March 3, 1915
The Burnley Reserves, or some of them, and especially the forwards, played a weak game against Liverpool Reserves on Saturday, at Turf Moor. An uninteresting match was the result and Liverpool Reserves, in spite of the fact that Burnley struck the woodwork of the goalposts three or four times, deserved to win.
The visitors were the more masterful in their advances, this being especially so in regard to their left wing. Pickering in the Burnley middle lost a good deal of his reputation by his lackadaisical style and his absolute refusal to forage. If Waine, the new amateur, had been expected to be an improvement on what Burnley now possess, it is being charitable to say that he failed to come up to expectations.
The Burnley halves were not so strong as usual, but the last trio were all right. There was too much playing of the man by Burnley, and especially by Tranter; when once he had been fouled he was not satisfied until he had three or four fouls given against him.
The teams were:
Burnley Reserves: Ronnie Sewell; Jimmy Wilde, Cliff Jones; Shaw, Walker Hampson, Jonathan Brown; Robert Waine, Jack Mitton, William Pickering; Richard Tranter, Billy Clarkson.
Liverpool Reserves: Kenneth Campbell; Sam Speakman, Walter Wadsworth; James Scott, Charles Duffy, Phil Bratley, Wilfred Bartrop, Henry Rounds, Wilfred Watson, Arthur Metcalf, James Dawson.
Referee: Mr. H Hodgkinson, of Rochdale.
Liverpool were the first to become dangerous, Burnley winging the ball freely, they kept the Burnley defence on the run and a particularly dangerous centre by Dawson ended in Rounds heading past. Mitton shot far too soon when he was well past both backs and Campbell saved hos long, straight drive and a subsequent shot by Pickering.
As Watson was making tracks for goal at the end of 13 minutes he was tripped by Jones just outside the penalty area. Bratley took the free-kick and put the ball just underneath the bar. Following a corner to Burnley there was a lively tussle in front of the Liverpool goal immediately afterwards and Pickering struck the crossbar. In a sustained attack, following a well-placed centre by Waine, both Tranter and Pickering struck the upright and Campbell had to gather an accurate long shot by Clarkson. The Liverpool forwards made the more cultured advances, Bratley, Dawson, Metcalf triangle repeatedly threatening. A long shot by Hampson gazed the bar. Clarkson caused Campbell to fist out and cataching te ball on the return, put just over.
Half-time: Liverpool Reserves, 1; Burnley Reserves, 0.
Mitton took the middle position in the second half and was the best man in the Burnley front rank during that period. He had the ill luck to head agains the crossbar from a centre by Clarkson and soon afterwards he caused Campbell to handle. A smart run was made by Watson and as the ball was tapped to Rounds, Sewell cleverly took the ball from his toes.
After Mitton had failed by inches, Wilde failed to clear and Watson put in a grand shot which rose over. Sewell shortly afterwards cleverly turned one over from Watson. Bratley added Liverpool’s second from a foul, the ball entering the net off a Burnley defender. Mitton should have had a penalty as he was fetched down by Speakman in the box, but the referee refused the inflict punishment.
Final: Liverpool Reserves 2; Burnley Reserves, 0.
(Burnley News: March 3, 1915)
"Play Up, Liverpool" 