February 22, 1893
The Nelson team met Liverpool for the first time last Saturday, in a Lancashire League match and the Seed Hillites showed that they can play football sometimes. Indeed, although the weather was unfavourable, there was a large “gate” at Seed Hill, curiosity being aroused about two new players (Almond and Brown) in the home team.
Nelson: Eddie Matthews, W.H. Leach, Craven, S. Mack, Willie Almond, Charles McGuffie, James Fairbairn, Walter Rushton, R. Brown, A. Sanderson, Harry Lightbown.
Liverpool: Sydney Ross, Andrew Hannah, Duncan McLean, John McCartney, Joe McQue, James McBride, Thomas Wyllie, Matt McQueen, John Miller, Malcolm McVean, Hugh McQueen.
The ex-Roverite did not make a good impression the previous Saturday, at Fleetwood, but his appearance in a home fixture gave every satisfaction, as he played a sterling game, whilst Brown, as centre forward, confirmed the good opinion formed of his performances against Fleetwood Rangers.
Indeed the whole of the team which occupies the position of “wooden spoonists” in the Lancashire League gave the “runners up” of the same League a terrible fright, and mightily pleased the spectators.
Certainly the visitors had the best of play in the first half, but the game was, it can be said, evenly contested, and a draw of two goals each would have accurately represented the condition of affairs.
The Seed Hillites certainly falsified the statement s often made concerning them, that they have not enough “stay” about them, as, with the ground very heavy, they came out of the encounter fairly fresh, having had by far the best of the exchanges in the second half, when they had the assistance of the wind.
This was somewhat a surprise to many of the spectators, who thought the fast play in the first half would tell very much against the home team in the second installment.
Sanderson and Lightbourne were very smart all through, but the right wing did not appear to equal advantage. Mack and McGuffie were not so good as Almond, but Matthews (in goal) and Leach and Craven at back, did splendid work, although, in the opening stages of the game, the Nelson defence was not very striking.
After a while, however, the homesters although paying against the wind, became vigorously aggressive, and Ross, the Liverpool custodian, had all his work cut out to preserve his charge intact. On the other hand Sanderson and Lightbourne experienced “hard lines” on several occasions.
The game had been in progress about 20 minutes when McVean registered the first point for the visitors, Matthews being a little to blame for the success.
Nelson attacked with spirit, and then Liverpool got the advantage of play and scored a second goal a quarter of an hour from the interval. The visitors had the best of matters until half-time, but just before the whistle blew Fairbairn had the hardest of hard lines.
Crossing over Nelson, who had now the assistance of the wind, were soon attacking and trying earnestly to reduce the lead of two goals. Ross kept out numerous shots at goal until twenty minutes from the interval when he, with the ball in his possession, and half a dozen of the visitors were carried bodily behind the posts in a terrific rush made by the homesters.
When Almond sent in a beauty soon afterwards and Ross put the leather in Rushton’s way, only to enable that player to pass to Fairbairn, and the last named to equalise, the cheering and excitement were very great.
Nelson tried hard to get the winning goal, but were unsuccessful, whilst, to the disappointment of the home team’s supporters, Liverpool managed to pay a visit to the Nelson territory about five minutes before time, and Miller gained a third point. No further scoring took place, and the visitors retired victorious by three goals to two.
(Source: Burnley Express: February 22, 1893)
XX
"Play Up, Liverpool" 