SATURDAYS FOOTBALL. ASSOCIATION RULES. THE LEAGUE. ASTON VILLA V. BURNLEY This interesting match was played at Perry Barr, in weather of the most miserable description, rain falling heavily throughout the contest, while in consequence of that which had fallen earlier in the week the ground was in a most sodden and treacherous condition. As a result there was but a mere handful of spectators present as compared with the crowds which ordinarily assemble at the popular Birmingham football resort. The Villa had their ideal eleven in the field, but the visitors came with a rather incomplete team, Lang, McFetteridge, and Hill all being away through illness or injuries. Winning the toss, the Villa chose to play with the slope, and punctually at the appointed time Lambie put the ball in motion on behalf of the visitors. They at once went off with a great rush, and quickly invading the Villa lines, the ball was put past Warner within the first minute, but Stewart was ruled off-side, and the point disallowed. The home team soon assumed an offensive attitude, and Cowan put in a fine and long shot, which was finely saved by Kay. Hodgetts got nicely down, and Brown received a nice pass, but shot just on the wrong side of the post. Then Burnley attacked in turn, and pressed the Villa hotly for a time, until Hodgetts came away with a magnificent dribble. Dickson shot at Kay with lightning force, but he repelled in marvellous fashion. The Burnley had another attack, and McLardie obtained for them a well-deserved goal. Scarcely had the ball been restarted than Oswald made off yet again, and Lambie, after Warner had had repulsed one shot, scored a remarkably pretty goal, thus giving the visitors a decided lead. The Villa gained a corner, and just at this period pressed hotly. Their reward came too, for from a centre by Albert Brown, Dickson neatly headed the ball past Kay. That custodian evidently never expected such a move on the part of the Villa centre, for he made absolutely no effort to stop the sphere. A superb shot by Albert Brown hit the bar and rebounded into play, and some exciting work was seen in front of the Burnley goal. Then play raged in mid-field for a time, but at last, from a centre by Hodgetts, Dickson narrowly missed scoring. A huge lunge by Evans gained a corner. The game continued in favour of the Villa, but they found the Burnley defence wonderfully sure, and the shooting of the home forwards, too, was not as accurate as could have been desired. At length, however, Kay was beaten after repeated attempts, Cowan shooting a fine goal with a low shot. Then Lambie got another goal for Burnley, and they in turn had a large share of the attack. Half-time was now called, Burnley leading by 3 goals to 2. After the usual interval the game was resumed, and resumed at a great pace too. Fouls and trips were numerous, but the game was not quite what one would call rough, although the players seemed to be most unduly excited. A penalty kick fell to the Villa right in front of the Burnley posts. Dickson passed to Albert Brown, and a smart shot by that player beat Kay and made the score even once more. The visiting forwards went down the hill with the kick-off, and Place centred beautifully, but there were not many defects in the Villa defence, and the ball was quickly sent to the opposite end of the field. McLardie made a splendid dodging run down the Burnley right, and centred finely, but Cox relieved in his usual steady fashion, and Graham made off in the opposite direction. The Villa went away in a line with quite their old style, but Walker repulsed the attack, and for a time neither side seemed able to make much impression on the other's defence. Oswald missed a nice chance, while a return by Keenan only went a few inches wide of the mark. The game now went considerably in favour of the Lancastrians, Lambie all but scoring, while a little later McLardie and the same player came clear away from the Villa backs, and had only Warner to pass. By a superhuman effort, however, Devey got back in the nick of time, and sent the ball away to the wing, amid a torrent of applause. It was now the Villa's turn, and a fast shot from Dickson was superbly saved by the Burnley custodian. Back the ball came again, and Oswald, running round Campbell, centred, McLardie went direct for goal, but once more the Villa goal survived through the Northerners sending in inaccurate shots. They rarely missed by many inches, but they invariably just went on the wrong side of the upright. At last, from a centre by Oswald, McLardie and Lambie got the ball clear of Evans, and, going straight for Warner, the ball was scrimmaged through, the Villa keeper making a valiant effort to save his charge. Scarcely had the ball been restarted than Graham got another for the Villa, amid tremendous enthusiasm, and the players went at it harder than ever. Hodgetts ran the ball up his side of the field, but Walker returned, and McLardie had a terrific shot at Warner's stronghold, which just failed to reach its mark. Time was then called, a fast game ending in a draw-4 goals each.