East of Scotland v Cleveland
Northern Echo, September 14 1889.
The team to represent Cleveland against East of Scotland next Saturday, at Edinburgh,
has been chosen. Six of the selected players are of the Middlesbrough club, three
of Stockton, and two, South Bank. It looks a strong combination on paper. Players
were not selected from the Darlington or Saint Augustine’s clubs owing to their important
League fixtures, and not because they had not players good enough. The E.S.F.A.,
has won each of the two preceding matches, scoring 7 goals to Cleveland’s 2. This
season’s match has been arranged to take place at Dunfermline. The following is the
team selected to represent the E.S.F.A. :– Reid (Mossend Swifts), goal; Ross (Dunfermline
Athletic) and A. Cuthbertson (Broxburn), backs; McCann (Broxburn), Weir (Cowdenbeath),
and Ewing (Alloa Athletic), half-backs; H.McQueen (Leith Athletic), McCabe (Bellstane
Birds), left wing; Mackie (Mossend Swifts), centre; Bruce (Dunfermline Athletic)
and Russell (Broxburn), right wing. The referee will be Mr C. Campbell, president
of the Scottish Football Association.
The arrangements for the match are almost completed. The team and council leave
Middlesbrough by saloon carriage attached to the 3.27 p.m. Train on Friday afternoon
for Edinburgh to Queensferry. Special permission has been obtained to spend an hour
on the Forth Bridge works. The coach will be shipped, and the river crossed, the
journey per road being continued to Dunfermline. Kick-off at 4 p.m. After the match
the teams dine at the City Arms Hotel, and then drive to Burntisland, get the ferry
and cross to Granton, and drive on to Edinburgh. Sunday’s arrangements are not complete
yet; but the team will breakfast at 10 a.m. And dine at 6 p.m., and leave for home
at 7.35, arriving at Darlington at midnight. At nine o’clock on Monday morning the
representatives of Cleveland Association football are due to arrive in Middlesbrough.
Northern Echo, September 23 1889.
Match played Saturday 21 September 1889.
EAST OF SCOTLAND, 3; CLEVELAND, 2
Played at Dunfermline before 2,000 spectators, in fine though windy weather.
Cleveland kicked off against both wind and sun. Play ruled very even for about ten
minutes, after which Cleveland made a determined attack on the Scotch fortress, shot
after shot being very effectively negotiated by the home custodian. Hands against
the visitors relieved the pressure, and a raid was made on the Cleveland goal, Hopewell’s
defence being good. Even play followed for a time, Allan and Cronshaw and the home
left wing forwards specially distinguishing themselves. After twenty-five minutes’
play the home team scored their first goal, after Knox had first saved a very difficult
shot, Bach being too far up the field. Another goal followed two minutes later. In
the second half Cleveland had decidedly the best of play, although the Scotchmen
added one more point to their score, the outside left making a break away after being
sorely pressed and finishing up with a capital goal. From this point (thirty minutes
from time) the Cleveland forwards, especially Allan and Cronshaw, showed improved
combination, and gave the home backs a very hard time, scoring twice in rapid succession,
and the ball was passing through the posts for a third time when the left full back
deliberately played the ball with his hands. Final score:–East of Scotland, 3; Cleveland
, 2. Cleveland team – Goal Knox (South Bank). Backs, Shaw (Stockton), Bach (Middlesbrough),
Lowe (South Bank). Forwards Cronshaw (Middlesbrough), Allan (Stockton), right wing;
Copeland (Middlesbrough), centre; Strachan (Stockton), Dennis (Middlesbrough), left
wing.
Northern Echo, September 28 1889.
Thus a “special” in a Scotch football organ relative to the Cleveland v. E.S.F.A.
match:– When we –there were three of us with pencils– got on board the steamer at
Queensferry a surprise awaited us. The Cleveland team and their pretty numerous friends,
together with the Eastern officials, had left per four-in-hand early in the forenoon
so as to inspect the Forth Bridge, then ship their machine, and drive to Dunfermline.
