Association Football (article 26 october 1885)
Association Football is a football result published in The Evening News (Portsmouth) on 26 october 1885.
Arthur Conan Doyle's team (Portsmouth Football Club) lost 0-8 vs Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (93rd Regiment).
Arthur Conan Doyle played under the pseudonym "A. C. Smith".
Article
ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL. — A team of the Portsmouth Football Club went to Parkhurst on Saturday, and met the first eleven of the 93rd Regiment, who are admittedly the crack Association players in the Southern counties. The heavy rain of the past few days had made the soil very heavy, but while the visitors were unable to stand on the slippery ground, its state did not seem to interfere with the movements of the soldiers. Their systematic training and combined play gave them an unquestionable superiority over their opponents, and they scored eight goals to love. Portsmouth was represented by the reverse of an indifferent team ; but the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders having, unlike their opponents, had the double advantage of daily practice and the same eleven for all first-class matches, quite overmatched the civilians at all points. They made the play exceedingly fast ; their passing was faultless, and while Thompson, amongst others, punted the ball with his head with power and dexterity, McLaren kicked four goals in excellent style, other good shots being made by the men in the right wing. J. H. Smith, Huddy, Pinfold, and A. C. Smith played a losing game with considerable spirit. Sides:— Portsmouth: Goal, Williams ; backs, A. C. Smith and W. Adames ; half-backs, H. J. Smith and P. Russell ; centre forwards, A. C. Godfrey and A. Donald ; right wing, R. E. Davies and A. E. Kindersley ; left wing, T. Huddy and C. E. Pinfold. 93rd Regiment: Goal, Adams ; Back, McKenzie and Kidins ; half-backs, McGannett and Thompson ; centres, Fleming and Mongham ; right wing, Douglass and O'Neill ; left wing, McLaren and McChafferty. Umpires: Mr J. Cooke and Sergeant McWilliams. — By permission of the Portsmouth Football Club, a scratch match toot place at North End on Saturday between Mr. A. Moore's team and the Southsea Wanderers. The latter played nine men against seven, and won by two goals to nil, Young deliberately sacrificing the game by letting the ball go between the posts without attempting to kick it.
