3rd Div Champs 4: Merry, 'cross the Mersey
Feature by Gary Broughton
Updated Saturday, 28th February 2004
Matches 8-11: The 1922/23 Championship season continued with October double headers against both Ashington and Tranmere Rovers.
 | Surprisingly, Ashington's only away win came at Seedhill |
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Nelson welcomed Ashington to Seedhill, but had to take the the field without the injured Rigg, and their reorganised defence - Howson came in as centre-back with Lilley moved to left-back - conceded it's first goal at home within five minutes.
Aided by the slip of Broadhead, Foster tore down the wing and crossed infield. The ball was only partially cleared and ended up with Soulsby, who planted the ball firmly into the net despite Birds getting his fingertips to it.
The Blues poured forward in search of an equaliser, but found Shepherd an imposing figure in the visitors goal. He saved well from Wolstenholme, and blocked a shot from McCulloch which had 'goal' written all over it. Ashington were being restricted to the odd counter attack, though they almost increased their lead, with Birds forced to save from Foster and Taylor, who's cross-shot took him by surprise. Shepherds saved his team again at the other end to keep them ahead at the break.
Early in the second period Nelson restored parity. Soon after Eddleston had fired over the bar, the home side won a croner. Hutchinson delivered the dead ball into the box, and Wolstenholme claimed his first of the season as the ball entered the net off his chesr.
The game developed into gripping end-to-end action and Soulsby forced Birds into action in the Nelson goal, while Shepherd prevented the home side going in front from a Braidwood free kick. It was Ashington who regained the lead though. Birds pushed a Robertson shot round the post for a corner, from which the ball was delivered for Pigg to place wide of the despairing dive of the Nelson keeper.
A determined visiting defence, coupled with the Nelson forwards having a decidely off day, meant an end to the 100% home record. Their fate was sealed late on when Lilley pulled up claiming offside, only for Foster to continue on and cross for Robertson to seal a 3-1 away win. Grimsby's home win over
Chesterfield also saw them deposed from top spot in the league.
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| Match 8 summary: Saturday 7th October 1922 |
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| Nelson | (0) 1 | Ashington | (1) 3 |
| Wolstenholme | Soulsby, Pigg, Robertson |
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| Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, Charles HOWSON, Bob LILLEY, David WILSON, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, Jimmy BROADHEAD, John BLACK, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Joe EDDLESTON, Mike McCULLOCH, Bob HUTCHINSON |
Ashington: J.W.V. Shepherd, P. Mahon, H.W. Featherstone, W. Pigg, R. Burton, J. Collier, J.T.F. Foster, J. Soulsby, T.H. Robertson, G. Taylor, T.E. McCloud
Attendance: 7,000 |
 | * a game at Portland Park in the early 1920s |
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Rigg's return to Nelson's defence was welcome for the return match at Ashington's Portland Park, and he superbly nullified the wing threat of the dangerous Foster early on. In fact it was the Blues who forced the pace, with the home side lucky to survive two penalty appeals following fouls on Eddleston in the area. McCulloch and Hutchinson - against his old team - were having fine games on the Nelson wing, and Wolstenholme and Black were a constant thorn in Ashington's defence.
McCulloch gave the visitors a deserved lead in the 19th minute. After receiving a good ball from Hutchinson, he jinked his way past Mahon and struck home past Shepherd from 15 yards. Nelson continued to dominate right up to half-time, and only Mahon's goal line clearance from Eddleston's shot prevented the lead being doubled.
Three minutes into the second half though, it was two. Hutchinson was the provider once more, playing in Eddleston, who danced through a flimsy defence before driving the ball home. Following the goal, Nelson took their foot off the gas, but comfortably held an Ashington attack which created one or two openings without seriously threatening to claw one back. After the previous week's disappointment Nelson were back, and back on top of the table.
