On This Day (12th November 1898): Roker defences breached for first time
11/12/2024 01:00 AM
The stage was set as Sunderland welcomed another side to test out the facilities at their new home.
With four wins and a draw from their first five games there, Sunderland had quickly settled into the surroundings at their new Roker Park base. The ground had opened with a match against Liverpool two months earlier and now it was the turn of their neighbours Everton to visit, with the Merseysiders receiving a warm welcome upon their arrival.
Landing in the town the evening before the game, Roker wasn't the only attraction they were due to take in. A performance of the musical comedy 'Gentleman Joe' was being put on at the Avenue Theatre on the Friday night and the travelling party were invited to attend the show alongside the Sunderland players - the Gilbridge Avenue venue had opened earlier in the decade and prior to the completion nearby of the Empire Theatre in 1907 was one of the area's most popular entertainment spots, so the opportunity was gratefully accepted.
The production was considered to be most entertaining, but the real action was saved until Saturday, when despite the dull skies overhead both teams put on an enjoyable display. The new pitch was still in good condition and 'Referee' of the Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette wrote in the following Monday's edition of the paper that it helped contribute to a "good, hard, fast game" between two sides currently placed in the top five. Punters at the match are more inclined to forget the story line as long as the ending is acceptable to them however, and thankfully for the local crowd Robert Campbell's men were able to take a bow after securing a "splendid" win.
There was though one tragedy, as Everton did manage to become the first opposition side to score at the stadium – Jack Bell playing the panto villain when "at precisely one minute to four o'clock on the afternoon of Nov. 12, 1898, the first goal to the credit of an opponent was registered at the Roker Park. For close upon nine hours in all [Teddy] Doig had defied all comers, but at last he had to acknowledge himself beaten. He was in no way blame, as he had not a chance of seeing the ball in time to stop it. Still, one cannot help but sympathise with him on his losing so cherished a record."
Although frustrating, the historic reply counted as little more than a consolation in terms of the actual game – and there was a caveat; Hugh Morgan was off the field injured by that point and would be unable to continue, so it came against ten men. Not only that, but the strike arrived from a fortunate rebound after Doig had done brilliantly to stop Bell's initial attempt, so it was not truly representative of how the play had gone thus far.
Sunderland had been in command at that point, having started at a ferocious pace. Whilst some press reports credited their early opener to Morgan, the official records indicate that it was James Crawford that had pounced from close range to begin the scoring. Still, Morgan did soon get himself a goal after being fed by Sandy McAllister and whilst Everton keeper Willie Muir did punch the effort away it had clearly crossed the line before his intervention.
These finishes had been achieved within the opening ten minutes and yet a whirlwind first half from the hosts continued with two further "points" being ruled out. The first of these decisions was universally accepted as being for offside, but again some of the sources differ thereafter, with the second supposedly being for a similar offence or for coming via an indirect free kick that didn't receive a further touch, depending on which outlet you choose to go with.
Everton improved after the break but had it remained 11 v 11 Sunderland would have fancied their chances of an encore. Instead, the second act morphed into something akin to a tug of war once Bell had replied just after the hour mark and Doig, stung by missing out on another clean sheet but still putting in his best showing of the season, was able to keep the 100% record at Roker going.
Saturday 12 November 1898
Football League Division One
Sunderland 2 (Crawford 3', Morgan 10')
Everton 1 (Bell 65')
Sunderland: Doig; Bach, McNeill; Ferguson, McAllister, Dunlop; Crawford, Morgan, Raisbeck, McLatchie, Saxton.
Roker Park, attendance 16,793
