December 15, 1908
Amid scenes of enthusiasm which revived memories of the Rovers’ old-time cup victories, the Blackburn eleven beat Liverpool at Ewood Park yesterday, and won the Lancashire Cup for the tenth time. There was a crowd of 11,000 people, yielding £235 at the gate. (Lancashire Evening Post’s attendance was 14,000).
The game opened evenly, the Rovers playing a short passing game, and Liverpool relying most solely on Sam Bowyer, their left winger, to work up their attack. The home side presently opened out, and in twenty minutes George Chapman scored from twenty-five yards range, the ball glancing into the net off Tom Chorlton’s head.
Three corner to the Rovers followed, and from the third Billy Garbutt lifted the ball over the “scrum” and scored. Keeping up a hot attack the Rovers scored again from a corner. Eddie Latheron heading in, and just on half time Garbutt ran half the length of the field, and tipping the ball across to Bill “Tinker” Davies, the centre forward notched a fourth.
With four goals in hand the Rovers opened the second half in easy, almost careless fashion. Liverpool could do nothing against the Rovers’ defence, however, and presently Archie Kyle scored a fifth goal with a thirty yards lunge. Then Liverpool suddenly woke up, and mixing their game, attacked by left and centre alternately, Bowyer at length opening their account from a pass by Ronald Orr. Soon after Jack Parkinson broke away and centred for Orr to score. A third goal came through Orr from Bowyer’s pass, the three goals having come in ten minutes. To the end Liverpool played desperately to get on terms, but there was no more scoring.
The trophy was handed over to Crompton, the Rovers’ captain, by Mr. W. Fairhurst, of Bolton, and Crompton, in reply, said it was the ambition of the club to win as many cups as possible, though their luck had been rather out of late years. Liverpool had given them a very good game, and he would like to see all games contested in the same good spirit.
(Manchester Courier: December 15, 1908)
Billy Garbutt, Blackburn Rovers (London Daily News, 29-09-1906).
"Play Up, Liverpool" 