The story of Gridball 1960
Twelve franchises were offered in 1955 to commence play in 1960.
3 each from West German and Italy and 1 each from Australia, Cuba, France , Greece and Austria
Sydney - New South Wales, Australia - Named Matildas for the song Waltzing Matilda, considered an unofficial national anthem
Vienna - Austria - Named Waltzers after the Vienna Waltz
Oriente - Cuba- Named Demons for their crimson and Black colours
Calbria - Italy - Named Bergamots for the fruit of the region
Saint Denis - Seine, France- Named Guppies for their Guppie green colours
Macedonia - Greece - Named Gymnasts for Greek Olympian heritage
Baden - Baden-Wurtemberg, West Germany - Named Butterfiles for non specific reason
Hamburg - West Germany - Named Dinosaurs for non specific reason
Abruzzo- Italy - Named Dolphins as a symbol of the region
Cologne - Nordrhine Westphalia, West Germany - Named Nannies after a local Goat
Liguria - Italy - Named Griffins for non specific reason
Havanna - Cuba - Named Hurricanes for the weather in the region
Each of the twelve new teams were placed into the new Regional Third Division
Ota - Tokyo, Japan - were offered a franchise in 1956 and set to commence in 1957 but were offered a place a year early to balance the Third Division - Named Nadashiko, which means ideal woman in Japanese.
First Round
In a two year plan to reduce the Elite Division to a single sixteen team table, the bottom team in each group was demoted to Division Two for 1961. The Demoted teams were Munich, Newark, Copenhagen, Philadelphia, Belfast, Mississippi, Manhattan and Rotterdam.
The third placed teams dropped into the Repechage against the top eight teams from Division Two.
Second Round
Quarter Finals
Dublin smashed by Champs; Lanarkshire win Cup Final rehearsal; Cheshire maintain hex on Liverpool; Glasgow squeeze past Bristol
Dublin 0-8 Willesden
This tie is effectively over as a horrendous performance saw the Ravens torn to shreds by the overwhelming power of the World Champions. Jean Anstiss set the tone, cracking the goal frame in the opening minutes before Rosalie Williams made the most of a half chance to open the scoring in the 7th minute. From there it was simply one way traffic in a devastating display that saw the entire Willesden team barring goalie, Sharon Wallis get named as the team of the week. Wallis was a mere spectator as Williams ripped the Dublin defence to pieces to create the opportunity for a tap in on 19 minutes before Margaret Rees capitalised on another half chance a minute later to put the score on the day beyond the Ravens. The Ravens tried to limit the damage in the third quarter, but the work was undone when presenting Jean Don with a chance she couldn’t miss on thirty-nine minutes. Anstiss added number five before the end of the third quarter and when Williams completed her hat-trick with another half chance for eight minutes from time, the Ravens looked like a team who just wanted to get off court as their
fans began leaving the arena. Elizabeth Meriwether {58} added icing to the cake before a good Jean Anstiss effort in the dying seconds.
West Ham 2-3 Lanarkshire
A precursor for the Cup Final next month and the Miners will be delighted to return to Scotland with the advantage. The Scots started by far the better of the two teams with Gardiner making a good early save from Gilan, while comfortably clearing from March, but she was powerless to prevent the Miner's star opening the scoring after nine minutes. However, that instantly woke the Hammers up with Betty Chalmers smashing in an equaliser that left Prussia helpless. Hammers defender, Mary Grafton was having a great first quarter with excellent blocks to deny Gilan and March. However, the Londoners were grateful to get in at the break on level terms and took full advantage at the start of the second half with Betty Chalmers doing brilliantly before giving Prussia no chance with her shot. The second half developed into a cracker with both goalies making brilliant saves to keep the score down while Eileen March missed a golden opportunity to level at the start of the fourth quarter. With twelve minutes left, Hazel Todd produced what would prove to be a match winning master stroke, bringing on Anne Iddon for Sigurbjörg Sveinsdóttir. Although unlucky for the Icelandic who had a great game, the pace of Iddon had an instant effect. Within two minutes, Phyllidia Gilan took advantage of poor Hammer’s defending to draw level and two minutes later, picked up on a mistake by Hammer's goalie, Gardiner to fire the Miners in front. Lanarkshire shut the game down from that point and now look strong for the semi-finals, as well as a crucial phycological cup final advantage.
