October 16, 1943
Everton included three new guest players against Liverpool in the return Merseyside “Derby” at Anfield today. They were Roberts (Bury) and Murphy (Bradford City) and Hallard (Bradford), at left half. Caskie made his first appearance for once than a year, and started at inside-right. Liverpool had Nieuwenhuys at centre forward and Harley once again at outside-right. There was again a grand gathering and there must have been more than 25,000 spectators present.
Liverpool: Alf Hobson, Jack Westby, Jeff Gulliver, Harry Kaye, Laurie Hughes, Jack Pilling, Jim Harley, Jack Balmer, Berry Nieuwenhuys, Cyril Done, Alf Hanson.
Everton: George Burnett, Jack Jones, Norman Greenhalgh, Stan Bentham, Tommy Jones, Billy Hallard, Fred Roberts, Jimmy Caskie, George Murphy, Alex Stevenson, Jimmy McIntosh.
The game opened on a particularly high note, both teams developing attacks at an amazing pace, Murphy almost got through after grand work by Caskie and Stevenson, before Balmer tried one from long range, but this was off the target. In three minutes Liverpool had taken the lead, with a grand goal from Harley. Balmer made it possible running through to draw Greenhalgh and then gently slipping the ball through for Harley to cut in and score with a perfectly-placed right foot shot.
Liverpool kept it up, Burnett pulling down Nieuwenhuys shot from under the bar before Nieuwenhuys had a shot charged down. In seven minutes Everton equalised through McIntosh with a goal engineered by Stevenson. Stevenson robbed Balmer and worked to his left before lobbing the ball just inside the penalty area. The Liverpool defence hesitated claiming offside as McIntosh dashed through, and the winger, hooked the ball into the far corner as Hobson advanced. Liverpool suffered the penalty of not playing to the whistle for McIntosh definitely was onside.
The crowd laughed when Harley raced back to rob Hallard and also when Jack Jones and Bentham headed the ball while lying on the ground. Hobson could only turn aside a dangerous centre from McIntosh, but he was quick to dive out and smother the ball before Roberts could shoot.
Burnett’s Saves
Caskie neatly jumped out of the way to force two Liverpool players to tackle each other, and then McIntosh gave Westby the slip and flashed a shot across the face of the Liverpool goal. Burnett made an excellent save when he dived to hold a header from Nieuwenhuys, and then he leapt out to pull down a centre from Harley.
McIntosh gained the first corner of the day, but he placed this too far out and it was “pie” for Liverpool. In 23 minutes Liverpool regained the lead, and it was again Balmer who did the “donkey” work with the Everton inside forward lying to far back, Murphy lacked support, and so the Reds were able to turn defence into attack in a flash. Balmer, who had gone centre forward for a spell, glided the ball through for Done to take it in his stride, move across goal and score with an unstoppable right foot shot.
When Tom Jones miskicked Nieuwenhuys sprang in to drive one just by the post and then Everton rearranged their attack, McIntosh going centre-forward with Caskie at outside left and Murphy inside right. Straight away Everton should have equalised for Stevenson was put through but he had run too far forward.
Fine Demonstration.
Liverpool were giving another fine demonstration of precision shooting, and after Done’s shot had been charged down Balmer drove in one of his specialities, Burnett saving at full length. Liverpool kept it up, Burnett beating away, Hanson’s cross-shot. Tom Jones was having a worrying time and on occasions was not at all happy; in fact Everton delay in clearing was often getting them into trouble. Roberts came into the game with a quick shot by the near post, and then the Blues gained two more corners without further reward.
A perfect Everton movement, started by Stevenson, saw McIntosh force the ball over the line Caskie’s centre and although Gulliver headed it out, the point was disallowed, Liverpool getting a free kick for what I presumed was pushing. In 41 minutes Liverpool increased their lead, when Done took advantage of Bentham’s delayed clearance and opened up the way for Balmer to drive home from close range. Everton were indeed paying the penalty for “fiddling” in their own goal area –fatal against such a driving force as Liverpool’s. McIntosh had a good chance just on the interval, but delayed his shot and Liverpool escaped.
Half-time: Liverpool 3, Everton 1.
Liverpool opened the second half with a shock, just as they had opened the first. In four minutes Harley ran close in and passed across for Nieuwenhuys to bang the ball through. Everton now made another team change, Bentham going inside right with Murphy right half. Everton gradually showed improvement, but the Liverpool defence was brilliant in its marking.
Caskie was a box tricks, and it was when he took a quick throw-in to Stevenson that the Blues were brought back into the game in 60 minutes. Stevenson centred from the goal line and, although Hobson beat the ball away, Stevenson followed up and turned it into the net.
Everton Revival
This was the signal for an Everton revival, and they piled on the pressure without finding any loopholes, until McIntosh found himself through but shot outside. Bentham let go a lovely left foot shot which skimmed the bar, and then when Murphy tried a speculative shot, Hobson, although yards out of his goal, managed to fist away. Liverpool were kept on the defence, but Balmer got away to place by the post, and then hook over as Burnett advanced.
Play continued highly exciting with the pace still 100 per cent, and Burnett did well to flick over the top a header from Nieuwenhuys. In 85 minutes Liverpool decided the issue with another goal from Balmer, who quickly headed through a grand centre from Harley.
Final: Liverpool 5, Everton 2.
(Source: Evening Express: October 16, 1943)
"Play Up, Liverpool" 