KINGSTON-ON-THAMES v SUTTON.-
This long delayed tie in the Surrey Junior Cup Competition was played on Saturday in the Barracks Ground, Kingston, and resulted in a handsome win for Kingston. The result, however, was attained at serious loss, as Arthur Short, the club's crack player, fractured his leg early in the game, and his absence must considerably affect Kingston's chance of winning the cup. The conditions were favourable, and about 500 spectators lined the ropes when Sergt.-Instructor Lewis (in the absence of Mr. Glanvill) started the game.

Sutton had a strong breeze behind them, and immediately pressed, Lanham conceding a corner. This was successfully cleared, but the homesters were unable to get the ball away for some few minutes. Eventually the sphere was taken to the Sutton goal, but Foster shot wide. From the kick out the Sutton left winger, who was in an off-side position, dashed away with the ball and sent it across the Kingston goal, and in endeavouring to clear Short collided with one of the inside men, with the unfortunate result already alluded to. Play was suspended and the injured leg put into temporary splints at the Barracks, from whence he was removed to the Surbiton Cottage Hospital.

On re-starting King and Cunliffe each fell back from the line they had respectively occupied, and the homesters attack for the rest of the game was sustained by four forwards only. Several fouls were given against the visitors, who played roughly, and with a good deal of feeling, until the referee made two of them shake hands with some of the Kingstonians, after which play proceeded more amicably.

Tully took some time to settle down after his partner's accident, and Lanham had once or twice to use his best endeavours to thwart the Sutton left wing. As time went on, however, the Dark Blues got into swing, and towards half-time were having as much of the play as their opponents. No score had been effected at the interval.

After the re-start there was only one team in it. Foster dashed up in the first few minutes and sent in a hard shot. Andrews pounced on the goalkeeper and hustled him into the net, and Vincent saved the referee the trouble of deciding whether the ball had gone under the bar by crashing it into the net.

In the next few minutes, after good play by Fagan and Lambert, Foster again got through and notched a second point, a feat which he repeated a little later with a magnificent shot. Play was then suspended as the Sutton goal-keeper was observed to be suffering from a fit, from which he was relieved by the vigorous treatment of his comrades.

Kingston having now established a good lead took matters easily, Sutton rarely getting far over the centre line. Ocock and Vincent attacked persistently the latter finding the net from an off-side position. Lambert also screwed the ball into the net from a corner kick, but as it touched no player in its flight nothing accrued.

Andrews, who kept his place much better than usual, was always dangerous near goal but had no luck with his final efforts. In the last minute Foster was pushed down in the 12 yard limit, and a penalty kick awarded, but though Andrews shot in smartly Leading just managed to save and the game ended in a victory for Kingston by 3-0.

The Sutton team did nothing to justify the reputation they came with - the extreme wing men were fairly fast but "poached" a good deal and kept the ball too long - the halves and backs did fairly with the breeze behind them, but when they turned round were absolutely useless, and if the home forwards had not been disarranged nothing would have prevented a heavy score being run up.

With only four men in the Kingston line combination could not of course be looked for, but apart from this each man did well, Foster being most noticeable. The halves again showed the neat and effective play which has been a strong point in their line this season. Tully and King when once they had settled down kept their opponents out without undue exertion, and the evergreen Lanham treated the few shots he had to deal with in his usual cool manner. Sides:-
Kingston: F. C. Lanham, goal; A. B. Short and G. J. Tully, backs; S. Lambert, J. Fagan
and W. King, half-backs; W. Ocock, S. Vincent (right), E. Andrews (centre), A. Foster and F. Cunliffe (left), forwards.
Sutton: C. A. Leading, goal; W. Hibbert and J. Quick, backs; H. Barnes, A. Turner and F. Quick, half-backs; A. J. Blythe, A. Wadey (right), B. Seabrook (centre), A. C. Campling and W. Rowley (left), forwards. Referee, Mr. B. A. Glanvill (S.C.F.A.).

Report from Surrey Comet dated 5 February 1898- see report in original format.


After much delay the Junior Cup tie between Kingston and Sutton has been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, the result being in favour of the local club by three goals to nil. The victory, however, was dearly bought, for it has robbed them of the services of one of their most useful players, A. Short, who fractured his leg during the game and will not be seen on the field again this season.

Up to the time of the accident play was fairly even, but afterwards the home club had the upper hand. Kingston had but four forwards, yet they proved sufficiently strong and showed combination and skill worthy of players of higher reputation. Foster was much in evidence and notched all three of the points that were obtained by his side.

Andrews was less unselfish than usual, whilst Ocock and Vincent were seen at their best. The halves were in splendid trim, and Tully and King at back were always ready when required. Lanham in goal was only once seriously troubled. The Sutton team made but a poor show, as it was expected they would run the home team very close. Their play at times was open to question, and the referee once cautioned a player and made him shake hands with three of his opponents.

