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If
the first two matches at the Crystal Palace had produced sensational
openings, the third was perhaps the greatest Final ever played. Villa
that year had taken the League championship by eleven points, and, by
also winning the Final 3-2 against Everton, equalled Preston's 'double'
feat of 1889.
All
five goals came within the space of twenty-five minutes before
half-time, and the lead changed hands three times. The more consistent
Villa played the better football and deserved their victory. Bell played
an inspired game for Everton at inside-right, but fate and a wonderful
line of half-backs were against them, and Villa took the Cup back to
Birmingham for the third time.
Villa
seemed to settle down at once, the half-backs looking far too clever for
their opponents. Many times the ball was played up to the front men with
tremendous accuracy, and time after time the Villa half-backs broke up
an Everton attack. It was all that the stout Everton defence could do to
keep the eager Villa forwards at bay. Athersmith twice got into
dangerous positions but was forced to shoot from difficult angles and
both times the ball went behind.
Villa
could not be denied for long, and they scored their first after eighteen
minutes. Athersmith and Devey worked their way down the right, and Devey
sent Campbell through to fire in a long shot which swerved in the wind
and flew into the net giving Menham no chance. Villa kept the advantage
for only five minutes. After that a brilliant, high-speed move between
Hartley and Bell ended with Bell crashing the ball past Whitehouse from
close range.
The
game was still less than half an hour old when Everton went 2-1 up.
James Cowan gave away a free-kick, and the taker, Boyle, hit it straight
into the net.
For
ten minutes Everton attacked strongly and looked certain to score a
third. Yet, in a match which continued to be played at a dazzling pace,
Villa grabbed two goals in the course of five minutes. First Wheldon put
the score level from Crabtree's free-kick, and then Villa took the lead
for a second time when Athersmith and Reynolds between them won a corner
on the right. Reynolds lofted the ball across goal and Crabtree dashed
forward, unmarked, to head in.
Whitehouse
made two good saves for Villa in the three minutes remain�ing to the
interval. The cut and thrust continued throughout the second half, but
no further goals were added. |
