New England Soccer Today

#TBT: Raffies and Victoria Mills Play Four Goal Deadlock in Kerr Cup Final (6/8/1930)

Welcome to this week’s edition of “Throwback Thursday,” where we take a trip back in time to spotlight some of the clubs that made their mark on the New England soccer landscape over the past century.

This week, we venture back to the Kerr Cup Final between the Fall River Raffies and Victoria Mills )Tiverton, R.I.) on June 8, 1930 – a match played in a virtual monsoon during the first half, and was marked by controversy in the closing minutes.

Note: All information provided in the following game report was drawn from the June 9, 1930 edition of The Evening Herald (Fall River, Mass.)

June 8, 1930

TIVERTON, R.I. – The winner of the Kerr Cup final will have to wait another week as the Fall River Raffies and the Victoria Mills team went back and forth in a rain-drenched 4-4 draw at Mark’s Stadium on Sunday.

The Victorias walked off the pitch four minutes before the conclusion in protest of a late strike from the Raffies. The Millmen believed that their goalie, Chew, was fouled on the scoring play, but the referee did not see it that way, and the Raffies pulled ahead. Order was restored five minutes later when the police convinced the missing Millmen to return to the pitch, where Barrone scored the equalizer a minute before the final whistle.

The replay has been set for next Sunday, and will serve as the preliminary game on an afternoon in which the Marksmen will play Kilmarnock at Mark’s Stadium.

Enter Claim of Foul

The Victorias stormed off the pitch when they claimed that White’s overtime goal was possible due to a foul on Chew during a scrimmage in front of the goalmouth.

The match was a largely-even affair between the sides, even though the Rhode Islanders led 3-0 at one point. The Raffies fought back, however, and grabbed an equalizer before regulation to stretch the game into overtime. But the extra time failed the separate the local clubs.

Millmen center forward Labriole, who was fresh off a suspension for his part in a run-in with game officials in a 2-2 draw Memorial Day, made an impact on the proceedings by scoring a goal and assisted in the creation of others.

Blackburn Scores First

A rainy first half nearly came and went without a goal until Blackburn nodded a Hudson corner kick that was initially fisted away goalie Powers into the netting to put the Millmen ahead before the break.

The storm clouds disappeared by the time the second half arrived, allowing both sides’ attacks to open up. In the 48th minute, Labriole sent the remnants a Barrone shot into the back of the net to widen the gap. Once again, Powers couldn’t hang onto an initial shot, this one from Barrone, and Hudson hurried over to stuff home the rebound to make it a three goal game in the 53rd minute.

Isadore Tallies

Shortly after the hour, the Raffies started to mount their comeback. Deep in the final third, White nudged the ball over to Isadore, who sent it through from 15 yards to beat Chew.

White and Isadore combined again in the 74th minute, although this time, it was Isadore who set the table for White, who scored to bring the Raffies within one.

In the 83rd minute, Barboza put the squads even when he went alone on Chew and blasted a shot that bulged the back of the net to make it a 3-3 game.

The deadlock sent the match in a pair of 15-minute overtimes, but during the first, the scoreboard remained unchanged.

Trouble Starts

Four minutes from the conclusion of the second overtime, White banged the ball into the net despite the cries of the Millmen that their goalie Chew was fouled on the goalcoring play. Referee Thomas Whittaker stood by his decision to allow the goal, much to the consternation of the Millmen, who walked off the pitch at the behest of their manager.

Two of the Victorias remained on the pitch, while police officers attempted to convince the rest of the squad to return. After about five minutes, the missing Millmen came back to finish out the match. Less than a minute before the final whistle, Barrone scored to make the final score 4-4.

The score:

Raffies           Victoria Mills

Powers g……g, Chew, Rainone
Soares, rfb….rfb, Ferry
Durfee, lfb….lfb, Rainone
Franco, Howarth, rhb….rhb, J. Croce, Falco
Araujo, chb…..chb, Hanley
Silvia, lhb….lhb, R. Croce
Priestly, orf….orf, Hudson, Chew
White, irf….irf, Carron
Barboza, cf….cf, Labriole
Isadore, ilf….ilf Baronne
Cullen, olf….olf, Blackburn

Goals by Isadore, White 2, Barboza, Blackburn, Labriole, Hudson, Barrone. Referee – Whittaker. Linesmen – J. Murray and A. Votolato. Time- Two 45-minute periods and two 15-minute periods.

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