SATURDAY 11TH APRIL, 1959
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT DEEPDALE, PRESTON Attendance 12,224
PRESTON NORTH END 4 (Taylor, Hatsell, Thompson 2) ASTON VILLA 2 (Sewell, Myerscough)
Else; Cunningham (capt), Walton; Milne, Mattison, Smith;
Dagger, Thompson, Hatsell, Baxter, Taylor;
Sims; Aldis (capt), Winton; Dixon, Dugdale, Crowe;
Smith, Sewell, Myerscough, Wylie, McParland;
Referee:- R. Rhodes, York
Little Sammy Taylor on the left wing for North End proved the main danger for Villa. From one of his centres the Preston forwards besieged the Villa goal and were unlucky not to score. After twenty four minutes North End did take the lead and Taylor was the scorer. He moved into the middle for a right wing corner and only half hit his shot, Hatsell attempted to help the ball on it's way, but miss it completely and in doing so confused Sims who allowed it to trickle into the net. Villa were well served by their half backs, Crowe and Dudgale especially being in great form.
Three minutes later Villa surprisingly equalised. A McParland corner went right across to Smith, whose centre was headed down by Myerscough to Sewell, who beat Else with a clever lob from just inside the area into the top corner of the net. Sewell had a great chance to score again shortly afterwards when he received a perfect through pass from McParland. However, he tripped on the ball which rolled straight to goalkeeper Else.
McParland should have increased Villa's lead immediately after the interval, but from a good position he shot past Else and the post. Then another centre from Taylor was headed in by Tommy Thompson, the former Villa player, standing at the near post to put Preston level. Thompson ended up in the crowd, who mobbed him enthusiastically and rightly so for the was his 100th goal for the club since joining them from Villa.
After sixty minutes the hardworking Hatsell sent in a fierce ground shot from the edge of the are which hit the pase of the post and went in well out of Sims' reach. Villa went all out now in an effort to equalise and Dugdale coming up with the forwards hit the post with a great header, but Preston came back again and Thompson scored the decisive fourth goal from close range.
This result put Villa in serious relegation trouble and it may all boil down to their last match which is a local derby away at West Bromwich Albion.
MONDAY 13TH APRIL, 1959 Attendance 22,328
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT BLOOMFIELD ROAD, BLACKPOOL
BLACKPOOL 0 WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 1 (Murray)
Farm; Armfield, Garrett; Hauser, Gratrix, H. Kelly (capt);
Peterson, Mudie, Charnley, Durie, Perry;
Finlayson; Stuart, Harris; Clamp, Wright (capt), Flowers;
Lill, Mason, Murray, Broadbent, Deeley;
Referee:- R.H. Chandler, Chester
The match was played throughout at a terrific pace but was somewhat spoilt by two injuries. The first came after twenty nine minutes when Bobby Mason of Wolves was hit in the eye by the ball and had to leave the field for the rest of the match (still no substitutes allowed at this time). Shortly afterwards Blackpool skipper Hugh Kelly injured a knee and had to leave the field for a short time. He returned but was only able to limp along the wing. Durie moved back to fill his place at left half.
Despite their handicaps both sides played grand football. Before this Charnley had got the ball into the net for Blackpool but the referee adjudged him offside to the great displeasure of a large section of the crowd.
Micky Lill was Wolves best forward his amazing speed took him past Garrett time after time in the first half, once such run earned Wolves a corner. Lill took the kick and Murray jumping high, headed a splendid goal after thirty five minutes. Half time 0-1.
game from that point. So two points to Wolves puts them in sight of their second successive league title.
SATURDAY 18TH APRIL, 1959 Attendance 40,891
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 5 (Broadbent 2, Booth, Clamp, Murray) LUTON TOWN 0
Finlayson; Stuart, Harris; Clamp, Wright (capt), Flowers;
Lill, Booth, Murray, Broadbent, Deeley;
Baynham; McNally, Dunne; McGuffie, Owen (capt), Pacey;
Bingham, Turner, Morton, Cummins, Gregory;
Referee:- F.H. Gerrard, Preston
As the two captains ran to the centre to toss up a cheer range around the whole ground for here we had probably the two best centre halves, the two best captains, the two best club men and the two best sportsmen in English football - Billy Wright and Syd Owen. Owen will play his last game before retiring in the Cup Final at Wembley on May 2nd.