Cheshire 3-1 Liverpool
A late Liverpool Sally Jellicoe goal could be crucial in the second leg across the Mersey after the Cats built a strong first leg advantage in this one. However it was Liverpool who started the game the stronger, and it could have been a very different match had Jellicoe not seen an early effort bounce away off the goal frame. Within a couple of minutes Cheshire were in front, a sleepy Liverpool back line letting Carol Watson get in too easily to strike the crucial first point. In a tight game, dominated by defences, Susan Booth’s goal four minutes before the break looked like a crushing blow to the Liverbirds as Cheshire made their more clinical finishing count. The Cats couldn’t have made a stronger start to the third quarter as Sabrina Kaye’s mistake gifted Watson a third goal. Liverpool threw caution to the wind and were rewarded midway through the quarter as Sally Jellicoe pulled a crucial goal back. With the game stretched, both sides had their chances as Nancy Berlin made a crucial block while Booth was unable to take advantage of more sloppy Liverpool defending. It’s Cheshire with the advantage but Liverpool not out of this at all.
Glasgow 2-1 Bristol
A tie that sits perfectly poised that few will be willing to call. As the game between the teams who finished regular season in 4th and 5th, that was probably understandable. Lydia Law got the Claymores off to a great start, converting a 5th minute half chance before Grace McCorkindale missed a glorious opportunity, having done the hard part in breaking free of the Bristol defenders. However, that paled in comparison to Anita Tuckey just before the end of the first quarter when she too did brilliantly in build up only to miss with the goal at her mercy. Glasgow doubled their lead in the second quarter after Grace McCorkindale’s blocked shot was turned in by the quick reactions of Jo Prowse. Bristol needed a response and got it just before the interval when Joan Bellamy’s strong shot gave left Fraser helpless. However, the Claymores should perhaps have restored their two goal advantage right on half time when sloppy Fighters defending gave McCorkindale an opportunity she couldn’t direct on target. After such an entertaining first half, the second was a bore fest as neither side risked losing their position to try and improve it. Glasgow played out, happy with a goal lead while Bristol were content to take them back to England to claw back the deficit. One of them will rue their cautious approach.
Willesden walkover; Lanarkshire demolish Hammers; Liverpool smash Cats; Bristol squeeze through
Willesden {walkover} Dublin Aggregate 8-0
After being defeated 8-0 in front of their own fans, Dublin's board approached the World Gridball Federation to enquire if there was any point staging the second leg at all. The WGF put it to Willesden who happily accepted a forfeit of the tie to be settled on the score from the first leg. So, while the other Quarter Finals were being settled, the Saxons spent an enjoyable weekend off at a health club. And for Welsh duo, Jean Anstiss and Margaret Rees, it also meant they could enjoy a leisurely trip back from their Nations cup win last weekend in Argentina, instead of the mad dash to get back for a match.
Lanarkshire 7-0 West Ham {Aggregated 10-2}
What a way to prepare for a Cup Final? Lanarkshire crushed West Ham in a clinical display of finishing, as one player took her opportunity to get back into the team and another played mother hen and protector to perfection. Lanarkshire fans arrived at the arena to the news that they would face the Hammers with an untried youth teamer in goal after Yvonne Prussia had to withdraw this morning. Fifteen-year-old Annika Bell was the surprise name on the team sheet as the Miner’s lack of a proper deputy custodian was horribly exposed when Prussia had to withdraw. That news came on top of the loss of Phyllidia Gilan yesterday with a horrible looking gash on her knee in training, which offered the chance of a return to action for their forgotten woman, Eleanor Butler. That was an opportunity the American would grab with both hands on a day to remember for the Scots.
