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Results 1872-1890
Page Last Updated 27 April 2023

Éireann

 
29 vs. Ireland
   

32 vs. Wales
previous match (21 days)
33 vs. Scotland
34
next match (322 days)
35 vs. Wales
36 vs. Ireland
37 vs. Scotland
Saturday, 7 April 1888
British International Championship 1887-88 (5th) Match

 
Ireland 1 England 5 [1-3]
 
postponed from 15 February

Ulster Cricket Ground, Ballynafeigh Park, Belfast, County Antrim
Kick-off (DMT): 'two minutes after the appointed time'; 'punctually at half-past three'; 'play began at four o'clock'; 'at about 4 p.m.'; 'was at five o'clock'.
There was a 25 minute difference between DMT and GMT....
but that does not explain the statement from the Welsh newspaper.

Attendance: 'upwards of 7,000 spectators'; '8,000 spectators present';
'the largest witnessed in Ireland—whether cricket, lacrosse or football.'










Season Record
England's third visit to Ballynafeigh, fourth visit to Belfast, and Ireland. All victorious
John McVicker kicked-off Tinsley Lindley won the toss
few reports state that Hodgetts scored the first

few reports state that Dewhurst scored the second


[1-2] Billy Crone free-kick 32
 'Crone took the kick and aimed for goal and went between the sticks'
[0-1] Fred Dewhurst 10
from 30 yards following a Hodgetts pass
[0-2] Albert Allen 14
 'out of a scrimmage in front of goal'

[0-2] Albert Allen shot strikes the crossbar 
 

[1-3] Albert Allen 39
 'a daisy cropper just inside the post'
few reports state that Dewhurst scored the fourth

England's fiftieth goal against Ireland>
[1-4] Albert Allen header 60 HAT-TRICK
 'headed through from a Hodgetts corner'
[1-5] Tinsley Lindley
circa75
from a Hodgetts or a Lindley centre
"The weather was very fine, the ground was in capital condition."
 

"VICTORY OF THE ROSE" Sporting Life

Officials [umpires and referees are of equal relevance]

Ireland

Team Records

England

Umpires  
John Sinclair
32 (27 August 1855), Belfast
(Irish FA)
played in the 1882 England-Ireland fixture
Richard Philip Gregson
35 (9 March 1853), Clitheroe
Lancashire FA secretary
Referee
James E. McKillop

Scotland FA
replaced SFA's Secretary Mr McDowell
  

Ireland Team

 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 6th
Colours 'The Irish team...looked exceedingly well in their royal blue uniform'.
Captain Ollie Stanfield Selection Ireland Selection Committee
P 3 of 8, W 0 - D 0 - L 3 - F 3 - A 26.
youngest captain to oppose England team chosen on Tuesday, 27 March 1888
Ireland Lineup
  Lawther, Ralph 22
241 days
10 August 1865 G Distillery FC & Glentoran FC 2 15ᵍᵃ
final app 1888
  Browne, Frederick William Joseph 23
18 days
20 March 1864
in Carlisle, England
RB Cliftonville FAC 5 2
final app 1887-88
69   Silo, Modesto 23
139 days
15 November 1864 LB Belfast YMCA 1 0
only app 1888
  Forsyth, James 23
139 days
20 November 1864 RHB Belfast YMCA 2 0
final app 1888
  Rosbotham, Alexander 22
193 days
27 September 1865 CHB Cliftonville FAC 6 0
Crone, William 24
220 days
31 August 1863 LHB Distillery FC 10 1
  Gaussen, Arthur David Ash 25
113 days
16 December 1862 OR Magharafelt FC 4 0
  Stanfield, Olphert Martin 19
41 days
26 February 1869 IR Distillery FC 6 1
70   McVicker, John 19
344 days
29 April 1868 CF Linfield FAC 1 0
  Wilton, James McElmunn 19
138 days
21 November 1868 IL St. Columb's Court FC 2 0
  Peden, John 24
270 days
12 July 1863 OL Linfield FAC 4 1
reserves: not known
team changes: Barclay (Ulster FC) was the original named goalkeeper, Lawther taking his place. Jimmy Watson (Ulster FC) was the original left-back, replaced by Silo. Wilton at some point also, had replaced Gibb at inside-left.
 