Somehow or another the programme fell through – the sea was too rough for the horses,
probably– and there stood the company, no nearer the scene of battle than we were,
who had given them the three hours’ start. They looked a trifle cold, and then when
Mr S., who had also travelled per train, opened his hand bag, wasn’t there a rush,
and wasn’t there a chill of disappointment as he quietly produced a “tetty” muffler?
The bridge had only been partly invaded, and the duties of conductorship were performed
by Mr Carlow, of Queensferry, and Mr W. L. Waugh. Imagine the latter on the bridge!
No need now for the Board of Trade to have any testing operations. Quite a crowd
came from Queensferry and then at Inverkeithing additional evidence was offered of
the great interest that was being taken in the “big match.” In our compartment an
enthusiastic ‘Keithingite hooked on a two to one (not in pounds) with a fellow-traveller,
who had greater faith in the abilities of the Cleveland team. There was a fair attendance
at East End Park, and the drawings, I believe, realised something like £30, which
wasn’t bad to bag in Fife.
Cleveland, as usual, sported red jerseys, and the East blue shirts. The Englishmen
seemed on the whole the heavier team, two of the half-backs, Hopewell and Lowe, being
much nearer the heavens than any others on the field. The Clevelanders played well
against the wind in the first half, and had the defence of Reid, Cuthbertson, and
Ross been less effective early scoring would have resulted in the visitors’ efforts.
Bruce also consoled the home supporters by frequently dashing up the right wing;
but, on the whole, Cleveland had the best of the opening play, Lowe and Wynn feeding
the forwards very cleverly. Play in the second half was very even for a time, but
all the hard lines that were going were assuredly experienced by Cleveland, who played
up against the two-goal deficit with much purpose. After an exceedingly hard bit
of luck, Cleveland got a third goal notched against them. The succeeding play was
still in favour of Cleveland, though occasionally the East got down at the other
end. Al last, from a free kick, copeland scored, and the round of cheering testified
that the spectators had been waiting for an opportunity to encourage the visitors.
This seemed to stimulate the latter to a desirable extent, and, continuing to play
up, Dennis scored a goal, after a good combined rush. A third goal was only saved
by Ross fisting the ball while on its way between the posts. Time was, Clevelanders
will recollect, when a goal would have been given for such a cowardly act. The free-kick,
almost under the bar, was well managed, and though the ball was ultimately cleared,
another foul almost at the same spot escaped the referee’s eye. Try as they would
Cleveland couldn’t add to their score, and had thus to submit to defeat by 3 to 2,
after having had quite as much of the game, if not, indeed, more than their opponents.
Touching on the merits of players, I wasn’t much impressed by the goalkeeping
of Knox, nor the back play of Beach and Shane (? Bach and Shaw). Cleveland lost the
match by not having abler men in their places. The halves were splendid, especially
Wynn on the left. He isa dogged, clever tackler, and beat his opposing wing five
times in six. Hopewell and Lowe did effective work also, though hardly in such a
natty style. The extreme wing men were the pick of the forwards–Cronshaw and Dennis.
The line had several good runs, but finished badly. The referee was Chas. Campbell,
president E.S.F.A., and the umpires were Messrs Hardisty (Cleveland) and Snedden
(East of Scotland). Besided those mentioned there were present – Messrs Reed (secretary),
Jones (treasurer), Bulman, Tunstall, Nolli, Huntington, and Walker (Cleveland Council).
Northumberland v Cleveland.
Northern Echo, 3 March 1890
Match played Saturday 1 March 1890.
CLEVELAND V, NORTHUMBERLAND. –At Newcastle, before 3,000 spectators, in beautiful
weather. Cleveland played uphill, and began to press immediately, but the game was
continued with equal fortune to the close of half-time, which ended without either
side having scored. In the second half, goals were scored for Northumberland by Collins
(two) and Nicholson (one), and for Cleveland McKay and Johnson both scored. The game
ended –Northumberland, 3 goals; Cleveland 2 goals.