The keenness to defend their inexperienced goal tender showed in a first quarter where Hammer’s Shirley Pithers looked like almost single headedly taking the match and the tie as she repeatedly got the better of Hilary Scoffield in the first quarter. She was also profiting from the Miner’s right where Ann Iddon was being twisted inside and out by Pauline Dobby. If the Miners were going to preserve their slim first leg advantage, they needed a change. Coach Todd pushed the ineffective Iddon forward to help Scoffield with Vivienne Havergal acting as a last line of defence for the rookie goalie, Bell. It worked better than Todd could ever have hoped as the Miners snatched a crucial second quarter lead when Ann Fletcher’s mistake was pounced on by Eleanor Butler to open the scoring and set in motion a crazy few minutes that largely settled the tie. March came close to quickly doubling the lead before Chalmers got a first site of Bell’s goal only for Havergal to make the first of three crucial blocks, which set the Miners back on the attack where this time March made no mistake.
2-5 down on aggregate at the interval, the Hammers came out with a do or die attitude in the third quarter. Alas for them it was the die part that came off after Bell made a first, confidence boosting save early in the Second half Chalmers before the same player fired narrowly wide. Any hope of a fight back was quashed four minutes into the third quarter when March made it 3-0 on the day and effectively settled the tie 6-2 on aggregate. The goal crushed West Ham as Lanarkshire went for their throat in the remainder of the third period as Butler struck twice in a minute. The Hammers rarely saw young Bell’s goal and when the teenager did make her only error of the game, Havergal was there again with a great block, though it would have made little difference if Dobby, at one time a shoe in for the Golden bat, had scored. Ironic that today, her goal tally for the season was matched by March as she netted twice in a minute at the end of the third quarter. Seven goals to the good, the Miners relaxed in the final quarter and allowed West Ham to dominate, but even then, they rarely saw the Scots goal, with Havergal in brilliant form.
Liverpool 6-0 Cheshire {Aggregate 7-3}
Was this the day that Liverpool’s Cheshire hoo doo was laid to rest. The Liverbirds have always come off second best in big games with the Cats, including two Supergrids, but today, everything went to plan as they overhauled the first half deficit and while goalie, Janet Horsbrough was on hand time after time to keep the Cats out. It could have been oh so different for the Cats as both sides made a positive opening. Susan Booth was twice denied in the opening minutes, first when stunned to find her opposite attacking number, Sally Jellicoe back helping out her defence with a great block before Horsbrough made a breathtaking save to prevent the Liverbirds falling further behind in the tie. A 1-4 aggregate might have been too much to claw back but within a couple of minutes it was 1-0 on the day and 2-3 in the tie as Thelma Bradford started yet another brilliant afternoon in the Teal number 7 shirt. Three minutes in their second quarter the Liverbirds were two up on the day and level on aggregate as Bradford was again on hand to net before completing her hat-trick to put them in front 4-3 over the tie.
The first goal of the second half was crucial and it was Diana Arnould who grabbed it to give Liverpool a 4-0 lead on the day and 5-3 over the tie, which was effectively settled by a Bradford double midway through the quarter. Liverpool were in celebration mode by the final quarter as Cheshire tried to put some respect on the scoreline but a horrible Carol Watson miss summed up their afternoon.
Bristol 3-1 Glasgow {Aggregate 4-3}
The tie of the day was an action packed one that will be remembered for a match wining late block that takes the Fighters to their first ever Semi Final. Bristol made the more clinical start with Joan Bellamy and Julia Johns scoring the goals that turned the tie in their favour. And if the gods were going to device who was going to win this contest, they made up their mind in the second quarter. Florence Murray has enjoyed a great season with the Fighters and Northern Ireland, but perhaps playing every week in big games has taken its toll as she made a tired and clumsy challenge on Helen Davis to offer Glasgow a chance to level the tie. On a mixed afternoon for Lydia Law, she watched in horror as her dead hit crashed back off the goal frame. It got worse for the Claymores captain when she was caught napping just before the break and could only watch as Bellamy lashed in a third on the day, to make it 4-2 on aggregate.
Game management was Bristol’s aim after the interval but were fortunate not to be punished early on when Grace McCorkindale latched on to sluggish defending but squandered a great chance. The Claymores upped the tempo in the closing stages and were rewarded three minutes from time when Law brought the game back to a goal. However, it was McCorkindale who had the chance to snatch a last gasp goal which would have tied the game on aggregate and taken Glasgow through on away goals. With the goal seemingly at her mercy, McCorkindale crumpled with her head in hands when Anita Tuckey got back to make a match winning block.
