Liverpool, at Blackpool struck a chapter of obstacles. Elisha Scott’s injury kept him off the field while two goals were scored by Latheron, and McKinlay, who deputised in goals, was also injured; finally Molyneux had to go outside right and Goddard centre half through the young young half back spraining his knee. Our luck was dead out before.
The Anfielders were dead out of luck at Blackpool on Saturday. They could do nothing right; misfortune followed misfortune, and in the end they were thoroughly beaten. There is, of course, no valid excuse for the heavy score piled up against them, but something, at least, may be said in palliation of their utter failure to keep the Blackpool sharpshooters at bay. To begin with, they were without their best backs, and in other departments there were enforced changes. As against this it may be urged that the home team were also below full strength. Crompton being one notable absentee. Liverpool’s real misshape were injuries to Scott and Molyneux.
The goalkeeper, in trying to raise a particularly fierce siege, was so badly bruised over the eye that he had to be medically attended to, and in his absence McKinlay, who was also slightly hurt, was twice beaten by the clever and wily Latheron. The damage to Molyneux was on the knee, and it was so severe that he was unable to turn out at all in the second half. Curiously enough, Blackpool did not play nearly so well against ten men, and had the Anfielders pulled themselves together sooner than they did in the concluding stages of the game, they might, at least, have pulled the match out of the fire. Altogether it was a most disappointing exhibition, and the only consolation they can seek is the dictum of King Gama, who, it will be remembered, sang: -
“Oh, isn’t your life excessively flat
When you’ve nothing at all to grumble at!
And don’t the days seem lank and long
When all goes right, and nought goes wrong!”
Blackpool began by forcing the contest at a merry pace, but the visitors were the first to score. This point came from Goddard, who, taking the ball on the run, netted with a flying shot that gave Kidd no chance. The home side were not long in equalising, Wilson finding the range with a well-directed long drive. It was just after this that Scott was hurt, and during his absence the Liverpool defence experienced a rare gruelling. Latheron, running through on his own account, sent in one which the deputy goalkeeper only partially saved, and before he could recover himself the Rover cooly finished the effort. Five minutes later the same brilliant little forward headed the leather into the net form a well-judged centre by Charles. With Scott’s return, Liverpool quite held their own without actually getting on level terms, and they were two down at the turn. The second “forty-five” was a very ragged and scrappy affair, though it was productive of three goals. The first two of these were gained by Chapman, who emulated Latheron in point of dexterity and aggressiveness. He headed the first through from a corner, and secured the other as the result of an exceedingly smart bit of play. Just before the close the visitors were awarded a penalty for some infringement in the goal-mouth, and Goddard netted at the second attempt. Shortly before this, it should be mentioned, Pagnam missed an open goal.
The Liverpool centre was obviously anxious to appear well before his old associates, but he was so closely shadowed by Wilson that he rarely got a chance of showing his powers of vigerous shooting. The forward line, moreover, was thrown out of joint through Goddard having to deputuse at centre half for Molyneux, and none of them enhanced their reputation. Middlehurst played a strenuous – and sometimes rather reckless – game at back, and Scott kept a wonderfully good goal under difficulties.
(Liverpool Echo, 08-11-1915)
“Worthy an international cap.” How often has that term been applied to Arthur Goddard, the ever fit outside right, who spent many years with Liverpool before going to Cardiff City and later returning for the “friendly” series to his old club at Anfield! Goddard’s long service on the wing and his always even form passed by without luck – he “escaped” the eyes of the selectors.
Now Goddard on Saturday last at Blackpool struck an old friend of the football field, Jack Cox, one time Liverpool’s outside left. Goddard went to centre half through the chapter of accidents that occurred to the Liverpool team, and he played such grand football as pivot that Cox afterwards saw his old comrade and said: “Arthur, if you’d only taken to centre half a little earlier in life you’d have represented England.”
Copyright - Liverpool Echo published 10-11-1915 - Transcribed by Kjell Hanssen
