Report by SJG

CHESHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE

TRANMERE ROVERS RESERVES vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

6^th September 1933

BELL CALLS TIME ON LATICS WITH SECOND HALF HAT-TRICK.

Latics lined up with William Jones, who had signed on the day before the game, leading the attack. Jones had played for Rossendale last season and prior to that had been on the books of Aston Villa and Accrington Stanley.  A crowd of 2,000 saw Tranmere start well and after just two minutes a Pearson cross caused O’Donnell problems as he scrambled to clear the danger, Tong latched onto the loose ball and only a good diving stop by Caunce prevented the opening goal. A quick break by Latics saw O’Dell pick out Jones who played it wide to Scott and when the cross came in Cowper was just denied by a last-ditch challenge. Cowper provided a fine pass that presented Felton with a great chance but he snatched at the shot and it went narrowly over the bar. Tranmere looked threatening in attack and Caunce had to be alert to deny Tong with a smothering save. O’Donnell and O’Dell certainly were not assured and their lack of playing time as a pairing was showing as the home side frequently found space in the final third. At the other end Cowper nearly netted after Roper fumbled a Scott cross. O’Donnell was caught in possession and a quick exchange of passes between Pearson and Gillespie gave Bell a chance but Caunce was out quickly to save at the striker’s feet. Against the run of play on the half hour mark Latics grabbed the lead. A long ball bounced awkwardly for Thomas and when he was unable to control in swooped GLIDDEN who made a yard of space before firing in a raking shot that found the bottom corner. The goal seemed to unsettle the hosts and when Jones was upended in the box it looked like Latics would win a penalty, the referee, however, did not agree and waved the claims away. Roper saved well from Felton and Glidden while at the other end Caunce was brought into action by Thomas and then Gillespie.

Half Time; Tranmere Rovers Reserves 0-1 Wigan Athletic.  

One minute into the second half and Latics doubled their lead when SCOTT latched onto a Jones header and drove the ball through the keeper’s legs. Tranmere pulled one back almost straight from the restart when BELL hooked a shot home after good work down the wing by Tong. Ten minutes later and hesitancy in the Latics back line gifted Tranmere an opportunity to equalise which BELL gleefully accepted. Pearson was allowed to dribble into the danger area and when he picked out the striker he was clinical as he slipped the ball home with a first time shot.

Wigan pushed forward as they tried to regain the lead and after a strong run by Scott a cross found Jones who headed on to Felton but the Latics man directed his header just past the far post. Cowper was being badly hindered by a leg injury and was a virtual passenger, and as a result the effectiveness of Wigans attacks was significantly reduced.

Caunce earned applause from the spectators when he produced a wonderful block to deny Robert Tong ‘s well struck drive, then moments later he was quickly off his line to frustrate Bell who was slow in taking aim. The play was highly competitive with both sides pushing hard for a winning goal and with tackles flying in it was no surprise when Jones had to leave the field for attention to his leg after a mad goalmouth scramble.  A movement developed down the Wigan flank and Scott evaded Salter before letting fly, but Roper palmed the shot onto the roof of the net.  From the resulting corner Harrison forced a header goalwards but Roper was able to collect.

Jones sprinted through the home defence and fired home, but the referee pulled play back for an offside flag which must have been a very close call as many thought the decision to be an error. Then to add to the growing feeling of injustice the flag stayed down when Bell appeared to be offside and it was only Caunce’s intervention that stopped a certain goal.

Jones was then thwarted by Roper when he was through on goal, he tried to take the ball round the keeper but Roper recovered well and grabbed the ball before a telling shot could be found.

With five minutes left Rovers took the lead, Pearson masterminded a move on the flank that ended with a neat pass playing in BELL and he fired home. The linesman raised his flag for offside but the referee over-ruled his assistant and allowed the goal to stand. The Wigan players complained at length but there was to be no reprieve.

Full Time; Tranmere Rovers Reserves 3-2 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Bell (47), (57), (85); Glidden (30), Scott (46);

Attendance; 2,000

Team; WIGAN---Caunce; O’Dell, O’Donnell; Kavanagh, Harrison, Robson; Cowper, Felton, Glidden, Jones, Scott;

TRANMERE ROVERS RESERVES; Roper; Salter, Lewis; Meacock, Thomas, Watson; Pearson, Gillespie, Bell, Glasper, Tong;

Referee; Mr. A. Riley (Runcorn)

Robert ‘Bunny’ Bell soon became a regular for the Tranmere first team and he scored 57 goals during the 1933-34 season. He netted a total of 104 goals in 114 games for the Wirral club. In one game on Boxing Day in 1935 he scored nine goals in a 13-4 win against Oldham Athletic, which at the time was an English record. It should have been ten but he missed a penalty kick. He left Tranmere when he signed for Everton scoring 9 goals in 14 games for the Toffees before the World War effectively ended his playing career.