Meanwhile it was reported that the Willesden players enjoyed an afternoon being pampered in a beautician’s to celebrate their place in the semi-finals. After a crushing 8-0 victory in Dublin a fortnight ago, their opponents forfeited the tie, with the WGF accepting that the second leg was largely a pointless exercise.
The Saxons will now travel to Bristol in a fortnight for the first leg of the Semi finals while high scoring Lanarkshire and Liverpool will meet on Merseyside.
1960 Supergrid Semi Finals
Played over two legs. The winner on aggregate progress to Supergrid '60, the losers play for the Bronze Medals. In a tie, the team who scores the most goals on the road wins. If still tied, the lower ranked team {at home in the first leg} will go through
Champions take command, Miners hold slender advantage
Bristol 1-3 Willesden
Before the game, she was seen reading the scandalous Lady Chatterley's Lover. After it she was hailed as a star of 1960. American, Elizabeth Meriweather tormented Bristol this afternoon to put the Champions in firm command of this Gridball Semi Final.
The Saxons won’t admit it themselves, but few will argue that they’ve surely booked their place at Supergrid ’60 in this game, even though the Fighters will be unlikely to throw in the towel the way the Dubliners did in the quarters.
Meriwether was the architect of everything brilliant the Saxons did, working well with Rosalie Williams to carve out the sixth minute opening, which the former converted. The Fighters were still reeling when Meriwether again put through a ball for Anstiss who’s effort crashed back off the frame of the goal.
The Fighters recovered their discipline sufficiently to restrict the Saxons to a Williams half chance in the second quarter, but at the interval had created nothing of their own.
That had to change in the second half and a more adventurous Bristol began to ask questions of the Saxons defence, with Julia Johns did well to carve out a chance without troubling Wallis. However, that gave the Saxons, and the outstanding Meriwether, the chance to carve out more chances of their own and they smashed another dagger into the home side’s hearts with nineteen minutes remaining with a cool Williams finish.
Willesden appeared to be coasting towards Supergrid but then proceeded to gift Bristol a way back into the tie as a lazy sliced clearance from Shanni Wallis with thirteen minutes remaining bounced into her own basket. Hopes of salvaging a tie to take to London were quickly dashed by MVP, Meriwether, who got the goal her performance deserved with a great finish nine minutes from time.
Most will feel that the Saxons have done enough, and if they have, the 22 year old Californian, Meriwether will have carved herself legendary status.
Liverpool 1-1 Lancashire
The press have been cruel to the Lanarkshire Miners this week after defeat in the Cup Final last Saturday was followed with a string of headlines citing them as chokers and bottlers. In the space of one calendar year they’ve picked up back to back cup final silver medals, a Supergrid Bronze and a Regular Season Silver. They need some Gold to kill the suggestion of nearly girls, which only served to add pressure in this visit to Liverpool. Both sides crushed their quarter final opponents, so a high scoring affair was hoped for. Instead, this was a cagey battle, tighter to call than a Presidential debate.
If Liverpool were the experience of Vice President Nixon, then Lanarkshire were the polish of Senator Kennedy. The only clear cut opportunity of the first half fell to Sally Jellicoe, whose sixth minute effort was defended well by Eleanor Butler, back helping out her back line. However, this was a game that didn’t spark into action until after the interval when Eileen March’s opportunist effort beat Horsbrough to open the scoring for the visitors.
Liverpool were stunned into an instant response, and almost got it as Thelma Bradford deserved more than to hit the goal frame with her effort from the restart. As the game moved into the final quarter, Liverpool’s urgency to avoid travelling to Scotland with a deficit grew, and was ultimately rewarded with a great effort from Jellicoe to level the tie nine minutes from the end. Thelma Bradford could have won it for the Liverbirds five minutes from time, but Prussia did well to force her to shoot wide.
It's a Willesden vs Liverpool final as Champs face number two seed in the big one for the first time.