Wright was making his first home appearance since his great day last Saturday and received a tumultuous reception. As he lead his team onto the field, the other players stood back in the tunnel and allowed him to run onto the field alone to receive Wolverhampton's welcome for a player who has been a one club man throughout his entire career.
Wolves started off at a tremendous pace and within two minutes Lill, Deeley and Murray had all been near to scoring. They also appealed for a penalty when Deeley's point blank shot struck McNally on the hand as he stood on the goal line. After five minutes play Wolves did score, Deeley's corner kick being flicked on by Broadbent's head into the top right hand corner of the net. It was was perfectly placed and well out of goalkeeper Baynham's reach.
Less than two minutes later Wolves had the ball in the net again. Broadbent, in magnificent form, took the ball down the right wing before allowing Lill to take it from him. The winger turned inside Dunne, centred with his left foot and there was Booth, perfectly positioned, to head a second goal.
Lill was outpacing Dunne every time but his shooting for once was well off the mark. However a perfect cross field pass from the right winger found Deeley and his centre was hit first time just the post by Booth. Wolves tended to ease off a little now with the game as good as won. Luton were not showing many ides in attack and the crowd was beginning to get restive when suddenly quite out of the blue Wolves scored a third goal after thirty seven minutes.
The scorer was right half Eddie Clamp who was having a marvellous game. He always seemed to be on the move, running into position and never putting a foot wrong all through the match. He ran on to a low Deeley centre and from just outside the penalty area let fly a fierce drive which flashed just inside the post before Baynham could move. Half time 3-0.
Wolves continued to bombard the Luton goal, only the stern defence of Owen and the brilliance of Baynham in goal prevented a cricket score. After taking two high centres from Lill and one from Deeley in great style, the Luton goalkeepr brought the house down with great flying leap to his left to save a lob from Booth. Then after Flowers had sent a long range pile driver just past the post, Baynham again leapt sideways to save a point blank shot from Broadbent.
However, it could not last and after sixty eight minutes Baynham made his first mistake. A pass from Murray left Deeley running clear along the goal line, the goalkeeper got his hands to the winger's centre but could not hold it and Murray was on the spot to tap it into the net to make it 4-0. Lill just could not get anywhere near with his shooting and twice more shot well over the top from good positions. Wolves continued to treat the big crowd to a gran display of open football, often just playing with the opposition.
Finlayson, in the Wolves goal, was brought into action for the first time when he had to dive full length to save surprise shot from wing half Pacey. The goalkeeper's clearance sent Wolves off on the goal trail once again and from Murray's short left wing centre, Broadbent hooked the ball home with left foot for number five. Lill had another great chance to make it six but this time Baynham stuck out a foot and diverted the ball for a corner.
With only seconds left for play Bingham had the best chance of the match for Luton, he was allowed to break clean through the defence but with the ball at his feet on the penalty spot and only Finlayson to beat, the little Irishman unaccountably drove the ball wide.
So it was all over and the crowd swept onto the field to acclaim Wolves as league champions once again.
WEDNESDAY 22ND APRIL, 1959 Attendance 41,220
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT MOLINEUX, WOLVERHAMPTON
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 3 (Deeley, Lill, Murray) LEICESTER CITY 0
Finlayson; Stuart, Harris; Clamp, Wright )capt), Flowers;
Lill, Booth, Murray, Broadbent, Deeley;
MacLaren; Chalmers, Baillie; Newman (capt), Knapp, Appleton;
McDonald, Keyworth, Walsh, Leek, Wills;
Referee:- P.J. Smyth, London
Although the football world acclaimed Wolves champions on Saturday, the Football League authorities would not grant it to them until at least one more point had been secured. Wolves duly obliged by getting two more at the expense of relegation haunted Leicester City and by scoring three times took their goal total to 109.
