In my ongoing attempt to cover early football in Central Scotland I have to cover some of the really early matches about which, it sometime seems, I am the only person that has any interest, but, the sooner I do it, the sooner I can get on to the later stuff.
This match was part of the first 'derby' in Stirlingshire, in effect the "Bonnybridge Derby". It would seem that the first match is lost, but luckily was referred to in this report [which is a shame because the Greenhill side won the first game].
Falkirk Herald - Sat February 12th 1876
Football- Midland Club v Grasshoppers - This match was played on Saturday on the ground of the former at Greenhill. The ball was kicked off at 3:30, and was kept well in the centre of the ground for a time, until Watson got away with it, and after some skillful dribbling, passed it to Marshall, who scored a goal for the Midland. On the ball being again kicked off, Mitchell and Clarke carried it well up to the Midland goal line, but failed to put it through. The ball was kept constantly going from one goal line to the other till half-time, both teams playing well, and their utmost to score. On ends being changed, the Grasshoppers' forwards got the ball well down into their enemy's quarters, and in spite of the efforts of Watson (who dribbled well, but always found Glaister at his post and one too many for him), they kept it there, and succeeded in scoring two goals before time was called, their own goalkeeper only once handling the ball after half-time. Besides those already mentioned, Mackie, Fotheringham, and Murray for the Midland, and Lapsley, Crombie, McPhie, and Paterson for the Grasshoppers played well through the whole game, which was witnessed by a large company. The Grasshoppers showed a decided improvement since their last match with the Midland (which they lost by one goal and two disputed to none) both in their style of playing and the position of their men, which added greatly to their success."
This match was part of the first 'derby' in Stirlingshire, in effect the "Bonnybridge Derby". It would seem that the first match is lost, but luckily was referred to in this report [which is a shame because the Greenhill side won the first game].
Falkirk Herald - Sat February 12th 1876
Football- Midland Club v Grasshoppers - This match was played on Saturday on the ground of the former at Greenhill. The ball was kicked off at 3:30, and was kept well in the centre of the ground for a time, until Watson got away with it, and after some skillful dribbling, passed it to Marshall, who scored a goal for the Midland. On the ball being again kicked off, Mitchell and Clarke carried it well up to the Midland goal line, but failed to put it through. The ball was kept constantly going from one goal line to the other till half-time, both teams playing well, and their utmost to score. On ends being changed, the Grasshoppers' forwards got the ball well down into their enemy's quarters, and in spite of the efforts of Watson (who dribbled well, but always found Glaister at his post and one too many for him), they kept it there, and succeeded in scoring two goals before time was called, their own goalkeeper only once handling the ball after half-time. Besides those already mentioned, Mackie, Fotheringham, and Murray for the Midland, and Lapsley, Crombie, McPhie, and Paterson for the Grasshoppers played well through the whole game, which was witnessed by a large company. The Grasshoppers showed a decided improvement since their last match with the Midland (which they lost by one goal and two disputed to none) both in their style of playing and the position of their men, which added greatly to their success."