Saturday, June 1 – 1940
Match: Football League, Western Division, at Rake Lane, kick-off: 15:15.
New Brighton – Liverpool 0-0 (0-0).
Attendance: 1,000.
Referee: Mr. G. Salmon (Staffordshire).
New Brighton (2-3-5): Willie Hawthorn, Bill Ratcliffe, George Morris, Davis, Steve Hughes, Murphy, Horace Small, Waring, Arthur Frost, Albert Malam, Alf Hanson (Chelsea).
Liverpool (2-3-5): Frank Swift (Manchester City), Roy Guttridge (Aston Villa), Jack Tennant (Stoke City), George Murphy (Bradford City), Alan Brown (Huddersfield Town), Ray Lambert, Billy Liddell, Len Carney, Berry Nieuwenhuys, George Walton (Cardiff City), Herman Van den Berg.
** Note that Daily Post referred to Murphy from Bradford City, while Evening Express referred to him from Middlesbrough. If he was the Bradford player he is George Murphy; on the other hand if he was the Hudds player his first name was David.
Liverpool, who wound up the season with a goalless draw against New Brighton at Rake Lane, should have had the game won comfortably by half-time, but they frittered away their chances by weak finishing.
The boot was on the other foot in the second half, when New Brighton, with the slope in their favour, had slightly the better of matters, but likewise failed to make most of their opportunities.
Ten minutes from the finish Liverpool were awarded a penalty for a foul on Liddell by Hughes. Liddell took the kick himself but shot so tamely that Hawthorn had little difficulty in saving.
The inevitable lethargy which follows a long season was plainly evident, and with one or two exceptions the players did not over-exert themselves. Liverpool’s Murphy was one of the exceptions. He was the best half-back on the field, a tireless worker, and his side’s most dangerous marksman.
Swift’s goalkeeping was attractively nonchalant; Carney and Liddell were Liverpool’s best wing, while Brown was sound at half-back. Nieuwenhuys has rarely been so “off” with his shooting. Hughes was outstanding in a dour New Brighton defence; Waring tried hard to get the attack going with some semblance of cohesion, and apart from Hanson no forward produced any shots of real note.
(Liverpool Daily Post, 03-06-1940)
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