The success of Kingston-on-Thames on Saturday has carried them into the semi-final round of the cup tie, in which they have to meet St. Michael's, a club hailing from Camberley, today. If form counts for anything the letter club should win, they having defeated Walton St. Mary's in the competition, and the latter in their turn have decisively beaten Kingston. The playing of the match on neutral ground at Guildford makes it more difficult to forecast the result. Richards will take A. Short's place in the team, and this will probably be the only alteration. A special train at reduced fares will leave Surbiton at 1.50.

Report from Kingston & Surbiton News dated 5 February 1898- see report in original format.


SURREY JUNIOR CUP.
KINGSTON v. SUTTON
SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO A PLAYER.
Great interest was taken in Kingston on Saturday in the fourth round of the competition for the Surrey Junior Cup, as the local team, who were the runners-up last year, expect to make a good bid for the trophy, and consequently a crowd of about 500 persons assembled at the Barracks Ground, Kingston, to watch the match, in spite of the cold wind which swept across the ground. Within five minutes of the advertised time the teams lined up in the following positions under Sgt Lewis (East Surrey Regiment), who acted until the arrival of the referee. Mr. B. A. Glanville, ten minutes later:-

Kingston - F. Lanham, goal; E. J. Tully and A. R. Short, backs; W King. J. Fagan, and S. Lambert, half-backs; W. Ocock and S. Vincent, right wing; E. Andrews, centre; A. Foster and F. Cunliffe, left wing.
Sutton - C. A. Leading, goal; W. Hibbart and J. Quick, backs; H. Barnes, A. Turner, and F. Quick, half-backs; A. J. Blythe and A. Wadey, right wing; F. R. Seabrook, Centre; A. C. Campling and W. Rowley, left wing.

It was seen that the visitors were the heavier team, and it was expected that a close game would result, which was the case in the opening half, though the match ultimately resulted in a win for Kingston by three goals to none. Sutton won the toss, and played with a strong wind at their backs.

Andrews set the ball in motion, and by the aid of Seabrook and Wadey the ball was first taken to the Kingston quarters, where Lanham gave a corner in saving a shot from Seabrook, No advantage was obtained from it, the leather going behind. Sutton returned to the attack for a few minutes, and Short stopped one or two ugly rushes.

The home team now made the running, the forwards taking the ball to the other end by means of good passing, and Foster, who appeared to have the goal at his mercy, finished up by shooting wide. Returning to the attack the home team forced a corner, which proved of no advantage. From the goal-kick Sutton went away, and Campling was appealed against for an infringement of the off-side rule without success.

Campling and Rowley made the pace warm, and on Short tackling the former player, a regrettable accident occurred. Both appeared to kick at the ball together, with the result that they collided, and the Kingston man fell to the ground. The onlookers near the goal distinctly heard a sharp crack, and those who knew stated that Short had fractured his right leg. The game was stopped for some minutes in consequence, and the injured player was taken off the field in a fainting condition to the barracks, where, on medical examination, it was found that he had fractured his leg, and after attention Short was removed to the Surbiton Cottage Hospital.

The game was resumed shortly afterwards with the Kingston side a man short. King then partnered Tully at back, and Cunlife filled the vacancy in the half-back line. In spite of this disadvantage the homesters managed to keep the Sutton men out, although the home defence was sorely tried in the 25 minutes remaining before the change of ends. At times the Sutton men played very vigorously, and the referee had to caution Wadey for foul play on more than one occasion, whilst fouls against the visitors were of rather frequent occurrence.

Sutton missed several chances by bad shooting, the ball going anywhere but in the goal. After a spell of mid-field play, half-time was signalled with nothing having been scored. After a short interval the game was resumed, and, with the wind in their favour, Kingston had all the best of matters.

In the first minute from the re-start Vincent notched the first point of the match, much to the delight of the home partisans, who cheered vociferously at this success. After Tully had stopped an onslaught from the Sutton front rank, Foster beat Leading with a lovely shot, giving Kingston the lead by two goals to nil.

Another stoppage had to be made in the play shortly afterwards owing to the Sutton custodian being seized with a fit. However, after a brisk walk he was able, amid cheers, to resume after a few minutes. Another loud cheer announced that Foster had again scored with a daisy-cutter, which Leading had no chance to save, putting the home team three goals ahead.

This seemed to take all the spirits out of the Sutton men, of whom Quick, the right back, played a sound game, but the forwards were all at sea, and seldom crossed the centre line. A penalty was awarded against Sutton for badly fouling Foster, and Andrews took the kick. Leading, however, saved cleverly, by standing four yards out, at the expense of a corner. Nothing further was scored, and at the end of a scrambling game the final score was:

Kingston 3
Sutton 0

Neither side played up to anything like form, and combination was conspicuous by its absence; but the home team were decidedly the better team on the day's play.

Report from Surrey Advertiser dated 2 February 1898- see report in original format.