Preston North End entered the final of the F.A. Cup for the second year in succession when they beat Aston Villa on the Bramall Lane ground at Sheffield on Saturday by two goals to one, says "The Times" of March 28.
There can be no doubt of all that the better side won. In the first half especially Preston played football that was a delight to watch and a reminder of the number of Scotsmen they had in their team. The shock of conceding their first goal in this years Cup-ties after only four minutes' play did not disconcert them in the least; they continued to play their own game, intricate to the spectator but seemingly supremely simple to them. They kept the ball close, used their heads literally as well as figuratively, and, with their wing half-backs collaborating and their forward line changing its formation with an admirable elasticity and imagination, it was no wonder that the Aston Villa defence showed signs of wavering. Of wavering, bat not of breaking, and although Allen, at centre half-back, was not ihe defensive force he cen be, and Cummings, at left back. was made to look less than the footballer he is by Watmough's astonishing body swerve and ball-control, Aston Villa were only a goal down at the interval d they bad the promise of the wind that it would help them in the second half. It did. and there were inoments towards the end when Aston Villa, crowding every man except their goálkeeper into attack. looked us though they might force the ball over the line, but the Preston dedence proved itself as cod, skillful, and agfured of itself as the forward line had in the first half, and the match had its proper and rightful ending.
A Grave Handicap The Preston forward line itself was gravely handicapped halfway through the second half by an injury to. Dougal, who went off the field for a minute or two only to return to limp- about at outside-left. The second half did not compare, so far as good football is concerned, with the first. Aston Villa deserve every credit for the spirited way in which
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