Matches 12-15: Part five of our look back at the 1922/23 season takes in a double header with Barrow, Rochdale at home, and a trip to Darlington.
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The referee didn't help matters either as he failed to take command of the game and put a stop to the shenanigans, and Nelson were further incensed when he failed to award a goal after a sizzling shot by Braidwood smashed against the underside of the bar and seemingly beyond the goalline, according to the Blues' players.
Barrow had already taken the lead at this point through Hardy, and despite intense late pressure from Nelson - home keeper Carter pulling off some exceptional saves - they held on to defeat the league leaders. Surprisingly, Nelson's lead at the top remained at three points, with a further three points separating no less than fourteen teams.
| Match 12 summary: Saturday 4th November 1922 | |||
| Barrow | (?) 1 | Nelson | (0) 0 |
| Hardy | |||
| Barrow: Henry Carter; Billy MacKay, James Phizacklea; Bill Robertson, John Nevin, Tom Atkinson; Cyril Matthews, William Bradley, Alf Hardy, Billy Kellock, Frank McPherson | |||
| Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, John STEELE, Clement RIGG, David WILSON, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, Jimmy BROADHEAD, John BLACK, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Joe EDDLESTON, Mike McCULLOCH, Bob HUTCHINSON Attendance: 4,000 | |||
The Seedhill sun caused problems for Nelson during the first half of the return encounter with Barrow, but, after Birds had foiled both Nevin and Bradley early on, they began to exert their superiority, taking the lead through Wolstenholme. Hutchinson's corner bounced off Eddleston, who had been blinded by the sun, and fell kindly to the striker, whose dipping shot flew wide of Carter into the net.
Carter then splendidly prevented Nelson doubling the lead, saving a terrific shot from Hutchinson and one from Black with his feet. Hutchinson also saw a shot blocked before Barrow snatched a surprise equaliser. Matthews sprinted past Steele and crossed into the area for Bradley, and his shot beat Birds to level the scores. Nelson responded positively to the setback though, and Eddleston prodded home from a Hutchinson centre to restore the lead before the break.
The second half however saw a complete transformation, with Barrow dominating almost throughout. Soon after the restart Matthews broke clear down the wing, but fortunately for Nelson his cross was too far ahead of a well-positioned Bradley. McPherson then blasted wildly over the bar when a ball into the centre for his predatory colleagues would have probably reaped a better reward.
Nelson just couldn't get going, although Wolstenholme did hit the upright from an acute angle on a rare foray forward. The visitors continued to search for an equaliser and should have scored when Birds ventured from his goalmouth and failed to take the ball. It fell to Matthews, but he could only fire it over the crossbar. Barrow moved extra men up front late on but a lacklustre Nelson managed to hold on. The three point lead in the league had somehow remained intact.
| Match 13 summary: Saturday 11th November 1922 | |||
| Nelson | (2) 2 | Barrow | (1) 1 |
| Wolstenholme, Eddleston | Bradley | ||
| Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, John STEELE, Clement RIGG, David WILSON, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, Jimmy BROADHEAD, John BLACK, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Joe EDDLESTON, Mike McCULLOCH, Bob HUTCHINSON | |||
| Barrow: Henry Carter; Billy MacKay, James Phizacklea; Tom Atkinson, John Nevin, Bill Robertson; Cyril Matthews, William Bradley, Albert Brough, Billy Kellock, Frank McPherson Attendance: 7,000 | |||
A week after knocking Rochdale out of the F.A. Cup with a 1-0 victory at Spotland, Nelson welcomed the same opposition to Victoria Park for a league encounter. The Blues made two changes, Price and Bennett coming in for Wilson and Wolstenholme, both of whom had been injured in the cup clash.
Following a frosty night the pitch was very hard, and the visitors were quickest into stride. Steele and Rigg both had to make last ditch tackles to prevent Walters getting a shot in, but a howler by Birds did allow Rochdale to take the lead. The keeper dwelt on the ball allowing Hill to steal it away from him and slip it wide to Sandham, who casually slotted home into the unguarded net.