2-3-5 Lawther -
Browne, Silo -
Forsyth, Rosbotham, Crone -
Gaussen, Stanfield, McVicker, Wilton, Peden
Averages: Age 22 years 235 days Appearances/Goals 3.9 0.4

 

England Team

 
Rank No official ranking system established;
ELO rating 2nd
Colours '...the Saxons sporting white jerseys'.

Captain
Tinsley Lindley Selection The seven-man FA International Selection Committee
P 3 of 4, W 3 - D 0 - L 0 - F 15 - A 2. P 3 of 195, W 3 - D 0 - L 0 - F 15 - A 2.
first captain to score in two games² team chosen on Monday, 26 March 1888.
England Lineup
(six changes to the previous match)
  Roberts, Robert J. 24
111 days
18 December 1863 G West Bromwich Albion FC 2 4ᵍᵃ
147   Aldridge, Albert J. 24
247 days
4 August 1863 RB West Bromwich Albion FC 1 0
the 3rd/4th Albionite to represent England
  Walters, Percy M. 24
190 days
30 September 1863 LB Old Carthusians AFC & Corinthians FC 9  0
148   Holmes, Robert 20
289 days
23 June 1867 RHB Preston North End FC 1 0
the fifth Northender to represent England
  Allen, Harry 22
79 days
19 January 1866 CHB Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 3 0
149   Shelton, Charles 24
76 days
22 January 1864 LHB Notts Rangers FC 1 0
only app 1888
150   Bassett, William I. 19
70 days
27 January 1869 OR
 
West Bromwich Albion FC 1
 
0
 
youngest player to represent England competitively so far the 3rd/4th Albionite to represent England
Dewhurst, Frederick 24
113 days
16 December 1863 IR Preston North End FC & Corinthians FC 8 11
Lindley, Tinsley 22
163 days
27 October 1865 CF Nottingham Forest FC & Corinthians FC 9 10
151 Allen, Albert 21

7 April 1867 IL
 

Aston Villa FC 1 3
the 22nd brace scored - ninth hattrick
youngest to score a hattrick on his debut
first to play on birthday the fifth Villain to represent England only app 1888
first to score on birthday
  Hodgetts, H. Dennis 24
131 days
28 November 1863 OL Aston Villa FC 3 1
                   
reserves: not known
team changes: In the original line-up, goalkeeper Billy Moon (Old Westminsters AFC) was replaced by Roberts. Right-back Bob Howarth (Preston North End FC) was replaced by Aldridge taking his place. Bob Holmes took the place of right-half George Haworth (Accrington FC), and Albert Allen, who took the place of inside-left Nevill Cobbold (Old Carthusians AFC).
team notes: Percy Walters' brother, Arthur, also plays for England in 1885-87.
appearance notes: Tinsley Lindley and Percy Walters are the sixth/seventh players to make nine England appearances, whereas Fred Dewhurst is the ninth player to make eight.
42 players have appeared for England for more than three times, only 77 have done so more than once.
Only four players have played in all three matches under the auspices of the ISC:- Harry Allen, Fred Dewhurst, Dennis Hodgetts and Tinsley Lindley.
records: For the second time in two years, England have won three games in a row. However, it is the first time they have won all three in one season.
 
2-3-5 Roberts -
Aldridge, Walters -
Holmes,
H.Allen, Shelton -
Bassett, Dewhurst, Lindley,
A.Allen, Hodgetts
Averages: Age 22 years 333 days Appearances/Goals 3.5 1.8
 

