Match Report: Yorkshire Post: 3rd March 1905: Courtesy Steve Bell
LEEDS CITY v. HULL MATCH.
The Committee of the Leeds City F.C. have selected the following team to meet Hull City in the specially arranged match at Elland Road tomorrow:-
Aldred, goal; Bintcliffe and (probably) Clay, backs; MacKay, Storey, and Wilson, half-backs; Austin, Hunt, Mahon, G. Howard, and Spiksley, forwards.
Clay is of the Sheffield United club. MacKay hails from Glasgow. He is a junior international and has represented Glasgow in the inter-city matches with Edinburgh. Mahon is late of the Barnsley club.
Match Report: Yorkshire Evening Post: 4th March 1905: Courtesy Steve Bell
LEEDS CITY v. HULL CITY.
A VICTORY FOR THE "THIRD PORTERS".
LEEDS CITY FAIL TO STAY.
These aspirants for Second League honours met for the third time this season on the ground of the Leeds City Club this afternoon. The two former meetings ended in favour of Hull City, who have got a very capable team together. The team that did duty for Leeds City this
afternoon was much stronger on paper than those which represented the club on the two previous occasions. Should both teams be fortunate enough to gain admission into the charmed circle of the League next season, what possibilities lie before them!
Although the ground was somewhat sticky, all other conditions under which the game was played contributed to an accurate display. Leeds opened in promising fashion, the Hull backs being immediately called upon to defend, and they could not prevent the ball from
reaching Cook between the posts. Fast runs from end to end followed, play for the most part taking place on the Leeds right wing. Both sets of players put energy into their work, and Hull gradually asserted themselves. Play settled in front of the home goal mouth, and remained
there for a few minutes. The ball hovered in front of Aldred until Smith got possession, and passing to Howe, a simple goal fell to Hull. The Leeds forwards showed some fine work immediately after the centre kick. G. Howard got possession near the centre, and travelling on
passed to Hunt. Spiksley then joined in the movement, and shot into Cook's hands. He cleared his lines, but the relief was only temporary, as G. Howard again got possession, and shooting hard from long range, scored a brilliant goal for Leeds City. Interesting play followed,
fast work characterising the work of both elevens. Considering that Leeds were playing a team of almost total strangers to each other, their display was meritorious, and compared very favourably with that shown by Hull City. Time after time Austin tried to execute one of his
characteristic runs, but he was never successful, his opponents playing on him with great keenness. At this period the play was mainly confined to the Hull half, thanks to good work by the Leeds half backs. Jones' huge kicks proved of great value to Hull City, saving his forwards
finely. Both Hunt and Spiksley narrowly missed scoring for Leeds. Just before the interval Storey unfortunately handled the ball within the penalty area, and of course, the usual penalty followed, but to the relief of the home supporters Rushton missed the mark by yards, and when
the whistle blew the record stood:-
Leeds City 1 Hull City 1
The second half opened fast, and again the home eight monopolised the play. Spiksley gave glimpses of his old-time form, and troubled his youthful opponents considerably.From a forward movement of the Hull men Rushton scored with a long slanting shot from near the
touch line. Hull did not retain their lead many minutes, however, as Dixon equalised immediately after the centre kick with a dropping shot from his position of centre half back. Howe obtained Hull's third, fourth, and fifth goals.
RESULT:- HULL CITY 5 goals LEEDS CITY 2 goals
Match Report: Hull Daily Mail: 6th March 1905: Courtesy Steve Bell
WHY NOT "THE TIGERS?".
(BY "ATHLEO").
The City colours were once again on Saturday carried to victory, and once more was the Leeds pot upset. Watching the Hull men's performance on the Holbeck ground, and finding the atmosphere of the district hardly fit to use, it occurred to me that Hull City should have a
battle cry. We have our "All Blacks" and "Robins", so why should not the wearers of the yellow and black stripes be the "Tigers?". A lusty chorus of "Played, Tigers!" would have suited the occasion when the Hull men went thundering down the field. The "Wolves" we all know, is a
very popular name with the supporters of one League club.
WHAT ARE LEEDS' CHANCES?
