3rd Div Champs 9: Black beauties
Feature by Gary Broughton
Updated Saturday, 12th November 2005
Matches 25-28: After collecting the maximum four points against the bottom side, Nelson faced two consecutive double headers against fellow title contenders.
 | Scene from a match at Springfield Park * |
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Wigan Borough's pitch was in an awful state when Nelson arrived, but due to the nature of the season's fixture list, the game went ahead, with Price and Black continuing to deputise for Broadhead and McCulloch.
Nelson had the advantage of a strong wind in the first half, but the surface didn't suit their game, and it was Wigan who fashioned the better chances. Keeper Birds watched helplessly as Dennison - setup by a great knockback by Spencer - had an early shot roll inches wide of the post.
At the other end, Fare and Ward both performed last ditch tackles to deny Black and Eddleston, but the former almost gifted Nelson the lead when an overhit backpass was well kept out by Hunter.
Steele then did likewise in the Nelson penalty area, and was grateful to Birds for saving an own goal, before Dennison saw another effort go the wrong side of the upright. Dennison was instrumental in the opening goal for the home side with ten minutes of the half remaining. Rigg fouled the attacker in the area, and Fare stepped forward to fire home past Birds.
Nelson were almost immediately caught napping, and a fast break saw the ball slotted inside to McGraham, and his shot was punched away by Birds to keep the home side to one at half-time.
Wigan were smartest away at the start of the second half, and Birds was again in action, fisting away an effort from Jones and turning over Glover's effort. And then from nowhere, Nelson grabbed an unlikely equaliser. Hoad flew down the wing and crossed inside. Keeper Hunter beat Eddleston to the ball, but could only divert it to Black, who made no mistake.
However, the goal came at a price for both teams. Eddleston had to be carried from the field for Nelson, and after receiving lengthy on-field treatment, Wigan keeper Hunter was also taken off, replaced in goal by Fare.
Whitfield had a shot for Borough which deflected wide for a corner, which Jones swung in for Dennison to head on target into the net to give the home side the lead once more. Nelson fought hard for an equaliser, and Braidwood was unlucky when his header hit the post and bounced along the line before being cleared.
Borough then sealed the points with three minutes remaining. A Borough corner resulted in mayhem in the Nelson box, and Glover swung his boot to find the net, his first goal for Wigan.
It was a brave performance from Nelson, who arguably deserved better for their efforts. But as well as the setback of two points dropped, there was concern over how long striker Eddleston would be out through injury.
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| Match 25 summary: Saturday 17th February 1923 |
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| Wigan Borough | (1) 3 | Nelson | (0) 1 |
| Fare (pen), Dennison, Glover | Black |
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| Wigan: A.C. Hunter, H.V. Fare, F. Ward, J.G. McGrahan, F. Whitfield, O. Williams, G.W. Jones, H.G. Spencer, J.W. Glover, H. Dennison, A.B. Stevenson |
Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, John STEELE, Clement RIGG, David WILSON, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, James PRICE, Sid HOAD, John BLACK, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Joe EDDLESTON, Bob HUTCHINSON
Attendance: 15,000 |
Snow and rain had fallen during the week for the return with Wigan, although the Seedhill pitch had weathered better than the Wigan one seven days earlier.
There was a lack of cohesion from both sides in the first period, but it was more than made up for by the vigour and determination. Wigan held the upper hand early on, and Jones was creating far more problems for the home defence with his wing play than his opposite number Hoad, who was being somewhat outmuscled by Ward.
Borough should have taken the lead when Stevenson outwitted Steele and Wilson before squaring to Spencer. With only Birds to beat, he shot straight at him, and the ball deflected away for a corner. Another chance then went begging for the vistors as Stevenson shot wide following a menacing run through the defence into the penalty area.
Nelson started to create openings themselves and Braidwood fired narrowly over. Wolstenholme then sent Black clear with a perfectly weighted pass, and although Black hit a great shot, Cooper saved well.
Nelson tore out of the blocks in the second half and were a completely transformed team, keeping Wigan on the back foot throughout. Ward was now having a torrid time against Hoad, and Wolstenholme, and visibly started to tire. He brought Black down in the area and Nelson were awarded a penalty.
Wigan were not happy and lined up along the penalty line in an act of gamesmanship, resulting in a melee between the two sets of players. When order was restored, Broadhead took the kick, but Cooper blocked well.
Broadhead attempted to follow up the rebound but was tripped. Nelson claimed a second penalty, but the referee turned it down after consultation with the linesman.
Nelson's heads dropped, but out of nothing Crawshaw lifted the ball into the net from a Wolstenholme cross. Wigan protested that the forward had handled the ball, but the referee disagreed and awarded a goal.
The Wigan players' heads now started to drop, and they fell away towards the end. Nelson should really have added to their tally - Black and Hutchinson both missed glorious opportunities, whilst Cooper saved well from Black and Wilson.
It was a strange game. Both sides played entertaining football considering the conditions. Had Wigan taken their first half chances, Nelson would possibly have been dead and buried. Similarly had Nelson made the most of their second half superiority they may have won by four or five, and the loss of Eddleston was apparent for all to see.
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| Match 26 summary: Saturday 24th February 1923 |
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| Nelson | (0) 1 | Wigan Borough | (0) 0 |
| Crawshaw | |
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| Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, John STEELE, Clement RIGG, David WILSON, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, Jimmy BROADHEAD, Sid HOAD, John BLACK, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Dick CRAWSHAW, Bob HUTCHINSON |
Wigan: T. Capper, H.V. Fare, F. Ward, J.G. McGrahan, F. Whitfield, A. Findlay, G.W. Jones, H.G. Spencer, A.M. Williams, J.W. Glover, A.B. Stevenson
Attendance: 10,000 |
After positive midweek signs, Eddlestone failed to make the lineup as Nelson faced
Chesterfield - heading their visitors on goal average - at Saltergate.
