Southport do not often make appearances at Goodison park, and their Liverpool Cup-tie yesterday, at the ground brought them face to face with some expert manipulators of the ball. One signing alone on the home team part cost more than Southport’s side and their wage bill for a season. This much can be said of the game that ended 5-2 for Everton; Southport put up a brave show showed some good football ideas, much energy, a fair game, and a fighting spirit to the finish of the tie. They made a braver show than the score suggests. Indeed at half-time they were level, and they had missed chances that should have given them opportunity of creating a rare surprise. Everton always played as if they had a bit in reserve, and there came a period after half-time when they did pretty well as they liked. Yet Southport fought on the end, and unfortunately their forward faults continued to the bitter end –they were not decisive in front of goal, and I am not forgetting a shot that hit the bar when the goalkeeper could not have saved.

BAKER’S FINE DISPLAY.
They seem to grow goalkeepers in Southport, as witness the long services man Halsall, and then Jones of Everton, and nowadays a North East Coast boy named Baker, who though not tall served up a fine exhibition of goalkeepering, catches, and daring. He had an injury early half, yet he had the main honours of the day for his saves at point blank range were of sterling quality. He has a great idea of positioning himself, and his eye never leaves the ball. He had plenty of practice in the second half, because the home half-backs were so skilled in the use of the ball for the benefit of the forward line. It took Everton some time to start their weaving beyond two sturdy backs and against a side that had to field a completely reserves elements on the left flank. In the end, of course, Everton won cleverly and well, and it may be that some of Attwood’s work and shooting led the home people to believe in him more than they have done in the past.

STEIN AS OUTSIDE RIGHT.
Stein, tried as a right winger instead of a left winger also had a useful day and Wilkinson got in some powerful and quick work, his inter-passing with his comrades being of good quality and sure touch. In point of touch no one equalled McPherson of Swansea, and Hart. They were masters of the craft, and the nonchalant way McPherson got through his afternoon’s work would have led the small crowd to a noisy interruption but for the fact that at last they realised the value of the man’s ideas and the ability with which he carried on his plans of campaign. One could see the effect of his presence upon the clever young half-back behind him. Bryan by name. McClure also did well, at half-back, and it was here that Everton were so superior. The Southport half-backs Jones excepted would kick anywhere –which leads nowhere. The scorers in order were Wilkinson, Hill (half-time), McPherson, Cowan, Attwood, Stein and Attwood. Baker’s goalkeeping was the feature of a game where many offside decisions arose –some unnecessarily. Southport depended to some degree upon this method of defence. It were better to adopt the positive fashion of Cresswell and Common.

Teams ;- Everton; Davies, goal, Cresswell and Common, backs McClure, Hart and Bryan, half-backs, Stein. Wilkinson, Attwood, McPherson, and Troup, forwards.

Southport; Baker, goal, Little and Kelly, backs, Jones, Dixon, and Sinclair, half-backs, Hills, Allen, Cowan, Holmes, Garstang, forwards . Referee Mr. G. Stephenson.