Match Summary

England Team

Scotland Team

Match Report

"The weather was very dull and threatening, but happily the rain kept off till after the conclusion of the game. Later on it fell heavily"

"The Scottish umpire said 'goal', the English one was just as confident that is was 'offside'.  And so the hapless referee, Lord Kinnaird, was called upon.  He was surrounded by the Scottish players, and Mr C. W. Alcock came running from the pavilion to render him apparently necessary succour.  But the Scotsmen chased him back again, and Lord Kinnaird stated that he thought the goal was 'offside'.  The consequence was that the Scotsmen were unable to settled own anymore, and before the close, either Bambridge or Mosforth put on a fifth goal for England.  'I don't know which of us it was,' he said.  'But I know they carried me off the field afterwards, so I must have played pretty well.' - Billy Mosforth - England Expects: James Corbett

This association match has been looked forward to for some time with great interest by football players, and should have been played to-morrow at The Oval, Kennington. Unfortunately, however, the weather has been of so unfavourable a character that the Football Association Committee have deemed a postponement advisable, and the game will most likely be played on April 5, the day of the Oxford and Cambridge Boatrace. - The Times - Friday 28^th February, 1879

A better football match than that played on Saturday at The Oval between England and Scotland, under Association rules, has probably never been witnessed. From the kick off to the call of 'Time' the play was exceedingly fast, and the interest well sustained up to the last moment...

As the time approached for the commencement of hostilities on Saturday the sky became overcast with clouds, but fortunately a sharp breeze sprung up and prevented their downfall until after the match was over. Play began within ten minutes of the stipulated time - 4 o'clock, when there were nearly 4,000 spectators present. Scotland were successful in the toss, and at once decided to have the wind as an ally for the first half of time, leaving Wace to kick off for England from the eastern goal...

...Bailey got in possession of the ball, and after a short run, by a clever piece of passing, gave it to Mosforth, who shot it between the posts, and thus gained first point for England...

One corner kick having failed to produce any satisfactory result, a second fell to Scotland. M'Dougall was entrusted with it, and most judiciously aimed the ball a few yards in front of goal. Campbell then headed it to M'Kinnon, who cleverly sent it between the posts...

M'Dougall kicked the second goal for his side, Smith then secured a third, and shortly afterwards M'Kinnon obtained a fourth. This did certainly not look at all hopeful for England. The change of ends, however, put a different aspect on affairs. By no means disheartened, the English forwards, with the wind at their backs, quickly assumed the aggressive. Bambridge was the first to show to advantage. Getting in possession of the ball, he ran it over more than half the length of the ground, and then kicked it underneath the bar. This really wonderful piece of play infused new vigour into the home team, and proved to be the turning-point in the match. England now had a deficiency of two goals, and this was quickly rubbed out. Mosforth made a smart run and passed the ball to Goodyear, who kicked the third goal for his side, and Bailey soon afterwards having a throw-in close to the corner flag, planted the ball in the very mouth of the goal, and although Parlane tried to stop it the ball passed through off his hand...

...then the ball, having been passed to Bambridge, that player kicked the fifth goal for his side. - The Times - Monday 7^th April, 1879

The Own Goal:-

'a throw-in fell to England close to the goal line. This was so well done by Bailey that although the Scotch goalkeeper touched the ball, it passed between the posts.' - Glasgow Herald - Monday 7^th April, 1879

'Bailey soon afterwards having a throw-in close to the corner flag, pIanted the ball in the very mouth of the goal, and although Parlane tried to stop it the ball passed through off his hand.' - The Times - Monday 7^th April, 1879

'The ball went into touch close to their lines, and Bailey aimed the ball right in front of the goal, and although struck by Parlane it glanced between the posts.' - The Field - Saturday 5^th April, 1879

'Then Bailey, with a well-directed throw-in, caused a scrimmage to be formed right in front of the Scotch goal, which, despite the worthy efforts of Parlane, fell before the enemy'. - Bell's Life - Saturday 5^th April, 1879

For the matter of arguments sake, The Leeds Mercury; 7 April 1879: 'out of a comfortable bully the Scottish flag, figuratively was lowered through the combined efforts of Sparks, Mosforth, Goodyear, Bailey, and Wace'! and The Belfast News-letter; 7 April 1879: 'a fourth was secured out of a scrimmage.' and finally, The Athletic News; 9 April 1879: 'out of a desperate scrummage'.

Source Notes

England Football Factbook: Cris Freddi
FA.com
Scottish Football Association
London Hearts
original newspaper snippets
England Expects: James Corbett
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CG