Unbeaten at home, the Spireites were buoyed on by a record estimated crowd of 14,280, and they made the running in the opening quarter hour. It was Nelson who had the first great chance of the game though. Black outwitted Leddy and fed Hoad. He laid the ball back to Wolstenholme, whose shot went narrowly over the crossbar.
Chesterfield conjured up two openings. Miller crossed for Cooper, who headed over, and the latter then played Bailey through on goal, and he fired narrowly wide at the second attempt. Thompson then tried a speculative effort from distance which missed the target.
The home side then came close when Miller's inswinging corner was headed onto the bar by Marshall. This spurred Nelson into action, and Hibberd had to be alert to clear Black's shot, and Crawshaw's effort was desperately cleared.
With two minutes of the half remaining Black beat both backs before being blocked by Saxby. Wolstenholme picked up the loose ball before laying it back to Black, who prodded home at the near post to give Nelson the lead.
Chesterfield created the first opening in the second half, but Marshall failed to worry Birds with a tame shot. But Nelson bounced back and both Wolstenholme and Crawshaw struck shots, the former's coming back off the bar.
But on 55 minutes he doubled Nelson's lead. Hutchinson placed a retaken corner right into the path of Wolstenholme, and the striker had the easiest of tasks to head into the net.
Chesterfield huffed and puffed but Nelson held firm. Leddy failed with a header and Bailey could only fire a good chance wide of goal. However, with twelve minutes left Leddy gave the home side hope from a free-kick just outside the area, which found the corner of the net as Rigg left it expecting it to go wide.
It was a poor mistake on what was an otherwise magnificent performance by Rigg, but he and the defence - Broadhead was in fine form against speedy ex-
Everton winger Miller - held firm as Chesterfield tried in vain to deliver an equaliser.
It was a monumental win which sent Nelson back to the top of the table, two points clear of their beaten rivals with the reverse fixture at Seedhill to come the following week.
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| Match 27 summary: Saturday 3rd March 1923 |
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| Chesterfield | (0) 1 | Nelson | (1) 2 |
| Leddy | Black, Wolstenholme |
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| Chesterfield: C.M. Hibberd, A. Saxby, J.W. Whitworth, F.R. Crowe, H. Leddy, O. Thompson, J. Miller, J. Cooper, G.W. Beel, W.W. Bailey, W.E. Marshall |
Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, John STEELE, Clement RIGG, David WILSON, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, Jimmy BROADHEAD, Sid HOAD, John BLACK, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Dick CRAWSHAW, Bob HUTCHINSON
Attendance: 14,280 |
Nelson remained unchanged for the visit of Chesterfield, while Garratt and Sharp - an arrival from
Birmingham City - came in for the visitors.
Leddy lobbed in an early free-kick for the Spireites, and Birds was alert to prevent Beel stealing in after initially trying to see the ball out for a goal kick. Rigg conceded a corner as Sharp was about to shoot, from which Miller picked out Marshall, whose fierce shot cannoned off a defender for another corner.
Nelson pressed forward and forced two corners of their own. From the second, floated in by Hutchinson, Black smashed home a wonderful rising shot which gave Hibberd no chance, and Nelson the lead, on eight minutes.
Chesterfield responded at the other end, and Beel fed Miller who forced a superb one-handed save from Birds. Marshall also worked the keeper, who punched his shot around the post for a corner.
On 29 minutes an inswinging corner was headed into the net by Braidwood to give Nelson a two goal cushion, with Whitworth's attempted clearance coming from behind the line.
Soon after Crawshaw found the net, but was pulled up for offside, but he did score the third with five minutes to go to half-time. Braidwood's shot was blocked by Whitworth, but Crawshaw pounced on the loose ball and fired home from close range.
In the second half Hutchinson's free-kick was headed goalwards from Braidwood, forcing a good save from Hibberd in the Spireites goal. Thompson then fired wide for the visitors, while hesitation from Cooper saw him fail to get a shot in from two good positions in the Nelson box.
In the last ten minutes Nelson pushed forward, and after Hibberd had saved from Crawshaw, Black followed up to grab Nelson's fourth - and his own fourth in four games - on 82 minutes. The visitors were down and out and well beaten, and with Wigan and Bradford also losing, and
Walsall picking up just one point, the table made great reading for the Seedhill men.
The Nottingham Evening Post wrote: "
Chesterfield again had to acknowledge defeat to a superior side, and it must be admitted that in sacrificing four points to Nelson they have seriously jeopardised their chances of winning the championship. They however played a much better game than last week, but the forwards could not overcome a brilliant defence".
The week also ended with the transfer of centre half Price to Ashington. A regular in the first team in the inaugral Third Division campaign, he had played only a handful of games during this season, having been unable to cement his place in the side.
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| Match 28 summary: Saturday 10th March 1923 |
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| Nelson | (3) 4 | Chesterfield | (0) 0 |
| Black 2, Braidwood, Crawshaw | |
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| Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, John STEELE, Clement RIGG, David WILSON, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, Jimmy BROADHEAD, Sid HOAD, John BLACK, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Dick CRAWSHAW, Bob HUTCHINSON |
Chesterfield: C.M. Hibberd, A. Saxby, J.W. Whitworth, J. Garratt, H. Leddy, O. Thompson, J. Miller, J. Cooper, G.W. Beel, F. Sharp, W.E. Marshall
Attendance: 12,000 |
* The shot of Wigan Borough's ground is taken from the 'Springfield Park Memorial' website. Click the link to visit: http://www.freewebs.com/springy/ (The website has no contact details, and if the image is infringing any copyright please contact the webmaster via the 'List of Club Officials' page and we will remove it)