From inquiries made, and from observation, one could not help be struck with the remarkable methods the management of the Leeds City club are adopting to foster the Association code in that city, and considerable disappointment is felt by lovers of the game in the
district. The team is not a credit to the city. It is not easy to recognise it, week by week, and it is natural that spectators should be lukewarm under such circumstances. More strangers were introduced on Saturday, but if some of them are passably good, what hope could there
be of combination? Indeed the Hull directors were asked if they could spare a man! The previous Saturday's game with Leicester Fosse, fropm the Leeds standpoint, I was informed, was a fiasco. There was only one other attraction in the district, yet the attendance was as
poor as the play of the home team, and Fosse could have put on as many goals as they liked.
COMPARISON WITH HULL.
Up to the present no prospectuses of the company have been issued, and the longer they are kept back, the worse it will be for the club, which owing to the reasons stated, is declining in popularity. Yet the management feel confident that they will be admitted to the League,
the general impression being that both cities will have the good fortune. Such optimism on the part of Leeds is wonderful, for the record they have, to say nothing of the lack of following, fades into insignificance before that of Hull City. Leeds City directors intend, presumably, to
leave the collecting of their team to the last moment, which is not the approved method. As it is, a season has been practically wasted; there has not been the educative effect as we have witnessed at Hull, and Leeds people have absolutely refused to assembleto see City in
West Yorkshire League games. The Holbeck ground will also require considerable attention before it will be suitable for Second League football.
WINNING THE THIRD GAME
The Hull directors were especially anxious to win the third game, and there was no mistaking the disappointment of the home spectators at going under once more. The "gate" was but a moderate one, but it was most enthuisiastic when Leeds got anywhere near the post.
When they did, Spiksley, the old Sheffield Wednesday man, who was not on his accustomed wing, had something to do with it. Too much was expected of him, and one could not help but feel amused when some of the crowd, innocently enough, shouted to the veteran what to
do when he got the ball. Occasionally the Leeds men showed a burst of good play, but they could not gallop the whole journey, and Jones had, for them, the irritating method of keeping the ball well up the field. It was this that helped the Hull forwards do so much execution, Howe
marking his reappearance after a fortnight's rest by scoring on four occasions, three times within five minutes. The points came so thickly and fast, that a pegging board would have been convenient. A certain inclination to watch a coursing match in the vacinity also seized upon
some of the youthful spectators, who glanced around with "Hullo, there's another!" That was when Hull City scored. To give the West Yorkshire men their due, they did not forget to recognose brilliant play by the visitors - and of Cook in particular. I do not remember having seen
the Brunswick Wesleyan amateur in much form. He would have saved one of the goals, had not one foot got "anchored" in the mud, so that he only reached the ball with his fingertips. The Hull halves were effective, Raisbeck and Martin displayed any amount of energy. Spence,
in a new position of outside right, combined well with Rushton. The latter inexplicably missed a penalty kick, shooting right past the net, but the goal he obtained was a beauty. Leeds had Aldred in goal, but one must confess his tactics in clearing were singular to watch and by
no means safe. Naturally, it was a cheerful company who rode the dismal journey from Holbeck to Briggate on a char-a-banc, but Hull would not have profited much had they to receive only half the "gate". Fortunately the Leeds management had offered a fair guarantee in the
vain hope that the Leeds men might have retrieved their honour.
Match Report: Yorkshire Post: 6th March 1905.
LEEDS CITY v. HULL CITY.
Played at Holbeck. Throughout the first half, play was of an interesting description, and the game was well advanced before the first goal was scored, Howe of Hull, finding the net first from a pass by Smith. Leeds quickly got on an equality with their opponents, G. Howard
obtaining the point.
Interval score - one goal each.
The second half produced some sensational play. Hull City obtained the lead through Rushton , but again Leeds equalised through Dixon. Until near the close a draw seemed the probable outcome of the match, but several of the Leds players failed to stay. The Hull
forwards promptly grasped the situation, and Howe scores three goals within fifteen minutes.
Result - Hull City 5 goals Leeds City 2 goals.
Teams:
Hull City - Cook, goal; Brooks and Jones, backs; Martin, Thornton, and Raisbeck, half-backs; Rushton, Spence, Smith, Howe, and Wilkinson, forwards.
Leeds City - Aldred, goal; Bintcliffe and Storey, backs; Wilson, Dixon, and MacKay, half-backs; Spiksley, G. Howard, Hunt, F. Howard, and Austin, forwards.
