Match Report – 14/04/1917

EVERTON

April 14 1917. The Liverpool Echo

Southport Central’s Ground

F.E.H Special

Everton were able to field their full strength, and the Central eleven was practically the same as that which was so badly beaten by Liverpool on Monday, Bradley taking the place of Lieutenant Toms. Bradley a promising youngster belonging to Glasgow Rangers. Teams; Everton; Fern, goal; Smith (West Brom) and Thompson (captain), backs; Fleetwood, Wareing and Grenyer, half-backs; Murray, Jefferis, Gault (Stockport County), Clennell and Donnachie, forwards. Southport; W. Wright, goal; Dorward and J.H. Wright, backs; H. Scholfield, Fay and Abrams, half-backs; Cooper, Caulfield, Kirkman, Bradley (Rangers), G Scholfield, forwards. It was half past three when play commenced before a couple of thousand spectators. Central started against the gale, and after the usual complimentary exchanges the visitors moved along on the right, but only to be well checked by Abrams. Some pressing on both sides was rendered negible by the wind, but Everton managed to keep up the pressure, and from a square pass by Donnachie, Clennell missed a perfect opening. Southport thanks good half back work, progressed on the left, where Smith proved a stumbling block, and the Evertonians were again aggressive when Gault in an offside position put over the line. So far the pace was easy but it quickened when Jefferis got possession and wiggled through. He could do no better however, than send the leather gently into Wright’s willing arms. Further pressure forced a corner, but this was not very seriously contested and the next item of interest was a move on the part of the home right wing pair. Cooper had got the better of Grenyer and looked distinctly dangerous, when Thompson came to the rescue and the visitors renewed their attention to Wright’s charge. Their combination however, was sadly lacking at times, and after Jefferis had shot wildly into the wilderness behind the home goal, Gault with scarcely more accuracy, put the ball outside, although there was no one near to hamper him. The Sandgrounders could not make any progress. They tried once or twice through the instrumentally of Cooper and Caulfield but were not permitted to get within the firing range. Everton now began to put the screw on, and the home goal escaped only by a miracle, for Gault, Clennell, and Donnachie all had shots intercepted more by good luck than by good management, and the bombardment only ceased when Wright fisted away a fast rising shot from Jefferis.

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EVERTON WIN AT SOUTHPORT.

Liverpool Daily Post – Monday 16 April 1917

There was something of “end the season” air about the match between Everton and Southport Central, at Ash-lane, on Saturday. The contest, nevertheless, was not without interest, and it at least served once more to demonstrate-the strength and ability of the Everton half back line. This trio did they might have done, but they made ample compensation for this lack assiduity completely bottling up the Central front line. Kirkman and his wings, indeed, rarely got a look in throughout the whole ninety minutes, and when they did get through their shooting was much wilder than that of their opponents. Everton had the advantage of a strong wind in the ‘first half, but they made very poor use of it, and the interval came with a blank sheet. The second period was not much more promising, but five minutes from the finish Grenyer, with his raking stride, came through the rusk and scored with a hot oblique drive. The Evertonians were always the superior side, and they should have won by a much handsomer margin. Gault did not make the best of his opportunities, while Clennell and Jefferis were both unlucky. Smith and Thompson had comparatively easy journey, and Fern’s post was almost a sinecure.
Result; Everton 1, Southport Central 0.

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EVERTON’S VICTORY

April 16, 1917. The Evening Express

By CRI

The Everton team had much the better of the game at Ash-Lane on Saturday, but unfortunately for them, the forwards while accomplished in every other respect were faulty in marksmanship. They were plied repeatedly by their half-backs, who were in the top of their form both in attack and defence, but singular to relate, practically the only shots that harassed the keeper, came from the intermediate line (writes my colleague “Rovers). With the wind in their favour, the first half resolved itself not a procession to and from the Central scoring zone, but so ably aid the home backs and the keeper acquit themselves that the Everton trip frequently took matters in hand, and three drives from Fleetwood and one from Grenyer might easily have materialised. Having survived against the wind the home team naturally looked forward to better progress in the second portion, but the best they could do was to secure an even distribution of the play. Still neither set of forwards looked like forcing the breech and the game was well nigh spent when Grenyer took up the role of an extra forward, and running through, scored with an accurately directed oblique shot, that defeated Wright all pieces. This was the only point recorded and on the general run of the play Everton deserved the honours of victory. An indicated the finishing touches of the Everton forwards did not approximate the usual standard of efficiency, neither were their movements sufficiently concerned to become convincing. The latter was particularly the case on the right wing, where Jefferis and Murray found Abrams quite equal to dealing with whatever efforts came his way. Gault did fairly well, but the best work came from Clennell and Donnachie, who for the greater part were responsible for most of Everton’s aggressive movements. The footwork of Wareing at centre half, was very effective and on either side of him Fleetwood and Grenyer frustrated the advances of the home wingers at every turn, and, in addition, kept their own forwards with well timed ground passes that merited better results. Smith and Thompson were able defenders and Fern’s position generally was a amecure,. The Southport forwards were quite unchanged and rarely moved in concerned fashion, although well attended to by Fay and Abrams, each of whom, as was the case of the visiting side, being responsible for the only likely shots that went Fern’s way. At left full back Wright played a strong game, and his name sake in goal kept his charge with much skill.

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EVERTON’S NARROW WIN

April 16, 1917. The Liverpool Echo

Bee’s Notes

Everton’s win at Southport is described by “F.E.H”

There was something of an end of the season air about the match between Everton and Southport central, at Ash-Lane, on Saturday. The contest nevertheless, was not without interest, and it at least served once more to demonstrate the strength and ability of the Everton half-back line. The trio did not, it is true, always feed their forwards as they might have done, but they made ample compensation for the lack of assiduity by completely bottling up the Clennell front line. Kirkman and his wings, indeed rarely got a look in throughout the whole ninety minutes and when they did get through their shooting was much wilder than that of their opponents. Everton had the advantage of a strong wind in the first half, but they made very poor use of it, and the interval came with a blank sheet. the second [period was not much more promising but five minutes from the finish Grenyer with his raking stride came through the rock and scored with a hot oblique drive. The Evertonians were always the superior side, and they should have won by a much handsome margin. Gault did not make the best of his opportunities, while Clennell and Jefferis were both unlucky. Smith and Thompson had a comparatively easy journey and Fern’s post was almost a sinecure.