27 August 1947 Huddersfield Town 2 Blackpool 0

Blackpool's game riddled with errors

Huddersfield Town 2, Blackpool 0 

By “Spectator”

THIS is one of those days when I would prefer not to be selecting the Blackpool team for the weekend.

Not since the ill-famed Cup-tie at Sheffield in January have I seen a Blackpool team’s football riddled with such errors as invited this 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield. 

When, in the 13th and 15th minutes Whittingham, the Town’s heavyweight centre-forward, shot the two goals which won the points, the Doherty-Metcalfe wing had so completely outpaced and outwitted the right flank of Blackpool’s defence that a goal was written all over each raid

HAYWARD SHINES

This flank steadied later in the game, but there was only Hayward who came away with the ball nine times out of 10 in a challenge with a Huddersfield forward.

Others were constantly being lured the wrong way by the tireless zig-zag spurts of Peter Pan Doherty.

The understudy, Kelly, was no failure, but this defence was never compact, might have been routed if had not fielded a dauntless centre-half and an acrobatic goalkeeper in Wallace.

Yet the defence alone was hot to blame.

The forwards finished the evening with Dick and Munro alternating in the centre-forward position.

As a result a perceptible triangular formation began belatedly to reveal itself on the right wing, where Matthews had again to go hunting for the ball. 

PENALTY SAVED 

What would have happened if Bob Hesford had not made a gallery clearance - a flying dive to his left to a rising thunderbolt shot - when Farrow took a penalty after two minutes in the second half is open to speculation.

But unless Blackpool’s plan of action had been entirely revised nothing could have retrieved this game.

Result:

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN  2 (Whittingham 2)

BLACKPOOL 0 

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BLACKPOOL'S THREE FORWARD CHANGES

By “Spectator”

THREE of the Blackpool forwards who played at Huddersfield last night are out of the line for the visit to Everton on Saturday. The defence is retained intact.

New wing forward at outside-left is Malcolm McCormack, the man from Glasgow Rangers, who, after a month’s trial with Manchester City at the end of last season, was offered full terms by the Maine-road club but preferred to come to Blackpool.

Two new inside forwards are fielded. Stanley Matthews’ partner will be Willie Buchan, 12th man at Huddersfield. George McKnight, the Irishman, completes a new left wing.

The captain, Harry Johnston, was in training again today, but it was considered wiser to rest him in preparation for the return with Huddersfield on Monday, and Kelly retains the left-half position.

Team: Wallace, Shimwell Suart, Farrow, Hayward, Kelly, Matthews. Buchan (W). Mortensen, McKnight, McCormack.

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