Willesden 5-1 Bristol {8-2 Aggregate}
Willesden were already in command of this semi final at bat off, but they imposed an iron grip on the tie to crush any attempted Bristol resistance and book their Supergrid place in stunning fashion. If Elizabeth Meriwether was the hero of the first leg, Margaret Rees was the tormentor in chief here. Her twelfth minute goal of the season contender was just reward for a bright start by the Saxons and left former Saxon reserve goalie, Isabelle Jeffrey helpless.
A harsh beating today shouldn’t detract from a brilliant season for the Fighters, who will play for Bronze in both Supergrid and the Cup in the coming weeks. They were determined to make the Saxons fight for their honour and were handed a chink of daylight in the second quarter by Jean Don’s clumsy challenge on Florence Murray. Joan Bellamy stepped up to beat Wallis and level the tie on the day. However, any hope of that sparking a revival were snuffed out in less then a minute by the ruthless Rees with an effort that will give goalie Jeffrey nightmares as a tame effort was allowed to bobble past her to restore Willesden’s lead on the day.
The second half was a foregone conclusion once Ress completed her hat-trick and when Rosalie Williams quickly added a fourth, Bristol were a demoralised outfit. Rees should have added a fifth in the dying minutes, only to be denied by a cynical trip from Tuckey, which deserved harsher punishment than a final amber warning. Williams delivered the ultimate punishment of a goal from the dead hit to seal a 5-1 victory on the day and 8-2 aggregate.
Coach Pamela Sholto now faces the dilemma of sticking with this team or does she bring back star player, Jean Anstiss, who missed the game, having been concussed in training during the week. Rosalie Williams also made the emotional announcement that today was her last game in front of her home crowd. The Willesden veteran who also won the title back in 1951 with Liverpool, will fittingly end her career against her former club at Gridball ’60 next month.
Lancashire 0-1 Liverpool {1-2 Aggregate}
Three silver medals and a bronze in the various competitions for the Lanarkshire Miners over the last two seasons. And now, yet again, they will play for the minor honours after seeming to choke at the crucial time once more. They looked to have done the harder part of this semi final in leaving Merseyside all square with a crucial away goal, but they choked horribly again today and the 1-0 victory does little to reflect Liverpool’s dominance.
Had the Liverbirds missed out today, they would have had only themselves to blame after a performance where they were on top for long periods, missed golden chances, and yet were thankful to two excellent Janet Horsbrough saves at crucial times. Had Eleanor Butler’s early opportunity beaten the Liverbird custodian, today’s outcome might have been different, but it was Liverpool who were galvanised by the early let off and, as half time approached, were wondering how on earth this tie wasn’t already settled in their favour.
A big reason was Anne Iddon. Often criticised for some ropey performances in big games this season, today she stood up as Lanarkshire’s best player, twice making great last-ditch blocks to deny Jellicoe. And when she couldn’t save the day, Liverpool’s forwards did it for her. First Thelma Bradford missed a chance that seemed easier to score before Diana Arnould opted to trump her teammate with an even more glorious chance squandered.
With the half time hooter ready to blow, came what proved the decisive moment of this semifinal. Magda Miller will wonder for the rest of her days what possessed her to swipe a foot at a loose ball in the shooting zone, but the umpires red flags went up almost in unison and the penalty was awarded. Yvonne Prussia had been something of a heroine in the first leg but could do nothing here to stop Sally Jellicoe giving the Liverbirds the lead.
Miller clearly looked rattled by her costly error as the second half got underway, and she was almost the catalyst for a second Liverpool goal, getting caught in two minds whether to catch or hit a loose ball before doing neither and allowing it to fall for Jellicoe. This time the error was saved by the frame of the goal and Lanarkshire lived on.
A brilliant third quarter save by Prussia kept Scottish hopes alive, but chances were few in front of Horsbrough’s goal and when it did come late on, the Liverpool goalie was ready for it. With less than two minutes on the clock, Eileen March was presented with the opportunity she’d wanted all day and, as a stadium rose to celebrate forcing extra time, Horsbrough was on hand with a fantastic save to ensure the Liverbirds would be celebrating barely ninety seconds later.
And so to Gridball 1960 between two sides who’ve met twice in the Quarter Finals with honours even and a record that both went on to win the title after defeating the other. For Willesden, the chance to be the first team to defend the crown, and a record third time lifting the supreme honour. For Liverpool a chance to put to rest a curse that’s seen them lost the showpiece three times since their glory in 1951. And for Rosalie Williams, a fitting send off.
