1880 to 1881

1880 –1881

Keene’s Bath Journal 30th October 1880: “Football is now in full swing. One or two matches have already been played, notably the inter-collegiate contest on Saturday, when Bath* beat Somerset* after a well fought game. The best play I have yet seen this season was displayed by the Bristol Medical Team when they met Somerset the other day and literally ‘ran over’ them. The Bath Football Club have opened but in rather a small way as yet.

They have not occupied their field which is one of the Lambridge Meadows but will do so very shortly. They have a good list of fixtures and will require to get quite good as a team as they mustered last year to pull off several of the matches. The Wells match on Saturday next is likely to be a good one, as the visitors are, I believe, generally considered as strong as anything in the county.” (*College)

30/10/1880

v Great Western F C (Swindon), Home. A Draw, with one point in favour of Bath. “The game was almost entirely confined to the forwards, who played well and strong. The following distinguished themselves in the Bath team:- Messrs. H Jacob, W D Hamilton, G A Williams, E Sants, W Sants and C H Walker.”

6/11/1880

v Devizes, Home. Won by four tries to nil.: L Romney, A K Cunninghame (backs), H D Jacob (three-quarter back), E A Everett, G Helps (half backs), C Everett, W Bond, B F Collings, E Digby, T Wake, W Sants, P W Menzies, P Fosbery, C C Baldwin, T H Cunninghame (forwards).

“For some time the ball was kept off the ground, and good forward play took it into the Devizes territory where Digby following up well, obtained a try for Bath. The kick proved a failure and Devizes had to touch down in self-defence. The ball being kicked out, was again returned to the Devizes ground where it remained, Baldwin obtaining another try, the kick from which was also a failure and Devizes touched-down in self- defence. For the rest of the game the ball was kept in the Devizes quarter, Bath obtaining two more tries and forcing Devizes to touch down seven times in self-defence. For Bath, Baldwin, Sants, and Digby (forward) and Helps, behind scrummage, played remarkably well.

 27/11/1880

v Hermitage and Competitive College, Home. Won by 2 tries and a drop goal to a goal.

The Colleges fielded 18 players, to Bath’s 15.

“…..runs from A Cunninghame and Sants brought the ball to their opponent’s goal line and two tries were obtained, neither of which proved successful. Half-time was called; soon after this A Cunninghame dropped a very neat goal for the Club. The joint teams then played up better, and the ball was nearing their opponent’s goal when Hinton with a very good run succeeded in getting over the goal line and landing the ball safely behind his opponents goal, thus obtaining a try which proved to be the first try obtained against the Club this season; it was converted into a goal by C Williams. Shortly after this “No Side” was called, leaving the Club victorious by two tries. For the Club Sants, A Cunninghame, Everett, and Digby played very well.”

 6/1/1881

BATH F C v Mr. HAYES’ SCRATCH XV.- “This match was played on the ground of the Bath club on Thursday last. For the greater part of the time the match was well contested, but during the last 10 minutes the play of the scratch team was very was very loose; they seemed completely demoralised and were well penned by the home team who appeared much better trained. Eventually the match was won by Bath F.C. with one goal and three tries to one try. For Bath Digby and Hill “up”, C Williams, A C Williams and A.K. Cuninghame “behind” distinguished themselves; while for the visitors H.M. Loy and Williams (forwards) and Walker, Hayes and Yockney behind the scrimmage deserve especial mention.

Bath team:- A K Cunninghame, T A O’Donoghue (half backs); A C Williams, F Edwards and S Wood (three-quarter backs), C Williams and G B Hodson (full backs); C Nash, E Digby, T H Cunninghame, J A Wake, W E Hill, P Forbenyand and F J Gandy (forwards)” (Bath Chronicle 13/1/1881)

On the following Saturday, H G Fuller (Bath) was playing for Somersetshire v Devonshire at Exeter.

8/1/1881

A match was played against Corsham on the cricket ground. It is not known whether this was a 1st XV game, as the fixture list has them down to play Clifton at Bath on this date.

A Bath XV:- T Gandy, Stewart, McLorg, C Nash, Hill, Digby, J Wake, H M Campbell, A E Williams, G Simmonds, C Walker, A W Cunninghame, L O Donoghue, C Williams and Hodson.

The game ended in a draw – each side gaining a ‘poster’ and a touch down.

“Digby obtained a try for Bath, mainly owing to an error on the part of the Corsham backs, and Ball achieved a similar feat for the home team. Yockney ran in for Corsham, but the try was given up after some dispute. Messrs Loy, Lucs, Yockney and Fry for Corsham and the brothers Williams, for Bath, rendered great service to their respective sides.”

26/2/1881

v Weston Rangers, Away. Lost by eight goals, a touch goal, 4 tries and 9 touchdowns to Bath being forced to touch down once. Bath were three players short throughout game. The Rangers had played 18 games, Won 13, Drawn 3 and Lost 2.