September 4, 1916
We have got accustomed to stylish football from young Bamber, and if he follows up Saturday’s style of play with many more samples his name will ring through the football firmament as the star find of three seasons. He was well tested by Bolton’s wing pair, than whom there is not a more difficult pair to hold.
True, Viard had not found his form, but equally true is that Joe Smith played a hard-striving and capable game. That latter fact in itself is sufficient evidence that Bamber had heavy work on hand. But the real truth for Vizard’s failure was attributable to the excellence of Bamber.
He not only held them thight, but he found time to serve up the ball to his forwards – this is as important work in the half back department as breaking up attacks, for what shall it profit a man if he dispossesses a forward and mispasses? Bamber’s goal was fitting as a finishing touch to a great day’s work, and the crowd showed what they thought of the St. Helens man’s play by giving him a hearty rally.
Alongside him were two stalwarts in Goddard and Mackinlay. Liverpool’s half back line is the mainstay of the team. Mackinlay’s performance and his occasional forward run and shot make him a mighty powerful player. That long-short goal of Arthur Goddard’s was an object lesson to our forwards in direct shooting.
The game was always fast, and at times its open character surprised the 15,000 spectators, for were not Liverpool by far the better side in the first half, had not Bolton’s goalkeeper been weak in clearance, and had not Bolton opened the score-sheet through a full back’s kick cannoning of Geddes? Liverpool were dilatory in the forward line up till the point of Pagnam’s equaliser – a point that was stoutly contested with Mr. Alderson.
Then we saw Liverpool improve and make good. Goddard’s goal led the way, and Bolton from this point were well-beaten and well-held. Their young forwards, Sharp in particular (he’s a second edition of David Stokes), promise to develop on right lines, and the centre half back, too, is worth persevering with. Bolton’s backs stood up to their work courageously – it takes some doing when there is a Pagnam in the land – and when Vizard comes to his own again the Wanderers will put a number of opponents through the mill.
I congratulate Pagnam upon his goal, his captaincy, and enthusiasm, but I do hope he will not carry argumentativeness to a sorry point, or that he will “tap” opponents – he must lead the way with examples of the best and cleanest in football.
He was well-watched, and therefore the other inside forwards should have fared better. Metcalf was weak in shot and slow in movement, though he served up fine passes for Pinkney, who must curb the desire to shoot from difficult angles. Cunliffe was seen in patchy work, Henderson not being at his best.
Taylor’s goalkeeping and Longworth’s somewhat light day through Bamber and Lucas excelling themselves are other points the first victory carried with it.
Teams: –
Liverpool: Ted Taylor, Ephraim Longworth, Tommy Lucas, John Bamber, Arthur Goddard, Donald Mackinlay, Ernest Pinkney, Arthur Metcalf, Fred Pagnam, James Henderson, Tommy Cunliffe.
Bolton Wanderers: Jack Hodgkiss, William Hulme, G. Hurst, A. Jones, Jimmy Nuttall, Tom Buchan, Jack Pickup, S. Sharp, Bob Geddes, Joe Smith, Ted Vizard.
(Liverpool Echo: September 4,1916)
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"Play Up, Liverpool" 