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 28th
February, 1879
A better football match than that played on
Saturday at Kennington 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 7th
April, 1879
England -
Billy Mosforth
(5),
Charlie Bambridge
(48, 83),
Arthur Goodyer
(60),
Norman Bailey
(75);
England
Team
Scotland
Team