In the 19th century North Wales equaled Wales in football terms. South Wales was still very much a Rugby loving area. Association football in Wales was concentrated in Denbighshire, Montgomreyshire, Flintshire, Wrexham and the borders of Shropshire.
This was a time when northern players were only beginning to be rewarded with England caps - North Wales, however, had 10 internationals on show.
Hargreaves scored Lancashire's goal with a header from a Tootil corner. North Wales equalised when Heywood shot from 20 yards (a remarkable thing judging by the reporting) and Doctor Greenwood collided with the goalkeeper, allowing the ball 'to slowly roll between the posts' .
2000 spectators were present at Darwen Cricket Ground , where the pitch was snow covered.
Lancashire FA
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1
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1
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North Wales
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04.01.1879 Darwen Cricket
Ground
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W. Green
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St Mark’s Blackburn
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G
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G. Glascodine **
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Oswestry
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F. Suter
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Darwen
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B
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L.L. Kenrick (c) **
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Oswestry
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D. Greenwood*
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Blackburn Rovers
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B
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H. Edwards **
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Wrexham
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C. Tootil
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Turton
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H
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K. Crosse **
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Druids
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W.H Moorehouse
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Darwen
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H
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T. Owen **
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Oswestry
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W.Y Hargreaves (c)
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Bolton Wndrs & Camb U
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F
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H. Sabine**
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Oswestry
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T. Bentley
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Turton
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F
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J. H. Jones
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Wrexham
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T. Bury
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Darwen
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F
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Digby Owen **
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Oswestry
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J.Yeates
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Accrington
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F
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G. Savin **
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Oswestry
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R.J Gledhill
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Darwen
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F
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W. Roberts **
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Llangollen
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R. Birtwhistle
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Blackburn Rovers
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F
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Dennison Heywood **
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Oswestry
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·
England
International
** Wales
international
Llewelyn Kenrick in later life.
Knyvett Crosse
Doctor Greenwood- he was a member of a cotton manufacturing family (in 1881 the family company employed 280 workers). Doctor was his given name. He later won 2 England caps (he was 18 years old when this match was played).
