At Middlesbrough on Saturday the annual match, under Association rules, between England and Ireland took place in presence of some 35,000 people. Only four players belonging to Irish clubs were included in the Irish eleven, those being Darling (Linfield), Nicholl (Celtic), Connor (Glentoran), and Sloan (Bohemians). The remainder of the team were Anglo-Celts, although such as Scott, M'Cracken, and M'Cartney have only recently become so. The English team was to some extent an experimental one, but was considered a formidable combination. There was a moderate breeze blowing when the teams took the field, and Harris, the Corinthian, who captained the Englishmen, winning the toss, decided to take advantage of it. Murphy, of the Queen's Park Rangers, who played centre for Ireland, kicked off, and the opening passages were tame enough. The leather was kept about midfield for a while, and then Booth ran down. M'Cracken checked and cleared well. A moment or two later Scott had to handle, and he did what was required of him in good style. A brief visit was paid to the other end, and then Bond made a nice individual effort, eluding several opponents cleverly, but he was brought up by M'Cartney, who kicked strongly away. The Irish front rank took up the running. Murphy got possession, and shot well, but Williamson was all there, and cleared grandly. Roberts did some clever work, tackling well and feeding the English forwards with good judgment. The Englishmen kept up pressure, and then Bloomer found the net just as the whistle went for offside. A corner for England was taken and admirably placed by Booth. Scott saved cleverly, and almost directly afterwards the Irish custodian was lucky to get the ball away. He was on the ground and surrounded by opponents, but he managed to clear. M'Cracken distinguished himself by clean and powerful kicking. The Englishmen were doing all the pressing, but try as they would they could not break through. Half-time—England, nil; Ireland, nil.
   On resuming after the interval, Ireland pressed, and forced a couple of corners. Kirwan took them both, and from the second Williamson caught the ball with an effort, and dropped it outside, but it was held that the ball had gone beyond the line before the goalkeeper touched it, and a goal was given. Enthusiasm was raised to fever heat as the Englishmen went to work with a will. They pressed, and Bloomer equalised with a beauty when the second half was only five minutes old. Keeping up the pressure, Bloomer sent high over the crossbar. Play ruled in favour of England, but it quieted down considerably. Affairs became more lively as Ireland aroused themselves, and from rather a lengthy range Murphy put outside. England took up the running, and Harris gave to Woodward, who, with a splendid overhead kick, came pretty near scoring. Scott just kicked the ball away. Sheridan left the field for a few minutes, Ireland meantime only playing ten men. Scott saved cleverly from Harris, and Woodward immediately afterwards just missed the post with a lightning shot. From a throw-in near midfield England raced away finely, the run terminating with a magnificent shot by Booth, who sent the ball flying just wide of the goal. Returning to the attack, Bloomer put through, but was given offside. Just before the final Booth was injured, and had to be carried off the field. Final result—England, 1 goal; Ireland, 1 goal.
   

For the first time since the institution of association matches between England and Ireland the Irishmen on Saturday succeeded in escaping defeat in England, the match at Middlesbrough ending in a draw of one goal all. There was every reason to expect that the English team would gain another victory, as owing to lameness O'Hagan was unable to play for Ireland, and thus a rearrangement of the forward line was necessary on the morning of the match...
The first half passed by without any score, but both points were scored immediately after the interval. Ireland's goal came from a corner taken by Kirwan. The ball was well placed, but Williamson should have cleared without difficulty. Instead of so doing he did not hold the ball at the first attempt, and in turning to gather it he stepped just over his own line, and so enabled the visitors to score through a bad error of judgment on his part. Directly afterwards Bloomer, profiting by a blunder on the part of McCartney, slipped by the Irish back, and at short range equalized with a shot which Scott had no chance of stopping...
Just at the finish Booth, meeting with an injury, had to be carried off the field.