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| Match 9 summary: Saturday 14th October 1922 |
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| Ashington | (0) 0 | Nelson | (1) 2 |
| McCulloch, Eddleston |
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| Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, Bob LILLEY, Clement RIGG, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, Jimmy BROADHEAD, John BLACK, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Joe EDDLESTON, Mike McCULLOCH, Bob HUTCHINSON |
Ashington: J.W.V. Shepherd, P. Mahon, A. Bradford, W. Pigg, R. Burton, J. Collier, J.T.F. Foster, J. Soulsby, T.H. Robertson, T. Hall, T. Robson
Attendance: 8,000 |
Previous trips to
Tranmere Rovers' Prenton Park had often proved frustrating, and when Lilley was injured early on, the signs didn't look good. With the idea of substitutes still 40 years away, he was moved to outside right as a virtual spectator, with Wolstenholme taking up the unaccustomed half-back role.
The confidence of the home side was clear for all to see, and they pressed forward at every opportunity. Indeed Birds was called into action on several occasions, but performed admirably in preventing his side falling behind.
Nelson had their moments too, however, with Eddleston proving a handful in amongst the home defence, and with fifteen minutes left he scored the opener. The ball found its way out to Lilley, and though struggling badly with his injury, he produced a peach of a cross, and the prolific Nelson forward did the rest.
As Tranmere pushed forward in search of an equaliser, Eddleston scored his and Nelson's second to secure a precious two points. Hutchinson played the ball infield, and the striker gave keeper Bradshaw absolutely no chance with an awesome netbuster. A second successive win on their travels resulted in the Blues opening up a three point gap over their Third Division rivals.
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| Match 10 summary: Saturday 21st October 1922 |
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| Tranmere Rovers | (0) 0 | Nelson | (0) 2 |
| Eddleston 2 |
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| Tranmere: H. Bradshaw, F.A. Sugden, T.A.M. Suart, J.H. Campbell, E.H. Phillips, G.W. Sewell, J.J. Mereton, B.J. Sharkey, W. Rainford, F.A. Hayes, J.Evans |
Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, John STEELE, Clement RIGG, David WILSON, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, Jimmy BROADHEAD, John BLACK, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Joe EDDLESTON, Mike McCULLOCH, Bob HUTCHINSON
Attendance: 6,000 |
With Lilley out following his injury the previous week, it was a bitter blow when Wilson suffered a similar blow early in the Rovers' return at Seedhill. As Lilley though, the player manager soldiered on in a match played in slippery conditions.
The popular Steele had returned to the Nelson back line for the first time in several months after recovering from a cartilage operation, and he performed well, especially considering the extra work he was asked to do to assist a clearly struggling Wilson.
Nelson just about had the edge early on, and McCulloch completely missed the ball right in front of goal after being picked out by Eddleston. However, Birds had to be sharp at the other end, rushing from goal to intercept a breakaway from the Tranmere forwards.
Just before half-time the Blues scored what proved to be the only goal of the game. Black beat the visiting keeper Gill to a through ball, and advanced past him before stroking home into the unguarded net. Eddleston rushed in to help the ball over the line, but Black claimed his first of the season.
Although not firing on all cylinders after the break, Nelson looked comfortable, and had their front line been in better form they would surely have added to that first half strike. As it was, the homesters had to be grateful for a glaring miss from the visitors in the dying minutes.
Rovers forward Hilton found himself clean through, and bore down on Birds in the Nelson goal. But, with an equaliser on the cards, he amazingly blasted the ball yards over the crossbar. It was a lucky escape for Nelson, whose third victory on the bounce maintained their three point cushion at the top.
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| Match 11 summary: Saturday 28th October 1922 |
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| Nelson | (1) 1 | Tranmere Rovers | (0) 0 |
| Black | |
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| Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, John STEELE, Clement RIGG, David WILSON, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, Jimmy BROADHEAD, John BLACK, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Joe EDDLESTON, Mike McCULLOCH, Bob HUTCHINSON |
Tranmere: F. Gill, R. Thompson, T.A.M. Suart, J.H. Campbell, E.H. Phillips, G.W. Sewell, J.J. Mereton, B.J. Sharkey, F.A. Hayes, H. Hilton, J. Evans
Attendance: 7,000 |
* The photographs of Ashington's squad and stadium are kindly taken from the 'Ashington AFC' website. Click the link to visit: http://www.ashingtonafc.com