Repechage
In the repechage, the teams that finished third in their regular season elite group drop down to take on the best eight teams from the Second Division in four groups of four teams. The group winners and runners up will be in the elite Championship in 1961.
Nottinghamshire will play elite Gridball for the first time in 1961 after a 3-1 win over New Orleans saw them join Lancashire, Los Angeles, Kent and Staffordshire in the big time. Both of the outlaws' predecessor sides, Derbyshire and Leicestershire were top flight regulars before dropping out to merge a few years ago. The plan was that they could return to the top flight with their combined strength. That plan is now complete and the Outlaws will be among the top twenty-four teams in the land next season.
At the other end of the scale, Manchester and Plymouth will be missing from the Elite line up for the first time in a decade after both were demoted to the Second Tier. Both sides went down with a whimper as the Bees were smashed 0-5 at Promoted Los Angeles while the Pilgrims fell 1-6 at Birmingham, who retained their top flight status in the process, breaking the hearts of New Orleans in the process. The Americans initially thought they'd done enough, despite defeat today, until hearing of the Bullettes bonus point.
SUPERGRID '60
Sudden death seals final marred by injury
Willesden 3-2 Liverpool
0-1 Elizabeth Meriwether Own Goal {12}
1-1 Elizabeth Meriwether {13}
1-2 Diana Arnould {34}
2-2 Jean Don {53}
3-2 Margaret Rees {68}
The press hailed this as the tightest final in history to call between the two best teams in the World, and they called it spot on, though sadly it will be remembered for a horrible clash midway through the second quarter that marred the game.
The major blow for the defending champions was that Jean Anstiss, their star Shooter set to be inducted into the hall of fame next weekend, would miss out, having failed to recover from a training injury before the semi final. Kathleen Bidmead relished an unfamiliar role of shooter in the semi final, and would do so again today, though captaincy remained with Anne Hanslip for the big occasion. A cagey start was expected and sure enough, neither side made any major inroads in the opening exchanges of a tie that burst into life approaching the end of the first quarter. Thelma Bradford received the ball wide in Willesden's shooting zone and whipped in a fierce drive towards Sally Jellicoe. However both Gridballer of the year, Elizabeth Meriwether and Saxons goalie, Sharon Wallis had it covered, but a ball travelling too fast to attempt to catch left the American Centre reaching with her bat as she failed to get a call from her custodian to leave it. The ball spun wickedly up from her reach, past the committed Wallis and into an unguarded basket with Jellicoe there to make sure, if any doubt were in place.
It was a piece of cruel ill fortune for the player who arrived at the start of the season from sunny California and who took these Saxons to another level this season. However, Meriwether is being inducted into the hall of fame this season too with good reason and it took her less than a minute to get on the end of Rosalie William's ball in to slot it cleverly past an unbalanced Janet Hansbrough to equalise.
It was just the start of an action packed emotional roller coaster of a day for Meriwether as the second half commenced with her racing in to catch a high ball only to find Liverpool's Constance Kidd on the same mission. Kidd's season was wrecked by a back injury, which saw her only get involved in their campaign on quarter final first leg day, and her awful luck was to continue here. The two were completely unaware of each other as they leapt at the ball, clashing and both then falling heavily and it was clear instantly that both were in considerable pain. Meriwether sat up holding her left shoulder, her arm useless by her side while Kidd lay motionless, frozen by the pain of a fractured upper arm, which saw her immediately rushed to hospital.
It wasn't the way anybody wanted to see Katherine Molloy gain a deserved appearance on the court, having played a major part in Liverpool's campaign prior to Kidd's return in October but she would prove anything but a handicap as the Liverbirds took the upper hand.
Perhaps it was a mistake for Meriwether to insist on continuing as she was clearly impeded by an immobile left arm and shoulder, greatly reducing her ability to effect the game as half time approached.
The light relief of Lonnie Donegan reprising his novelty hit from the Spring, My Old Man's A Dustman briefly took minds off the horrible injury to Kidd for the fans, surprised to see Meriwether return for the second half, her left arm now strapped to her side.
