Saturday, January 13 – 1917
Match: Lancashire Section, at Turf Moor.
Burnley – Liverpool 0-1 (0-1).
Attendance: 7,000; gate receipts: £130 15s. 5d.
Referee: Mr. J.T. Howcroft; linesmen: Messrs. A. Ward and J.H. Tattersall.
Burnley (2-3-5): Jerry Dawson; J.H. Wareing, Harry Hastie; J. Yates, Tommy Boyle, Joe Wilde; Bob Kelly, John Barber, Billy Nesbitt, Dick Lindley, Billy Kellock.
Liverpool (2-3-5): Joe Butler; Ephraim Longworth, Tommy Lucas; John Bamber, Walter Wadsworth, Donald Mackinlay; Arthur Goddard, Metcalf, Tommy Bennett, Harry Lewis, Tommy Cunliffe.
The goal: 0-1 Lewis (8 min.).
Friday’s notes threatened a black Saturday for Mersey clubs. Well, it was truly a black day for Everton, but Liverpool living up to their reputation, kept their goal intact and gained a goal through young Lewis. It is a great performance to keep Burnley’s strong forward line from scoring, and Liverpool’s defence which included Butler, of Stockport and Sunderland, must be mentioned high up in despatches.
The Anfielders not only strengthened but practically solidified their position as champions of the Lancashire Section on Saturday, when they defeated Burnley at Turf Moor. It was a very creditable performance, and stamps the Liverpool team as one possessing in a very high degree the qualities of cleverness, combination, and dexterity.
Although the issue was decided by a single goal, there was really little doubt as to which was the superior side, and the margin against Burnley might well have been much heavier.
In the first half particularly the Liverpool forwards fed to perfection by the halves, played a sparklingly brilliant game. Time after time they swept the home defenders ruthlessly aside, and it was only the wonderful goalkeeping of Dawson that prevented an amplified score.
Having been given the advantage of the wind by their opponents, the Anfielders were swift to take advantage of it. Right from the start they initiated a series of well-ordered raids on the home goal, and the game was not many minutes old when Lewis, taking the leather on the run, netted with a well-directed shot.
For the remainder of the first period the bulk of play lay with the visitors, and Metcalf was twice unlucky in failing to find the target. Once he drove with tremendous strength, but Dawson pulled the ball down, and on another occasion he struck the crossbar with a beautiful rising shot. Burnley rarely got going during this half, and even when they got within range their shooting, for the most part, was wild and erratic.
In the second forty minutes play deteriorated considerably, and there was at time a suggestion of ill-temper. The home forwards enjoyed a fair share of the attack, and they came dangerously near equalising through Lindley, who was subsequently injured and compelled to retire from the scene of operations.
With four forwards the Turf Moor brigade played with more vigor than accuracy, but they were unable to get behind the cool and confident defence. Butler, the Stockport County player, kept a capital goal, and dealt with one or two difficult shots very smartly. Both the backs did well, and the halves were in the best of form.
Bennett was closely dogged by Boyle, but he led that famous half back a merry dance and showed that he was not to e coerced. Both the wings have a creditable account of themselves.
(Liverpool Echo, 15-01-1917)
"Play Up, Liverpool" 