ASTON VILLA V. WEST BROMWICH ALBION. For stirring up the excitement of Midland enthusiasts to the very core, there is really nothing to beat an engagement in which Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion are pitted against each other. No matter how badly the Throstles may be performing against other organisations, somehow they always have a happy back of rising, especially to the occasion, when confronted with Aston Villa. Doubtless, the remembrance of this fact, was to a great extent, accountable for the amount of enthusiasm prevalent in Birmingham on Saturday. The weather was highly favourable from a sightseers’ point of view, and fully two hours before the time fixed for the commencement of hostilities, there were thousands wending their way to Aston Lower Grounds. When the teams appeared there were fully 25,000 spectators present. The visitors brought their most powerful eleven, but the Villa could not command the services of their dashing back, Evans, who had strained his leg, Aston taking his place. Both elevens were warmly welcomed on cantering into the arena. There was a very stiff breeze blowing from goal to goal, and, winning the spin of the coin, Jack Devey set the Throstles to face both sun and wind at the outset. The visitors’ right wing was early dangerous, Crabtree saving, and, with one of his famous touchline dribbles, Athersmith soon changed the venue. Athersmith swung the ball beautifully across the goal mouth, and Wheldon quickly popped it into the net, but the referee ruled him offside, and the point did not count. Urged on by their well-wishers, the Villa fairly hemmed their rivals in, and the excitement amongst the onlookers was intense, as Williams, Cave and Reader repelled attack after attack. Wheldon headed powerfully into goal, but Reader kicked away in the the coolest possible fashion, while three times in rapid succession the Albion guardsman saved in finished style, amid lusty cheers from every corner of the ground. A clever piece of play by Dunn let Padwick away, but in his anxiety to break through Simmons, to whom the ball was passed, got offside, and a likely chance to the Throstles was nipped in the bud. A corner to the Champions was driven clean away by Jones, and Garfield made a herculean effort to place the Albion on the attack, but he found Spencer just a little too clever for him. With undaunted pluck, the visitors returned, and Tom Perry sent in a shot which just passed outside, striking the exterior of the net with terrific force. A breakaway in which the entire forwards line of the homesters participated was wound up by Garraty kicking very wide of the mark. The game proceeded very much in favour of the Villa, but through the ball could not be forced, Jack Devey on one occasion heading hard against the cross bar, while for a subsequent corner the homesters had decidedly hard lines in not breaking through. Waking up, the Albion were awarded their first corner through Spencer kicking back stupidly to George when he had time to clear himself. George could not reach the ball, but, fortunately for the Villa, trouble was averted. In a tussle with Cave, Smith was injured on the right knee, and the game was stopped for a few minutes to allow the Villa’s left wing flyer to recover. The next incident was a brilliant effort from long range by Bowman, which Reader cleared, while a deadly attempt by Wheldon was punched away by the Albion goalkeeper, who was certainly in great form, and proving the saviour of his side. Half an hour had gone and the Villa were still goal-less, the Throstles playing up with great determination, their bustling style completely upsetting the Champions and presenting all attempts at accurate combination not he part of the homesters. Athersmith and Devey looked like doing something of note, but the Villa captain was foully bundled off the ball by Banks and Williams when he was manoeuvring to get within shooting range. The free kick came nothing, and Paddock, well backed up by Perry and Dunn, completely changed the venue. Cowan drove the strangers back and again the Villa took the game on hand. Wheldon, Devey, and Garraty all sending in straight and sure shots, but either Williams or Reader blocked every attempt. Towards half time the Albion pressed. Paddock forcing an unproductive comer. At the interval neither team had scored. The visitors had certainly done exceptionally well in the first half and with the wind now in their favour an interesting tussle for supremacy was expected by the huge crowd. Smith burst away at the very outset, and centred accurately, Williams nipping the ball powerfully down the field. Banks swung it towards the Villa goal, and there was a profound sensation when, three minutes from the restart, Richards beat George, the Albion's first goal being received with deafening shouts. The succeeding play was both rough and exciting, Devey all but equalising, while from a corner the Villa had further hard lines. Banks and Jones driving them back. A couple of free kicks against Jones gave the Champions openings, of which, however, nothing came, and the game unfortunately became very rough, Jones being cautioned for the one side and Wheldon on the other. A well placed corner by Athersmith was dealt with in a masterly style by Reader, and a mammoth kick by Williams drove the champions back on the defensive. Banks gave Paddock a likely chance, only to see the last-named drive the ball high over the cross-bar. The Villa forwards persisted with their parlour style of passing. Wheldon and Devey having some really pretty touches, but the West Bromwich defenders were playing in most confident fashion, and bottling up all attempts to beat Reader. Athersmith had a great single-handed effort, which Williams brought to book in the most approved style, and the Throstles burst away with irresistible dash. In the excitement Aston kicked into his own goal, and while George was endeavouring to scoop the ball out, Simmons pounced on him and banged through the Albion's second goal amid a shout which showed the supporters of the Throstles were out strong force. Less than fifteen minutes remained for play, and from the groggy style in which several of their men were travelling it was painfully apparent that to all intents and purposes the Villa were whacked. Jimmy Cowan was playing in a desperate sort of style, racing all over the pitch and feeding his forwards well, but the defence was much too sound to be trifled with. The Albion forwards fairly hemmed their rivals in towards the close, but nothing further was scored, a great game terminating in an unexpected triumph for the Albion. Result West Bromwich Albion, two goals; Aston Villa, nothing.