Match Report (Courtesy Steve Bell)
Yorkshire Post: 13th May 1929
UNITED BEAT HALIFAX
West Riding Cup Final at Valley Parade
Leeds United proved much the superior team in this West Riding Senior Cup final match against Halifax Town at Valley Parade, Bradford, on Saturday and deservedly won by four clear goals.
The cleverness of the Leeds men was in evidence right from the start, and within a few minutes the destination of the trophy was decided. A cleverly executed Leeds attack ended with the ball coming
into the Halifax goal mouth, where Matthews fumbled it, and allowed Duggan to kick it into the net, whilst after half-an-hour's play the right winger scored again after running right through the Town
defence in a passing movement with Keetley. In the second half the Halifax goal had some very narrow escapes. After twenty-two minutes, however, Keetley improved United's position with a terrific
first time shot from a centre by Mitchell, and three minutes later he scored again with a header. Halifax had several chances of scoring, but their finishing was weak. The nearest they came to piercing
the Leeds defence was towards the end, when Dixon headed against the crossbar. Mitchell was the best forward on the Leeds side, but Jennings did not have a happy afternoon, being too closely
shadowed by McLachlan. Result Leeds United 4 goals Halifax Town nil.
After the match, Townsley received the trophy from Mr. W. L. Hardcastle, President of the West Riding County F.A. Teams: Leeds United: Potts; Roberts, Menzies; Underwood, Townsley, Reed;
Duggan, Keetley, Jennings, Wainscoat, Mitchell. Halifax Town: Matthews: Lees, Wheelhouse; Stockdale, McLachlan, Prostor; Hickman, Bell, Dixon, Cooper, Foster.
Match Report (Courtesy Steve Bell)
The Halifax Daily Courier and Guardian: Friday 10th May 1929
CAN TOWN BEAT LEEDS UNITED?
Tomorrow's Final at Valley Parade.
Jack Lees Return.
For the third time since the war, Halifax Town will appear tomorrow in the final of the West Riding Senior Cup competition, when they meet Leeds United at Valley Parade.
It is, obviously, a tall order for a Third League club to be called upon to beat a First Division side, but Halifax Town can take confidence from the fact that after two hard struggles they ousted a powerful
Huddersfield team. Tomorrow's game is not the foregone conclusion that many would have us believe, for Leeds United are not invincible. Moreover, Halifax Town are keen and confident enough to
make their opponents go all the way.
Town have made three changes. Bell resumes in his original position at inside right, and Jack Lees, who was now apparently fully recovered, will play at right back, with Hickman at outside right in place
of Beynon.
Leeds will field a strong side. The teams will be:-
Halifax Town: Matthews; Lees, Wheelhouse; Stockdale, McLachlan, Proctor; Hickman, Bell, Dixon, Cooper and Foster (C.).
Leeds United: Potts; Roberts , Milburn; Edwards, Longden, Underwood; McNestry, Keetley, Jennings, Wainscoat, Mitchell.
NEW FORWARD FROM THE ARSENAL
Halifax Town have quickly commenced team building in preparation for next season. Yesterday Mr. McCelland secured the signature of Bernard Foster, a young inside forward or half-back, from the
Arsenal. Foster is the son of Mr. Jack Foster, the ex-Sunderland and Watford, who has held appointments with the managements of Huddersfield Town and Bradford City, and who now associated with
Manchester City.
Bernard Foster is a protege of Herbert Chapman. He played for Huddersfield Town occasionallly as a youngster and later Mr. Chapman secured his services for the Arsenal. After a period with Dartford
(Arsenal's nursery team), Foster was last season placed on the permanent Arsenal staff. He was top scorer with Dartford.
Foster is only 21 years of age, 5ft 11 1/2 inches in height and weighs 11stone 12lb.
TOWN's RE-SIGNED PLAYERS
All Halifax Town's retained players have re-signed for next season.
Town's staff now includes: Binns (goalkeeper); J. Lees and B. Wheelhouse (full-backs); E. Lowson, F. McLachlan, N. Proctor, T. Stockdale (half backs), and G. Hickman, T. Bell, E. Dixon, S. Cooper and
B. Foster (forwards). - "Pioneer"
Match Report (Courtesy Steve Bell)
The Halifax Daily Courier and Guardian: Monday 13th May 1929
Leeds Cup.
Town Fail at Last Hurdle.
First Leaguers Easily Superior.
Scorers: Leeds United: Duggan (2) Keetley (2) Halifax Town: Nil
Little remains to be said about Halifax Town's last match of the season - the West Riding Senior Cup Final at Valley Parade.
Frankly, Town were well beaten by a much superior side, and, on visiting the dressing after the match, I was glad to hear that the Halifax players to amit all this were sportsman enough.And we must give
the Halifax team credit for this: that though they were not disgraced.beaten.
To have a fighting chance, however, Town required an early goal, but this they failed to secure. Indeed, Leeds were quickly in front and once they gained the lead they were soon able to sail ahead with
less fear of being surprised by the dash and first-time methods of their Third League opponents.
It will be seen that things did not "come off" for Town; they were fighting a losing battle, however, gallantly.
Leeds played clever football. They had superiority in balances, footwork and craft, the combined effect of which caused the Halifax half-backs to spend time chasing the ball which ought to have been
devoted to supporting their forwards.
In the circumstances, none of the Halifax did justice to himself until comparitively late in the game.
The attack, too, was out of gear, and Dixon alone purturbed the Leeds defence. I thought the Halifax centre-forward made the best possible use of the indifferent support that he received. Neither
Porter nor Hickman responded well to his example, and Cooper was the better inside-forward.
I was pleased to see Lees emerge from such a test so soundly. He is now apparently fit again, though of course, in this his first big game for a few months he found Mitchell difficult to hold. Wheelhouse
was Town's best defender, and his game was a fitting conclusion to a fine season's work. Matthewsmight have prevented the first, but afterwards made many excellent saves.
Leeds had a great defence on view, and Townsley was a dominant figure, while Wainscoat and Mitchell- a brilliant pair- proved the main spring of the attack.- "Pioneer"