Leicester showed that they acknowledged Wolves as champions by standing on either side of the tunnel and applauding them onto the field. The visitors, who included three former Wolves players, McDonald, Baillie and Wills, soon showed the crowd some ice touches in attack and great determination in defence. All the home forwards missed reasonable chances and then Finlayson was forced to run from his goal and dive at he feet of Walsh.
The former Celtic man, a ball playing centre forward, often had Wright in some difficult. With Newman and Appleton pushing the ball through to their forwards well it looked as though Leicester might spring a surprise. Indeed during the ten minutes preceding the interval, Keyworth their inside right, recently converted from wing half, should have assured himself a place in tomorrow's headlines. On no less than three occasions during this period he was left with a clear cut opening with only the goalkeeper to beat, but twice he shot wide and on the third occasion delayed his shot for Harris to get back and tackle him. Half time 0-0.
Leicester seemed to despair of scoring after these misses and Newman fell back to play almost entirely defensively, practically as a second centre half, which was his position at Birmingham City. A grand save by MacLaren prevented Broadbent from opening the scoring but eventually after sixty one minutes continuous Wolves pressure brought inevitable result. A cross shot from Deeley was touched for a corner by Baillie and from Lill's kick, Deeley hit the ball home.
After eighty two minutes Booth pulled the ball back from the goal line on the left and Lill had only to tap it into the open net. Then only three minutes from the end came as good a goal as one could wish to see. Deeley picked up the ball well inside his own half, hit a long, accurate pass out to Broadbent on the left. The inside man promptly squared the ball across for Murray running in a top speed to hi it first time from the right hand corner of the penalty area into the far corner of the net.
SATURDAY 25TH APRIL 1959
LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL
WALSALL 1 (Faulkner) PORT VALE 1 (Barnett) Attendance 6,626
Savage; Haddington, Guttridge (capt); Billingham, McPherson, Rawlings;
Davies, Faulkner, Richads, Hodgkisson, Taylor;
Hancock; Raine, Sproson; Poole, Leake, Miles;
Hall, Steele, Wilkinson, Barnett, Cunliffe;
Referee:- K. Aston, Ilford
Port Vale are top of the league with a three point lead and with only three games to play are already assured of promotion. The only point left to be settled is whether they will finish as the first ever champions of the new Fourth Division. For this match with their Staffordshire rivals they were without right half and Welsh international, Noel Kinsey, and outside right Brian Jackson. There were three survivors of the great Vale cup side which reached the semi final in 1954 - Sproson, Leake and Cunliffe.
On a heavy ground with rain falling throughout the game Vale were encouraged by a large contingent of supporters. The first real excitement came when Billingham let fly with a terrific long range drive which Hancock saved brilliantly, pushing it over the bar. After twenty four minutes play the league leaders scored. Cunliffe sent over a high dropping centre and Savage was much too slow leaving his goal and Barnett headed the ball over him and into the net via the foot of a post.
Billingham got in another terrific pile driver this time with his left foot, but Hancock again saved brilliantly. This was indeed Hancock's half hour. Tony Richards was having a sorry time against Leake and the next best Walsall effort came from Ken Hodgkisson who drover just over from twenty five yards. Half time 0-1.
Richards was brought down heavily just inside the penalty area but the referee waved play on. This appeared to be a very bad decision. However Walsall did manage to equalise after fifty four minutes. Richards pushed the ball inside for Roy Faulkner who did well to get in his shot and put the Saddlers level. Walsall then went all out for the winner but could make little impression on the solid Vale defence in which Albet Leake was outstanding at centre half. Few players have managed to subdue leading scorer Richards as he did. Poole was a very capable deputy for Kinsey at right half and young Alan Barnett was easily the best forward for Vale.
Port Vale did indeed finish the season as league champions with a four point lead over Coventry City, who were also promoted together with York City and Shrewsbury Town. Vale finished with 110 goals in their 46 matches.
Walsall finished in a commendable sixth place, their highest league position for many years. They scored a total of 95 goals and their glory days by now were not far away.
The four bottom clubs Oldham, Aldershot, Barrow and Southport were all re-elected to the League, as was the custom in those days.
