Match Report – 24/04/1916

EVERTON AND SOUTHPORT PLAY FRIENDLY.

April 24, 1916 Liverpool Echo

Strong teams representing Everton and Southport made a capital game at Goodison Park, today before 3,000 spectators, Southport showed much good passing when they got beyond the strong half-back line opposed to them. Interesting features were the appearance of MaConnachie at centre half. Stewart (usually a reserve back for Liverpool among the forwards), Mitchell in goal and Simpson and Holbem the full back. The referee was Mr. Rylands. The Everton players wore a mourning band in view of the death of Mr. Cuff’s daughter. Tom Fleetwood was one of the linesmen and the teams were as follows: – Everton: – Mitchell, goal; Thompson and Simpson, backs; Brown, MaConnachie, and Grenyer, half-backs; Jefferis, Kirsopp, Williamson, Stewart and Harrison,forwards. Southport: – Drabble, goal; Darward and Holbem, backs; Holdsworth, Fay and Abrams, half-backs; Merritt, Lowe, Stringfellow, Watson and a Liverpool Scottish member named Smith.
Merritt Scored.
For Southport after thirty-eight minutes, Mitchell had done well to get a shot away from the left but Merritt was well up and got the leather through what time Mitchell was getting to his feet. Merritt collided with MaConnachie the former hurting his head. This was the only accident during the half.
Half-Time; Everton 0, Southport Central 1.
The second half started with some rousing defence by Holbem, and a wide shot by Harrison. Jefferis made a brilliant shot after taking up a new position –inside left. The goalkeeper Drabble, the shooting and passing of Abrams and a fight among the spectators were incidents of the second half of a game that was under all the circumstances of surprisingly good quality. Final; Everton 0, Southport Central 1.

FRIENDLY MATCH AT GOODISON PARK

APRIL 24, 1916. The Evening Express.

Everton Beaten by Southport

Friendly football is apparently a comparatively negligible quantity, but despite this a fair gate turned up at Goodison Park today, to witness Everton in rivalry with an arranged Easter Monday fixture against Southport Central. The following teams took the field. Everton: – Mitchell, goal; Thompson and Simpson, backs; Brown, MaConnachie, and Grenyer, half-backs; Jefferis, Kirsopp, Williamson, Stewart and Harrison, forwards. Southport: – Drabble, goal; Darward and Holbem, backs; Holdsworth, Fay and Abrams, half-backs; Merritt, Lowe, Stringfellow, Watson and Smith, forwards. The game was contested under perfect conditions so far as the weather was concerned but at no time was any particular enthusiasm aroused. The game had been in progress for 38 minutes before the first goal came, and this accured to Central, Merritt beating Mitchell and opening the score.
Half-time Everton 0, Southport Central 1.
Everton, who, it was important to note were mourning bands in respect courtesy to their secretary Mr. W.C. Cuff and as the sympathy of the club in his and bereavement started the second half in a more resolute fashion. They forced a series of corners but none of them were improved upon and Southport quickly relieved the pressure. Thompson had to leave the field through wrenching himself in a high clearing. Final; Everton 0, Southport Central 1.

FRIENDLY AT GOODISON

April 25, 1916. The Liverpool Echo

Everton Defeated By Southport Central

There was not a great amount of interest displayed in the Easter Monday friendly encounter between and Southport Central, at Goodison Park. The crowd included a fair number of men in Khaki, but at no period of the game were they roused to anything approaching a high pitch of enthusiasm. Notable chances were effected in the home side. Mitchell appearing in goal, Simpson partnering Thompson, and Jefferis and Stewart coming into the forward line, the former at outside right. Play was of the free and easy order from the start, and though both goals were alternately assailed in the opening stages neither side scored. Thirty-eight minutes had elapsed when the first and, as it proved, the only point came. Merritt beating Mitchell Everton tired with a fair amount of energy to get on an equality, but Central maintained their lead to the interval. Heavy pressure by the home forwards on resuming produced nothing more tangible than a succession of abortive corners and for a material portion of the second half Everton had to play with ten men, Thompson, in effecting what was a clever clearance, wrenching his thigh. The ball was once almost netted by the home forwards, but Drabble, who made several capable saves, collard it and threw it away, and the referee decided in favour of the defenders. No further score was forthcoming and the game ended in a single goal victory for the Central. Result Southport central 1, Everton 0.