The two town clubs met at Newcastle Road in a match which aroused interest not only in Sunderland but throughout the district. Both sides have secured good results against some of the best clubs in England and Scotland and it was not easy to predict who would come out on top in this encounter. The agreement between the clubs was that the proceeds should be given to local charities and later discussions decided that £10 each should be given to the Children’s Hospital and Eye Infirmary.
The visitors did however secure the services of Barbour and Brand of Accrington who are both friends of Albion captain McLellan. Sunderland were quite content with the players at their disposal and did not add any guest players to their line up. The weather was wretched with a nasty drizzle falling throughout the day accompanied by a cutting wind. The public however were not put off by the poor weather and began to wend their way to the field early no doubt remembering the tremendous crowd at the previous meeting. The crowd was not as large this time but according to the checks kept at the entrances there were 9,374 spectators present. These formed a compact cordon around the field and the stands were well filled. Albion arrived from there HQ in a brake at 2-15 to be greeted by the cheers of their supporters and the jeers of their opponents. Albion won the toss and elected to defend the road end with the wind behind them. Breconridge started for the home side but Monaghan prevented Sunderland progressing far. Smith sent A. Peacock racing away but he was cleverly dispossessed by Moore. The Albion forwards rushed towards the home goal where Sam Stewart put his shot wide. Very soon afterwards another Albion raid brought the first save of the game from Kirtley. Davison went on a run that was halted by J.Stewart and McDermid was equally useful when Albion counter attacked. His long clearance found A. Peacock who got to within a few yards of the Albion goal before McFarlane dispossessed him. W.Peacock put a shot over the bar in Sunderland's next attack and when Albion retaliated Oliver kicked into touch. Monaghan and Brand got to work and only a timely interception by Gibson foiled them. Albion were quickly back on the attack and Barbour sent a shot narrowly wide. Smith tried to get away from the goal kick but McFarlane intercepted his pass to Davison. A fine dribble by Smith and Davison was stopped by Moore and when the ball reached Barbour his long range shot bounced wide. McDermid kicked clear twice in succession as Albion pressed again but eventually the brothers Peacock took the play up the field only to lose out to Richardson who was forced to give away a corner. Willie took the kick from which brother Andrew fired wide. Albion rushed away from the goal kick and forced a corner but Monaghan's kick dropped too far out and Davison got possession to dash up the wing. J.Stewart moved quickly across to boot the ball away. McDermid collected the clearance and sent W.Peacock galloping away. He whipped the ball across the face of the Albion goal where A. Peacock just failed to apply the finishing touch. Sam Stewart broke away in fine style from McFarlane’s long kick and when his pass found Barbour his shot brought a fine save from Kirtley. The Sunderland right wing made a fine rush and when McFarlane was unable to get ball away he was forced into a risky back-pass to Angus who was equal to the occasion. Richardson and McKechnie exchanged big kicks and then the ball went out to the Sunderland right where Smith and Davison made tracks for goal. Smiths final shot was blocked by McFarlane but Sunderland maintained the pressure and a minute later Angus made a brilliant save from Smith by leaping high to fist the ball away. W.Peacock latched onto the loose ball but lifted his shot over the bar. Albion raised the siege with a couple of sharp rushes to the high end but found the home defence in fine form. J.Stewart charged down a clearance and Brand stepped in to bang in a capital shot that Kirtley saved splendidly and moments later the Sunderland custodian leapt to fist away a high shot from Monaghan. The Sunderland forwards swept down in fine style and when Smith’s pass found W.Peacock he sent a splendid shot through the posts but was just offside. Albion got away from the free kick and Monaghan, Brand and Barbour put together a fine move that ended with McLellan cracking the ball past Kirtley in the 35th minute to put Albion ahead. Sunderland responded through W.Peacock who dashed away from the restart but handled to give Albion a free kick. Albion returned to the attack with J.Stewart intercepting several home clearances to keep up the pressure. Sam Stewart secured possession from a throw in and whipped the ball into the centre where McLellan scored Albion’s 2nd goal with a sharp close range shot. Home supporters were stunned into silence and there was not a cheer when Sunderland kicked off to try and redress the balance. The Peacock brothers were first to show and beat Richardson and Moore in tricky fashion but Angus left his line to kick the ball away. Davison sent a shot wide for Sunderland soon after. Sam Stewart brought the ball away for Albion and put McLellan in with a chance but Oliver’s tackle sent the ball out for a corner. Another quickly followed off Kirtley but this time McLellan put the kick behind. Monaghan and Brand raided again but were checked by Gibson just as the halftime whistle went. The teams retired but Mr Stacey did not give them much respite and within a couple of minutes Barbour had kicked off the 2nd half. Davison got possession and took the ball well into Albion territory to send over a centre that W.Peacock kicked behind. Gibson returned the goal kick and Breconridge got in a snapshot that was charged down for Sam Stewart to clear with a long kick. Oliver was forced to concede a corner in Albion’s next attack but McLellan wasted it by putting the ball behind. Sunderland tried to get away but a handball by Breconridge stopped their progress although the free kick did Albion little good. A minute later and Moore fouled Smith but this free kick also came to nothing. A spell of give and tale play in the middle end with another charge by Albion that was repelled but a long kick from McFarlane produced another opening that Sam Stewart wasted by shooting wide. Sunderland performance up to now was poor and way below what was expected of them. The halfbacks were too slow in playing the ball and were caught in possession several times by the Albion forwards. In fact the senior club looked to be rather disheartened