WEDNESDAY 29TH APRIL, 1959 Attendance 48,170
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT THE HAWTHORNS, WEST BROMWICH
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1 (Allen) ASTON VILLA 1 (Hitchens)
Potter; Howe, Williams S.G.; Robson, Kennedy, Barlow (capt);
Hogg, Jackson, Allen, Kevan, Campbell;
Sims; Lynn, Winton; Crowe, Dugdale, Saward;
Myerscough, Dixon (capt), Hitchens, Wylie, McParland;
Referee:- I.R. Rosekilly, Uxbridge
This game proved to be the last played in the First Division by Aston Villa for at least one season. Their failure to win and the fact that Manchester City beat Leicester 3-1 tonight ensure them of relegation to the Second Division. The match was one of great tension with so much hanging on the result, the traditional local rivalry was heightened and imaginations ran riot. One popular belief being that Albion would let their neighbours win.
A packed crowd saw the game begin on a hard ground with both sides having difficulty in controlling the lively ball. There were early indications t hat Villa intended to fight hard for survival. Jackson had to leave the field for attention shortly after the start when Crowe went in heavily after the ball had gone, then a few minutes later Albion supporters booed again when Hogg collided heavily with Winton. The second injury was however as much the Albion player's fault as Winton's.
After twenty minutes play heavy clouds obscured the setting sun and torrential rain began to fall. With a peculiar glow in the sky it was as if the very gates of hell were opening to welcome Villa to the lower regions.
After a spell of early Albion pressure during which Kevan missed a good opportunity after Dugdale had mis-kicked, Villa attacked persistently and Dixon suffered atrocious luck when a fine shot hit the bar. After Dixon it was Hitchens who threatened most danger to the re-arranged Albion defence, in which Barlow played is his old position of left half for the first time this season.
The Albion captain had obviously lost much of his former mobility during his long spell at centre half and often lost the ball when trying to do too much. Robson in the other wing half position had a splendid game. Indeed shortly after the interval he came as near to scoring as anyone when he dribbled through brilliantly and sent in a powerful shot which Sims saved magnificently diving full length to his right.Then after sixty two minutes, Villa whose defence was now right on top, scored the goal which looked as though it would keep them up.
McParland and Saward, the two Irishmen, worked the ball down the left wing. Saward swung across a centre for Hitchens to nudge into the net by a combination of head and shoulder. Albion contested the goal on the grounds of offside as the linesman had raised his flag, but the referee was adamant and declined to consult his colleague.
Now started the last furious twenty minutes of this game which sealed Villa's fate. Albion threw everything into attack but the Villa defence was magnificent. Whenever Hogg, the danger man, beat one man there was another there immediately to take up the challenge. Crowe and Dugdale were outstanding, completely blotting out Kevan and Allen. If only some of their fighting spirit could been communicated to the lifeless Villa forwards. As the minutes ticked away the atmosphere became more tense. One could almost feel the anxiety of the eleven men in claret and blue not to make that one fatal mistake.
With only six minutes left to play Derek Kevan brought all loyal Villa fans' hearts into their mouths with a header which passed just wide. A minute later a deflection off Vic Crowe's head looked as though it would be an own goal until Sims plucked it out of mid air with another flying leap. Then with only two minutes to be played it happened.
After a mix up in the Villa penalty area the ball ran loose to Ronnie Allen standing just on the edge of the penalty area in the centre of the goal. The Albion centre forward chose this of all moments to recapture his old shooting splendour and sent a rocket like shot all along the ground into the right hand corner of Villa's net. The tumultuous cheering and extravagant embraces of the Albion players made it quite clear who the home side wanted to be relegated. Two more attacks by Villa which hardly worried the Albion defenders and it was all over.
Saward sank to his knees flinging mud to the ground and the other Villa players walked slowly and wearily from the field. Villa could have won this match, indeed they would have won it but for the pathetic showing of their forward line. Even the Irish match winner Peter McParland was strangely ineffectual. Still their defenders went down fighting to the end and if only the right forward combination can be found quickly, Villa's return to their rightful place should not be long delayed.
Finally a comment from one of the disconsolate Villa supporter in the long bus queue back to Birmingham. When asked 'Where's this queue for?', he promptly replied 'The Second Division'.
No comments:
Post a Comment