#TBT: Fall River Enters 2nd Round of Dewar Cup Competition (1/17/1926)
- Updated: January 15, 2015
Photo credit: Fall River Globe
Welcome back to the latest edition of “Throwback Thursday,” where we take a trip back in time every week 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 a Jan. 17, 1926 U.S. Open Cup clash between the Fall River Marksmen and the Providence Clamdiggers at Mark’s Stadium. The hosts entered the match hoping to get back in the win column after settling for a 2-2 league draw against Brooklyn the week before. The guests were looking to rebound from a wild 6-4 road loss to the New York Giants on Jan. 3.
Note: All information provided in the following game report was drawn from the January 18, 1926 edition of The Fall River Globe (Fall River, Mass.).
January 18, 1926
Fall River Enters Second Round of Dewar Cup Competition
Champs outclass Providence Club
Visitors Had Edge in First Half But Were Completely Outplayed in Second
White Stars With 2 Goals
Final Score 3-2
NORTH TIVERTON, R.I. – The question for Fall River going into Sunday’s U.S. Open Cup tie was simple: who could capably man the inside left forward’s spot?
The Marksmen had tried a number of different players to fill the spot, but none claimed the position quite like Tec White, who provided the answer by scoring twice in a 3-2 win over the Providence Clamdiggers, sending Fall River to the second round of the tournament.
White tallied in the 35th and 55th minutes, while skipper Harold Brittan scored the game-winner in the 69th minute. Providence kept it close with goals from Alec Beattie and Billy Hogg in the 40th and 49th minutes, respectively.
Brittan’s boys will play the Boston Wonder Workers on Feb. 14 at Mark’s Stadium. The Wonder Workers advanced to the second round after beating Fore River on Saturday.
Sunday’s match was one met with great interest, without a doubt, as some were predicting that it would shatter the Cup tie record attendance mark of 14,375 set in 1924. But even though that figure wasn’t surpassed, the 9,512 on hand were treated to a fast-paced display of football.
The hosts won the toss, taking the wind and sunshine at their back for the first half. With Eddie McKeon and his portable organ pumping out popular songs, Sunday’s match had all the qualities of a classic match.
Providence tried to steal an early goal, but was simply no match for the defensive front erected by the Fall River backs. Ned Tate and Tommy Martin were solid throughout the match, and helped set the tone early on.
The match remained scoreless until the 35th minute, when the Marksmen unleashed a spectacular display of offense. Tate advanced from his right fullback spot to find Brittan bearing down on goal. The skipper picked his head up and crossed it for White, who cleverly sent it through to open the scoring.
To their credit, the Clamdiggers didn’t allow White’s strike to dampen their spirits. For five minutes later, the guests responded when Hogg went the right and crossed it for an unmarked Beattie, who tapped it through to level it going into the break.
Providence added another shortly after the interval. Hogg collected a pass from Tommy Florie, took on Martin, and beat goalkeeper Findlay Kerr with an exquisite finish in the 49th minute.
Staring down a deficit at their home grounds was a curious situation for Fall River. Not only had they outplayed Providence for much of the match, but they were heavy favorites to win based on the lines.
Not long after Hogg scored, Fall River got its act together to level it. Brittan played a give-and-go with Campbell before taking on a defender. The skipper feinted, then found White crashing through the box, where the inside forward tapped it through in the 55th minute.
Photo credit: Fall River Globe
After playing the set-up man on his club’s first two goals, Brittan decided the give the goalscorer’s title a try. Frankie McKenna looked for Tommy Croft inside the area, where Croft quickly tapped into Brittan’s path, and the skipper sent it through in the 69th minute.
McKenna and Croft both found opportunities to extend the lead, but both fell short due to suspect marksmanship. Even so, Brittain’s goal proved the difference.
The lineups:
FALL RIVER PROVIDENCE
Kerr, g……g, Surgenor
Tate, rfb……fb, McAuley
Martin, lfb…..lfb, Abel
MacPherson, rhb…..rhb, Izatt
Fryer, chb……chb, Dick
Coyle, lhb,…..lhb, Auld
Campbell, orf…..orf, Hogg
Croft, irf…..irf, Renfrew
Brittan, cf….cf, Florie
White, ilf….ilf, Curtis
McKenna, olf….olf, Beattie
Score – Fall River 3, Providence 2. Goals scored by White 2, Brittan 1, Beattie 1, Hogg. Referee – William Norse of New Bedford. Linesmen- Herbert Ratcliff of New Bedford and Lewis Newby of New Bedford. Time – 45-minute halves. Attendance – 9,600.
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