfield and let fly with one of his terrific drives. However Ugolini somehow managed to save. Half time 1-0.
The ability of Lynn and Dorsett to hit the ball hard proved invaluable in the muddy conditions, they were able to find their men whereas other players' passes were stopping half way on the treacherous surface. Villa went further ahead after sixty six minutes play and it was again Dixon who scored. He pushed the ball past Blenkinsopp and ran on to beat Ugolini with ease. Both teams were now tiring and it was not surprising considering the heavy conditions. Midllesborough made a late rally but despite two good efforts from Mochan, the versatile Irishman Con Martin, again playing as an emergency goalkeeper was never troubled.
SATURDAY 1ST DECEMBER, 1951
LEAGUE DIVISION TWO
BIRMINGHAM CITY 2 (Smith 2) NOTTS COUNTY 0
Merrick; Green, Badham; Boyd (capt), Atkins, Warhurst;
Stewart, Purdon, Briggs. Smith, Wardle;
Smith; Southwell, Deans; Brunt, Leuty (capt), Simpson;
Broome, Jackson, Lawton, Johnston, Crookes;
Referee:- Mr. A. Blythe, London
Birmingham's attack were soon in action and looked in good form against a none too sure defence. After nineteen minutes inside left Smith put the home team ahead from a centre by Stewart after Briggs had put the winger away. Lawton, of whom little was seen, got on one good shot which beat Merrick but went just over the bar. Birmingham continued to have the better of the play. They were shooting often but were very inaccurate, particularly the South African Purdon. H.T. 1-0.
Frank Broome, formerly a team mate of Leon Leuty at Derby, put a grand pass through for Crookes, but Boyd managed to race back to clear in time. Then Birmingham went further ahead and again Smith was the scorer, this time a neat header from Briggs' centre. It was nearly all Birmingham now and but for some fine saves by the balding Smith in the County goal and some wretched shooting by the forwards, they would have achieved a much bigger victory.
SATURDAY 8TH DECEMBER, 1951
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT VILLA PARK, BIRMINGHAM Attendance 35,000
ASTON VILLA 2 (Thompson, Dixon) NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 (Duncan 2)
Martin; Lynn, Parkes; Blanchflower, Moss (F), Dorsett;
Smith (H), Thompson, Gibson, Dixon, Goffin;
Simpson; Cowell, McMichael; Harvey (capt), Brennan, Robledo (E);
Walker, Foulkes, Duncan, Robledo (G), Mitchell;
An entertaining game with both teams willing to attack. Newcastle were without centre forward Jackie Milburn, but his deputy the Scotsman Duncan did well scoring both their goals.
Villa continued their improved form of recent weeks with Irish international Danny Blanchflower again outstanding. Goals from the reliable partnership of Thompson and Dixon kept Villa in the game.
SATURDAY 22ND DECEMBER, 1951 Attendance 7,000
LEAGUE DIVISION THREE SOUTH AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL
WALSALL 2 (Bridgett 2) PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 5 (Govan, Russon og, Tadman 3)
Lewis; Holding, Green; P. Aston, Russon, Walters (capt);
Bowen, O'Neill, Bridgett, Evans, Giles (P);
Shortt; Ratcliffe, Jones; Dougal, Chisholm (capt), Porteus;
Astall, Dews, Tadman, Rattray, Govan;
Plymouth, strongly challenging for promotion, were captained by their strong centre half Jack Chisholm, formerly with Spurs and Brentford. They also included Welsh international goalkeeper Bill Shortt and one of the Third Division's most prolific goalscorers in Maurice Tadman.
After Walsall had attached during the opening minutes, Playmouth soon began to show their class. One delightful move saw the ball travel across the field from Dougal to Govan, who centred perfectly only for Astall to head into Lewis's arms. After fifteen minutes following a mistake by Walters, little Govan went through on his own to open the scoring. Walsall immediatley had a great chance to equalise. Bridgett, normally a centre half, but playing at centre forward today was grounded by a tackle from Chisholm. He managed to push the ball to Evans who shot past the unsighted goalkeeper, but Ratclifee cleared off the line.
Walsall spoilt several movements by poor shooting and after twenty two minutes Plymouth went further ahead when Russon , attempting to clear a centre from Tadman, put through his own goal. Plymouth's finishing was as good as Walsall's was poor and when another miskick by Walters gave Tadman the ball, he pushed it out to Astall whose centre was netted by the centre forward. Govan was having a splendid game on the left wingt against Walsall's inexperienced defenders and from anothe of his accurate centres Dews, the Worcestershire cricketer, scraped the crossbar with a header.
On the stroke of half time Tadman scored again to put Plymouth 4-0 up!
Plymouth tended to rest on their laurels, but after fifty four minutes Jack Bridgett scored in a goalmouth scramble after a Bowen centre. Then in sixty two minutes Plymouth made it 5-1, when Lewis left his goal to intercept an Astall centre, put could only push the ball back to the winger, who side-footed it to Tadman to push into the empty net. Bridgett scored a second goal for Walsall shortly before the end.
WEDNESDAY 26TH DECEMBER, 1951
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVES 1 (Smith L. pen) ASTON VILLA 2 (Smith H., Thompson)
Parsons; Short, Guttridge; Baxter, Chatham, Wright (capt);
Smith (L), Walker, Pye, Wilshaw, Mullen;
Martin; Lynn, Parkes, Blanchflower, Moss (F), Dorsett (capt);
Smith (H), Thompson, Walsh, Dixon, Goffin;
For this Boxing Day local derby Wolves were without several regulars in defence and struggled against a full strength Villa side who scored twice through winger Herbert Smith and Thompson. Wolves only reply came from the penalty spot when Les Smith, acting as deputy for Johnny Hancocks, scored. The big Boxing Day crowd went home disappointed but against a second team defence, apart from skipper Wright, Villa achieved a fairly easy victory.
SATURDAY 29TH DECEMBER, 1951
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVES 3 (Whitfield 3) BLACKPOOL 0 Attendance 25,000
Parsons; Shorthouse, Gibbons; Baxter, Chatham, Wright (capt);
Hancocks, Broadbent, Whitfield, Dunn, Mullen;
Farm; Shimwell, Garrett; Johnston (capt), Hayward, Kelly;
Hobson, Taylor, Mortenson, Brown, Perry;
Three days after their home defeat by Villa, Wolves made changes in both full back positions and introduced reserve centre forward Ken Whitfield for the first time. The return of Hancocks and Broadbent also strengthened the team considerably. They faced a full strength Blackpool apart from the absence of Stanley Matthews who was replaced by Albert Hobson.
Wolves were a completely different team from the poor performance on Boxing Day and played with much greater speed and enthusiasm. The beneficiary of all this was young Whitfield who scored all three goals on a sensational debut. Blackpool seemed to be suffering from a Christmas hangover and were never really in the game.
Sadly these three goals were the only ones Whitfield ever scored for Wolves in nine appearances, before moving on briefly to Manchester City, then spending most of his career at Brighton where he became a centre half.
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