Clearly only a player of this calibre could be considered worth persevering with when so handicapped but the decision of Sholto to allow her star to continue looked to be a mistake when Sharon Wallis hesitated to challenge for a ball in the shooting zone, leaving it instead for Meriwether who didn't have the mobility to react. Diana Arnould, back to goal, had the speed of thought to pounce on the hesitancy to lash the ball past Wallis to put Liverpool in front.
As the rarely used Betty Coupland warmed up, Meriwether had one last impact on the game, cracking the ball off the frame of Horsbrough's goal as she tried to repeat the trick that saw her carve an equaliser within a minute of going behind the first time. Without the creativity and threat of, even an injured, Meriwether, Willesden looked devoid of ideas on how to penetrate a resolute and composed Liverpool side who, themselves, appeared to be playing a 'what we have we hold' game.
Such tactics are always dangerous when holding a one goal lead and with the game counting down to just seven minutes, it was up to the young player of the year, Jean Don to salvage Willesden's season, firing home an excellent finish on the volley. There was almost a sense of feeling that the Willesden players grew an inch with that goal while Liverpool's stars appeared to sense the fates would once again be against them.
The Saxons did most of the attacking from this point forward, failing to kill the game off in normal time, they emerged, without the withdrawn Coupland for extra time. Liverpool's tired veteran, Audrey O'Neill was their obvious withdrawal, and her presence was missed as Willesden began exploiting the space. Five minutes into sudden death, Liverpool risked leaving
Liverpool's Thelma Bradford and Willesden's Kathleeen Bidmead before bat off in Supergrid '60
© Linwelly 2023
space at the back as Molloy retired alongside Willesden's makeshift shooter, Bidmead and the five aside became decidedly one sided as Sholto's tactics now appeared to have moved the game decidedly towards the Champions.
Rosalie Williams perhaps could and should have capped her final game before retirement, but the forty-one year old former Liverpool favourite applied a weak and off target finish after good work to create the space. No matter, just two minutes later that Margaret Rees, a scorer in 1957 and aiming to be the first player to win Supergrid and Nations cup in the same season scruffily directed the ball past Horsbrough to retain the title for the Saxons.
On a brutally difficult day, the Liverbirds are left to reflect if they really are cursed as they suffer a fourth Supergrid defeat in eight years, but for the Saxons it's a record third title and a gauntlet laid down to the rest to see if they can stop a side who've now won three of the last four editions.
Willesden Saxons: 1960 World Champions
Netminder: Sharon Wallis- Age 27, Rated 8 {Superstar}
Image: Willesden Netminder, Sharon Wallis and defender Ann Hanslip with former team mate, Shirley Pithers of West Ham
Left Guard: Ann Hanslip- Age 26, Rated 8 {Superstar}
{Pictured Right} One of the trio of Saxons collecting a third Supergrid brooch and captaining the side for the second consecutive success.
Right Guard: Jean Don - Age 18, Rated 7 {Star}
1960 Young player of the Year and the youngster with the cool head on her shoulders to score the late equaliser that forced extra time. Don gets her second brooch when still a teenager and while last year she played just the final minute of the game, this time she was an integral part of the team. Did an excellent job keeping Sally Jellicoe in check.
Sweeper: Elizabeth Meriwether - Age 22, Rated 10 {Legend}
The star player signed from Los Angeles at the start of the season who proved to be such a success that she was named Gridballer of the Year and is due to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Few players have ever had a more eventful Supergrid as the 1959 Nations Cup winner. Scoring for both teams within a minute in the first quarter before dislocating her shoulder in the awful crash with Liverpool's Kidd that saw the latter break her arm. Opted to play on, hitting the frame to almost equalise before being replaced in the third quarter.
Image: Willesden's Kathleen Bidmead {with trophy} held aloft to her left by Jean Don after the 1959 victory. Both featured again this year.
Centre: Margaret Rees - Age 26, Rated 8 {Superstar}
Joked after the game that new Liverpool signing, and former Willesden team mate, Maureen Davis called her a greedy old cow after scoring the winner in sudden death. Rees became the first player to win Supergrid and the Nations Cup {Wales} in the same season, as well as claiming her third brooch. She also scored in the 1957 victory over Portsmouth.
