Cup tie with Rugby Town in 1913

This Way Back Then article would have appeared in the programme for tonight's postponed match

Leamington Town were well placed for an attack on the title in the Coventry and North Warwickshire league Division 1 in mid-February 1913. Although they were three points behind Longford at the top of the table, they had three games in hand and most of their remaining fixtures were at home. Great Heath were also on 18 points, but had played two more games than Leamington. Of the twelve teams in the division, nine were from Coventry, the two from the county apart from Town being Bedworth Town and Rugby Town.

Meanwhile, Town had been in cup action, qualifying for the semi-final of the Leamington Hospital Cup and boosting their hopes of retaining the trophy. However, they had a ‘narrow squeak’ as they only beat Rugby Town by the odd goal out of three. The team was slightly weakened as Pritchard wisely decided to give his injured leg a rest and Jonas was still away working in Devon.

Town had to use their ‘reserve enclosure’ on Old Warwick Road, the main field still being waterlogged. Once again, the rain poured down and this ‘spoilt play to a great extent, but a well-contested game was witnessed. The home forwards were more prominent than the visitors’ attacking line in the first half, being superior both as regards shooting and combination. The first goal fell to Key, who was in particularly good form. The visitors then rallied, but the home defence proved impenetrable up till half-time.’

The Courier reported that ‘The visitors played up much better in the second half, and but for the wretched shooting of the forwards, who would probably have been theirs.’ Town had also suffered an injury to Gardner who had ricked his knee in the first half.’ However, Key was able to put Town two goals ahead from a difficult angle ‘as the result of a splendid piece of combination.’ The visitors continued to press hard and scored their goal.

Elsewhere, ‘Leamington North End, one of Leamington’s most promising new junior teams, were very unlucky to be beaten at home by Coventry Humber last Saturday in the second round of the Whitnash Charity Cup. Although an injury to Sennett necessitated the Northenders playing with only ten men during almost the whole of the game, it took the Humber all their time to win by one goal to nil. The homesters were literally bombarding the Coventry goal in the first half, but over excitement on the part of the forwards had a bad effect on their marksmanship, and time and time again they shot wide when the goal was absolutely at their mercy.’

Another junior team, Leamington United, ‘were about to lose their clever and popular left-half, Roberts, who is sailing for Canada.’ In the schools cup, the weather struck with the game between Leicester Street and St. Peter’s being abandoned because of fog.

Four men from Southam appeared in court for playing football in the street. The arresting constable had cautioned them and had returned shortly afterwards to find that play had resumed. The case was dismissed, but the Chairman of the bench warned that cases of a similar nature would be dealt with more severely in the future.