Saturday, October 28 – 1899
The meeting of Liverpool and Notts County afforded a glorious example of the “survival of the fittest” theory.
Here we had the two worst teams in the League, so at least the League table says, battling for supremacy, and many good judges of the game were mean enough to express the opinion that the game was worthy of the teams.
Some people are absolutely devoid of feeling.
Whilst I am not going to state that that was my opinion, I must admit that the game was not exactly dazzling in its brilliance.
The first forty-five minutes’ play was without doubt a shadow of a double worthy of the positions the teams occupy in the League table.
The Liverpudlians in particular played as if they were playing for a lost cause.
They were deplorable, and by the time the referee had granted the customary few minutes’ rest at the interval I had been forced to the conclusion that Liverpool were well worthy of the honour of holding the wooden spoon.
There is not the slightest doubt that the continued run of defeats has taken the heart out of the Anfielders, and when the Notts men scored soon after the resumption it looked all over with the boys.
“Let’em all come!” and “What, another of ‘em?”, are samples of the expressions heard on all sides, and it certainly looked bad business for Liverpool.
Then, however, happened one of those little things that are so wont to alter the whole complexion of a game.
Raisbeck sent in a long shot, straight and true, to Suter, and naturally nobody expected anything beyond an easy save.
That was where they erred.
Suter, with a devoutness which was truly touching, sank on to his knees, and the ball sailed beautifully over his head into the net.
It is my firm opinion that Fate ordained that Liverpool should score against Notts and that she made poor Suter the instrument by which the object was to be effected.
Suter can look upon himself as the saviour of the Liverpool team, and it is a thousand pities that nobody thought of sending round the hat on his behalf.
He has our thanks, however, and that is something.
Liverpool were now a changed team.
They were the Liverpool of old, at least a fairly decent resemblance of them, and — well Notts naturally suffered.
A second goal quickly followed, and then a third, Suter hanging on to the ball as if he were desirous of shielding it from all danger, and asking for somebody to charge him and his treasure through the goal.
Walker is a most obliging fellow and promptly answered Suter’s request.
Liverpool have Suter to thank for their victory.
(Lancashire Evening Post, 28-10-1899)
Image of Raisbeck from lfchistory.net.
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