Attacker: Rosalie Williams - Age 41, Rated 7 {Superstar}
Image below. Californian, Elizabeth Meriwether had an eventful Supergrid '60
Shooter: Kathleen Bidmead - Age 33, Rated 4
Defender who came in as a makeshift shooter for the unfortunate Jean Anstiss when she was injured. Bidmead made a nuisance of herself in attack but isn't comfortable at that end of the court and rarely threatened to score. Collected her second brooch after being the Right Guard in the side last year.
Substitute: Betty Coupland - Age 33, Rated 2 {Okay}
Right place, right time for the veteran attacker, who was a regular for the Saxons way back in 1952 Semi Final side but hasn't started a game for them since. A fine player in most sides, she's not of the quality of her team mates here, and was the obvious choice to get hooked as soon as sudden death started.
Image: Willesden's Margaret Rees Celebrates her goal in 1957
Top Scorers: 1960
1960 Team of the Year
Second Division
The bottom team in each Second Division Group was Demoted while the eight teams remaining teams with the worst record entered a play-off competition with the best eight Regional teams to play in Division Two next season, which was split into a Western Division Two and Eastern Division Two.
Third Division
1960 Open Cup Quarter Finals
1960 Open Cup Semi Finals
1960 Open Cup Final
Hammers win the Cup;
Miners lose again.
The Lanarkshire hoodoo struck yet again as the Cup Final favourites missed out on yet another trophy.
Since last season they've now lost back to back Cup Finals, picked up a bronze medal after losing a Supergrid Semi Final and missed out on the Regular Season Shield this year on the last matchday.
Against a West Ham team they've had the upper hand on in recent seasons, they yet again came up short when gold was in sight.
For the Essex girls, it was timely revenge for missing out on a medal in last year's Supergrid to the Scots, before seeing their ambitions for this season crushed by a rampant Miners side in last weekend's semi final.
A seven goal mauling in Ayr last Saturday, coming on the back of losing 2-3 at home to the Scots a fortnight before, left the Hammers firmly in the underdog position going into todays final. However, this time they made the most of home advantage to largely dominate a surprisingly timid Miners side and claim their first medals and honour since winning the World title in 1956.
Pauline Dobby bagged both goals to reopen a lead over her Golden bat rival, Eileen March, but now has to sit and wait while March plays three more Supergrid games before knowing if she's done enough to be crowned top scorer of 1960.
Meanwhile for the Miners, they now have to visit Liverpool next Saturday for the first leg of their Supergrid semi final, knowing that the mantle of big game bottlers is growing.
1960 Nations Cup Quarter Finals
1960 Nations Cup Semi Finals
Nations Cup Final
Finally! Wales are World Champions, but only just.
After twice reaching the showpiece of International Gridball, and twice falling short, the Welsh Dragons finally cleared the final hurdle to be crowed World Nations Champions at the third attempt, But boy! has there ever been a duller game of Gridball than the evening spent watching them overcome Northern Ireland in Belfast?
A change to the rules of Nations cup meant that as the weaker ranked nation, Northern Ireland had home advantage for the cup final. And the rule, brought in to bolster attendance figures, did the trick as the game captured the imagination of the Ulster public. However, it won't be a tussle that will live long in the memory.
Sixty minutes of the most sterile Gridball most could remember witnessing saw the home side create literally no attacking threat at all, while trying to stifle the potency of the Welsh. If the plan was to try and get to Sudden Death and then hope that the withdrawal of players might present an opportunity, it very nearly came off. Only once did Wales manage to breach the Ulster defence, eleven minutes from time when Jean Anstiss went close with her effort. The clearly frustrated Welsh gave it their best but were repeatedly kept at bay by the massed ranks of the Northern Ireland all out defence.
Sudden death would indeed settle the tie but the Irish didn't get time to see the teams being reduced as Anstiss wasn't going to miss when presented with a second chance. The home crowd were almost relieved that someone put this game out of its misery. However, in years to come, when the Welsh players look at their Gold medals, nobody will care it was the dullest game in history.