at this stage. Davison tried to liven up the proceedings but was stopped by Moore and J.Stewart kicked into touch. The throw in led to some pressure from Sunderland but S.Stewart quickly relieved and for the next few minutes Albion had much the better of the exchanges. A snapshot from Gibson livened up the proceedings but was blocked by McFarlane. Smith tried a weak shot that ran harmlessly out of play and then Davison got the better of S.Stewart to dash away. A free kick improved Sunderland's position further and Smith banged in a long shot that McFarlane deflected out for a corner. Moore headed the flag kick away as far as Gibson who promptly lashed the ball past Angus to pull a goal back for Sunderland. This success put new life into the home side and they began to force their way back into the game. A. Peacock put in a grand run and shot that Moore only just managed to get away and soon after Davison tried another that was only inches wide. Albion counter attacked briefly but a free kick for handball gave Sunderland another chance that Munro foiled. A corner to the home side soon followed but Breconridge shot the ball past the post. Directly afterwards Angus kept out a cracker from Gibson as Sunderland continued to force the play testing the Albion defence to the utmost. Oliver got the ball from a throw in and whipped the ball right across the face of the Albion goal without anyone being able to get a touch. Sunderland were not to be denied however and immediately afterwards A. Peacock levelled then scores with a splendid shot that gave Angus no chance of saving. Sunderland quickly returned to the attack and there was considerable hooting from the crowd as the Albion defence resorted to kicking anywhere to clear the lines. The excitement was intense as shots came in thick and fast. Peacock put a header over the bar and then Gibson sent another shot just wide as Sunderland searched for a winner. A fine long shot from A. Peacock was well stopped by J.Stewart and then Breconridge banged one in that had Angus leaping high to make a grand save. A. Peacock had a chance and looked a certain scorer until McLaughlin kicked away in the nick of time with the home forwards swarming round the Albion goal. With 5 minutes remaining Breconridge fired in a shot that Angus kicked away. The ball cannoned back off Breconridge and went past Angus but whether it went over or under the crossbar was unclear. Sunderland claimed a goal and the referee deciding in their favour pointed to the centre. The Albion players were incensed and all but J.Stewart, Angus and Munro marched off the field in protest. Mr Allan the Albion umpire pleaded with them to return and finish the game but his efforts were in vain and after waiting until the 90 minutes had elapsed the referee blew for full time and the game ended. Sunderland: Kirtley, McDermid, Oliver, McKechnie, McLaughlin, Gibson, Davison, Smith, Breconridge, Peacock (W), Peacock (A) Albion: Angus, McFarlane, Munro, Richardson, Moore, Stewart (J), McLellan (2), Stewart (S), Barbour, Monaghan, Brand. Referee: Mr Stacey, Sheffield Attendance: 9,374 ___________________ REMARKS The unfortunate way in which the game ended was deeply regrettable and will only serve to widen the already considerable breach between the two Sunderland clubs. The referee commented that he was quite certain the disputed 3rd goal was legitimate. He said that Albion custodian Angus had fisted the ball out and after striking Breconridge on the cheek it had shot upwards and went just under the bar although to those some distance away it may have looked as if it had gone over. However many of those close to the goal also thought the ball went over the bar as did Angus and most of the Albion team. Mr Stacey is well known for his impartiality and so there the matter must rest and it would have been more sportsmanlike for the Albion players to accept his decision and continue the game. By walking off they lost a great deal of sympathy. Regrettably this was manifest in unpleasant scenes as the Albion team left the ground in their brake for the Waverley Hotel. They were followed by a howling crowd and several stones were thrown with 3 or 4 of the Albion players being hit. J.Stewart was struck on the forehead and their umpire Mr Allan was hit in the corner of his eye. He was taken to Mr Davis surgery to have his wound attended to. On arrival at the Waverley Hotel several players were interviewed Angus in particular. In reply to questions he said that on approaching the referee and asking if he intended awarding the 3rd goal Mr Stacey replied “Yes I think that the ball went under the bar.” Mr Angus is adamant that the ball went at least 2 feet over the bar. The Albion players were unanimous in saying they will not play at Newcastle Road again but would meet Sunderland at a neutral venue. They were loud in their denunciations of the treatment they received at the hands of the crowd. The Albion committee issued the following statement later: “After the match about 50 spectators who had been standing either behind the Albion goal or were in line with the goalposts came forward and gave their names to the committee. They all stated that the 3rd goal claimed by Sunderland was invalid since the ball went 2 feet over the bar. During the evening the referee Mr Stacey called at the Albion headquarters in the Waverley Hotel before he left town to express his regrets that the incident should have occurred. He said that he had a difficult task to perform owing to the intense excitement of the spectators and had witnessed nothing like it elsewhere. If he had made a mistake then he was sorry. This incident has soured the already poor relations between the clubs and it is to be hoped that it may now be put behind them. On a more positive note the gate receipts amounted to £167-8s-0d made up of Boys £20-7s-8d, reserved seats £76-6s-5d, three penny stands £70-13s-11d. In the evening the Sunderland team were entertained to dinner at the Queens Hotel where the 5 guinea silver cup, presented by Councillor Roger Errington was handed to the winners.
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The remainder was to be divided between the Royal Infirmary and the Monkwearmouth Dispensary. The keen rivalry between the clubs was therefore a cause for rejoicing for the committees of these charities. During the past week rumours have been circulating as to the constitution of the Albion team with 3 well known professional players being mentioned. As it happened the rumours proved groundless for none of them appeared in the Albion team.