       Match Report Manchester Courier, Monday, 9 April 1888

The seventh international match between representatives of the Rose and Shamrock was decided on Saturday on the grounds of the Ulster Football Club, at Ballynafeigh, Belfast. The weather was very fine, the ground was in capital condition, and upwards of 7,000 spectators witnessed the contest. England, having won the toss, elected to play with the wind, and punctually at half-past three M'Vicker started the leather. A pass to Peden was stopped by Holmes, and that player sent the leather well down to Dewhurst and Hodgetts. The pressure, however, was relieved by the Irish backs. Gaussen then made a splendid run down the visitors' territory, but the advantage was only momentary, for Walters tackled, and a splendid run to within 20 yards of the Irish goal was followed by a corner, but nothing resulted. Two minutes later Dewhurst and Hodgetts getting well on, thirty yards from Lawther, the former scored the first goal for England. Scarcely had the ball been set in motion than Allen, of the Aston Villa, scored. Afterwards Gaussen had a splendid dribble down the field, and out of a scrummage in front of Roberts Crone shot the first goal for Ireland. A nice lot of play followed, in which the English forwards were conspicuous, and six minutes before half time Allen, of Aston Villa, added goal No. 3 to England's score. Twice afterwards Lawther had to throw out, and the whistle sounded a few moments later with the score—England, three goals; Ireland, one goal. Lindley restarted play, and the leather travelled within ten yards of Lawther, and for the next four minutes it was kept dangerously near the Irish citadel, each wing having a corner. Both, however, proved ineffectual, and Gaussen and Stanfield getting away Roberts had to fist out. Again and again the forwards charged to the opposite end of the field, and Allen, of Aston Villa, from a corner, registered a fourth goal for the representatives of the Rose. A siege front of the English goal followed, but it was of short duration, for after Roberts had fisted out once, Hodgetts got on, and passing to Lindley, that player notched a fifth goal for his side. From this point to the finish Ireland had the best of play, hands and off side being repeatedly given against the visitors by the referee, and worse still, several ugly fouls were credited to the Englishmen, but the game throughout was characterised by the best of good humour on both sides, and applause was very impartially bestowed. Coming near the end each team alternately pressed very hard but nothing further resulted, and when time was called the game stood—England, five goals; Ireland, one goal.
    

       Match Report The Times, Monday, 9 April 1888

Many thousand spectators were present on the Belfast ground on Saturday to witness the seventh match between England and Ireland under Association rules. On each of the previous occasions success attended England, and Saturday's contest did not furnish an exception. The afternoon was favourable and the turf in excellent order. England won the toss, and at first elected to play with the wind in their favour. J. W. Vickers started the ball for the home team. The visitors soon acted on the aggressive, and, within ten minutes of the kick-off, Dewhurst obtained a goal for them. Quickly afterwards Allen also sent the ball between the posts. Ireland now played up in a very determined manner, and Crone scored a goal for them; but prior to half-time a third was kicked for England by Allen...
Allen kicked a fourth goal and Lindley a fifth for the visitors...

  
              In Other News....
It was on 6 April 1888 that five men were killed at Douglas Bank Colliery in Wigan. Three of them were being lowered into the shaft in a large iron bucket when the wires broke and they plummeted onto others down below.   Halifax defeated the holders, Wakefield Trinity, at Leeds, to win the Yorkshire Cup, which had become the first rugby knockout competition. Both clubs would join the Rugby League seven years later, when it split from the Rugby Union.
  
Other selected Football Results (7 April 1888)
Friendly matches:
Everton 0 West Bromwich Albion 1
   Anfield Ground, Liverpool (11,000 to 12,000)
Bayliss
Albion were without Bob Roberts, Albert Aldridge and Billy Bassett


Although other friendly matches were played on this day, specifically Blackburn Rovers—Bolton Wanderers, Burnley—Newton Heath, none, however, were impacted by, or to, the England fixture.
Accrington 1 Preston North End 2
   Thorneyhole Road, Accrington (10,000)
scorers not known
North End were without Fred Dewhurst & Bob Holmes
  
Aston Villa 3 Notts County 3
   Wellington Road Ground, Perry Barr (1,500)
Hunter, Brown, Green
~ a rush, Weightman, Wardle
Villa were without Albert Allen and Denny Hodgetts
  

      Source Notes

TheFA
Jonny Dewart at Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats
Cris Freddi's England Football Factbook
  The Football Association Yearbook
Original Newspaper Reports
Rootschat/Ancestry.com
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