The response from the Blues couldn't have been any better though. They won a corner which was swung in and met by Braidwood, who made no mistake with his opportunity. Chances followed at both ends up to half time. Bennett and McCulloch went close for Nelson, while Hill, Walters and the impressive Parkes forced Birds into action at the other end.
The second half was poor compared to the first with little goalmouth action early on, but with the first clear-cut chance Rochdale took the lead. Campbell outpaced Rigg down the flank before picking out Walters in the area. The Dale forward was not to be denied this time, and clinically restored his side's lead.
Nelson huffed and puffed as they tried in vain for an equaliser, but Hutchinson had the misfortune of getting in the way of a goalbound shot from McCulloch.
There were appeals for a penalty late on after McCulloch was hauled down in the box, but the referee turned them down after consulting with his linesman. A second home defeat for the Blues, and the visitors, along with Wigan Borough, now found themselves within a point in the table with a game in hand.
| Match 14 summary: Saturday 25th November 1922 | |||
| Nelson | (1) 1 | Rochdale | (1) 2 |
| Braidwood | Sandham, Walters | ||
| Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, John STEELE, Clement RIGG, James PRICE, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, Jimmy BROADHEAD, John BLACK, William BENNETT, Joe EDDLESTON, Mike McCULLOCH, Bob HUTCHINSON | |||
| Rochdale: J.J. Crabtree, J. Nuttall, S. Charlton, A.G. Hinchcliffe, D. Parkes, R. Jones, J.L. Campbell, W. Sandham, J.W Hill, J. Walters, G. Wall Attendance: 6,000 | |||
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Both teams contributed well to a pulsating first half. Dickson had the first chance for the Quakers, but fired over the bar. Stevens found the target with two shots but was denied each time by Nelson keeper Birds. The Blues countered, and Eddleston saw an effort clip the top of the bar, while Darlo stopper Grieg did well to keep out a McCulloch shot and a dipping volley from Wolstenholme.
Darlington were awarded a penalty when McCulloch handled in the box, but Bell sent the spot-kick wide of goal. After this escape, Eddleston and Young shot just wide for Nelson, before Braidwood did give them the lead, heading home from a corner. The home side came straight back, and within five minutes were in the lead. Stevens netted first after some fine play down the right, after which Hooper went off injured, and soon after superb team play resulted in Dickson smashing home a second. Following this goal, Stevens also left the field with an injury, and nine man Darlington hung on to their lead under intense Blues pressure up to the half-time whistle.
With the return of the two injured players, Darlington made the early running in the second half. Birds was having a blinding game though, and he punched away firm shots by both Dickson and Bell. After fine interplay with Young, Stevens thought he had scored a third goal for the Quakers, but the referee disallowed it for handball.
Nelson fought back and a period of pressure resulted in Eddleston bagging a 65th minute equaliser after Grieg could only parry McCulloch's shot. The Blues then suffered a major blow when keeper Birds was injured in a collision with a Darlo forward and had to be taken to hospital. Player manager Wilson took over between the sticks, but, far from hanging on for a point, Nelson clinched the game in the last few minutes.
Eddleston received the ball in midfield and breezed past the home defence in a flash before slotting expertly curling the ball home past the advancing Grieg for a goal worthy of winning the match. Nelson had inflicted Darlington's first home defeat of the season in an absorbing match, increasing their lead at the head of the table to two points.
| Match 15 summary: Saturday 9th December 1922 | |||
| Darlington | (2) 2 | Nelson | (1) 3 |
| Stevens, Dickson | Braidwood, Eddleston 2 | ||
| Darlington: A. Greig, T. Greaves, I. Boocock, H. Dickson, P. Sutcliffe, G. Malcolm, P.N. Bell, F.W. Hooper, E.W. Young, G. Stevens, T. Winship | |||
| Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, John STEELE, Clement RIGG, David WILSON, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, Jimmy BROADHEAD, Sid HOAD, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Joe EDDLESTON, Mike McCULLOCH, Bob HUTCHINSON Attendance: 5,583 | |||
* The photograph of Barrow's squad is taken from the 'Barrowfc.com' website. Click the link to visit: http://www.barrowfc.com
