March 30, 1942
Liverpool won their final game in the Cup Qualifying Competition against Rochdale by 5 goals to 2, but they had to strive much harder for victory than the score would suggest, and if Rochdale had not concentrated upon defence in the second half they might easily have made a draw of it.
The first half, for instance, was a perfect sample of the dashing attack and stolid defence tactics. First Liverpool swept through and took a goal in two minutes when Liddell forced the ball past Chester, with the keeper hampered by his own backs, and then Rochdale hurled themselves against the barrier of Bush, Lambert and Hobson with little luck.
Dorsett increased the Liverpool lead at the fifteenth minute with a gift chance, and Rochdale cancelled it out two minutes later when Bartholomew scored. This player repeated the performance ten minutes later, and then Liddell restored the home lead almost immediately.
It was only Liverpool’s superior defence that kept the score at 3-2 until half-time, but in the second stage it was Rochdale’s defence that shone, and it was not until late in the game that Palk (70 mins.), Liddell (89 mins.) got their goals.
Balmer was the focal point of most of Liverpool’s attack. Rochdale, with Cunliffe (ex-Everton) as captain, also had two excellent wing men in Bartholomew and Colquhoun.
Result: Liverpool 5, Rochdale 2. Attendance 5,006, receipts £239.
Liverpool: Alf Hobson, Roy Guttridge, Ray Lambert, Harry Kaye, Tom Bush, Fred Haycock, Billy Liddell, Jack Balmer, Cyril Done, Dick Dorsett, Stan Palk.
Rochdale: Arthur Chesters, Tommy Sneddon, Gil Richmond, Stan Cutting, Jim Treanor, Joe Duff, Duncan Colquhoun, Jimmy Cunliffe, James Thorpe, David Jones, Roly Bartholomew.
Referee: Mr. F.W. Wort (Mottingham, Kent).
(Liverpool Daily Post: March 30, 1942)
XX
"Play Up, Liverpool" 