Gridball
1959

Defending Champions, Cheshire made a winning start to their campaign but it was West Ham who were the talk of their group and the First Round, coming through as the only perfect six game record, which included an incredible game in Oklahoma where Lugene Lea bagged a double brace for the home side, but still ended up on the wrong end of a 7-5 defeat when Betty Chalmers hit four for the Londoners. The group would be decided by the final two games where the Hammers burst the Champions bubble home and away.

Despite being held to a tie in one of their games, it was Liverpool who secured the most points in the first round, though this would be the final season where teams didn't carry their points into Round Two. Bonus points were picked up in a 14-1 aggregate over Portsmouth while Andree Dance came off the bench for the suspended Audrey O'Neill to hit all six goals in Kent, who would end their First Round with a negative points total that proved a portent for their ultimate demotion. Only Croydon kept the score down against the Liverbirds, holding them on Merseyside on a day when O'Neill was dismissed. A bonus point of their own in Portsmouth ensured the Crystals would progress behind the Liverbirds to the second phase.

The Claymores completed the trio of unbeaten sides in Group C where their only stutter was a tie in Mississippi. However, the Mockingbirds were ultimately unable to use that point to progress, ending all three of their home games by the same 1-1 scoreline, while Brooklyn secured the only bonus point of the group at Kingston's expense.

The remaining five group winners all had their colours lowered in their progress to round two. Belfast started their campaign with a crushing 0-4 home defeat against title tipped Plymouth, but the defeat galvanised the Northern Irish to win their remaining games, while the Pilgrims scraped through at the expense of a Manchester side whose 2-1 win in Devon on the final day fell two goals short of what they required continue their title bid.

Deposed Champions, Willesden started their season with a crushing 12-2 demolition of Indianapolis in Indiana, instantly followed by a 6-0 mauling of Nord. Neither side recovered, although the French at least would ultimately avoid demotion. Dublin proved tougher opposition, inflicting the Saxons only defeat.

The remaining three groups all produced nail biting finishes, although Not for St Louis, who became the hope of America after a confident performance to win a group where Monmouthshire had been favourites. The Welsh struggled and went into the final day sitting bottom of their group and needing a high scoring bonus point to have any hope of avoiding dropping into the repechage. Cometh the hour, as the Beacons threw caution to the wind and earned the reward of an 11-4 victory over Lancashire, which ensured their unlikely qualification when news of Chicago's defeat in Missouri came through. For the Flames it would prove costly as they and Lancashire both would suffer demotion come the season's end.

Los Angeles had been the original American title hope but found themselves topping the tightest group of all on the final day. Qualification was in their own hands as they faced Cork but slumped to a devastating defeat that saw the Rebels take top spot while Munich pulled off a double surprise in beating Bristol to nick the runner up spot. Yet again, a last gasp failure to progress would prove hugely costly when the Californian Dreamers collapsed in the Repechage and suffered a shock demotion.

And Lanarkshire made their tough group look easy when smashing Cardiff for nine on the final day to win the group in style while Houston suffered a surprise elimination when they were unable to beat outsiders, Manhattan.

Second Round

With a perfect six game first round record, that included home and away victories over the Champions, West Ham were installed as title favourites when they travelled to Dublin to start the second phase of the campaign. Hat-tricks for both Eileen Logan and Betty Chalmers helped cement that position, despite a spirited display from the home side who avoided the penalty point with four goals of their own. When the striking duo combined again for seven of the Hammers eight goals in the destruction of Plymouth, some pundits proclaimed them as champions elect. However, Lanarkshire proved more worthy opposition and inflicted the Hammers first defeat of the season, having themselves come off the back of a great bonus point win over Dublin. Away wins for both the Hammers and Miners in the penultimate game ensured that the Ravens and Pilgrims were eliminated before the final game.

Liverpool's unbeaten season remained secure in their first meeting with their second round opponents, despite blowing a two goal lead late on in Monmouthshire. Worse followed when the Welsh stunned the Liverbirds in the return fixture, coming this time from only a goal behind to win 4-2 in a game that threw the group wide open. Victories for the Liverbirds in Brooklyn and the Beacons over Cork put them in pole position going into the final round where both sides avoided defeat to move on. Cork would at least have the consolation of winning the cup the following month.

With West Ham and Liverpool both suffering defeat, it was left to Glasgow to be installed as the new title favourites when they reached the quarter finals without their colours being lowered. However the Scots were made to work for hard fought victories over Munich, St Louis and Croydon before a tie in Missouri on the final day ensured they progressed as unbeaten group winners. The Americans joined them thanks to a double over Croydon and a bonus point over the Bavarians to earn their last eight spot with a game to spare.

The last two places saw Willesden effectively put an end to Manhattan's title bid in the second game when Rosalie Williams hit four in a nine goal mauling, which was followed by a hat-trick in an 8-1 crushing of Belfast where Jean Anstiss also laid down her own ambitions to succeed her team mate as Golden Bat. The Champions also discovered their form against the Hapless New Yorkers where Carol Watson hit four in a 6-0 bonus win. A win for the Cats in London looked like securing top spot in the group before the Saxons battered Belfast again in Northern Ireland with hat-tricks again for Williams and Anstiss to go through in style.

Quarter Finals

The new two group quarter final format would prove unpopular with fans so this was the only time it was done. The winners of each group would go to Supergrid while the runners up would meet in the third placed play off for the Bronze medal.

The first round of games showed how tight things were likely to be as the last unbeaten record fell when Florence Heller sank the Claymores for Monmouthshire. West Ham popped the Champions baloon for the third time this season, Liverpool were stunned at outsiders St Louis and Jean Anstiss kept her Golden bat hopes going with the only goal in Ayr.

Despite a good win on the first day, Monmouthshire were the first to crack as four goals apiece for Eileen Logan and Betty Chalmers gave West Ham an 8-2 win that put them in the driving seat for a place in Supergrid and when Chalmers condemned Glasgow to three defeats in three, Group 1 appeared to be done and dusted with Cheshire surely set for the Bronze medal match.

Liverpool also saw their title ambitions end with defeats to both Lanarkshire and Willesden that left them with too much to do.

Matchday four saw West Ham tackle Champions Cheshire for the fourth time and, having beaten them three times already this season, a fourth victory would all but ensure the Londoners of their Supergrid place. With their crown on the line, the Cats played their best Gridball of the season as Sloane, Watson and Scafford capped a great 3-0 win.

Having lost in Lanarkshire and Willesden, St Louis needed a win in Liverpool to keep their hopes alive but they came off second best in a remarkable ten goal thriller where Sally Jellicoe bagged a hat-trick to keep Liverpool's Bronze medal hopes alive.

Penultimate matchday had West Ham fans celebrating as goals from Logan and Chalmers in the first eight minutes had them securing their Supergrid place with Cheshire being held by Glasgow. Events would take a dramatic turn. Carol Watson's two goals in a minute at the start of the second quarter put Cheshire on course for the points to delay the Supergrid party and she would go on to hit four as the Cats secured a desperately needed bonus point that gave them hope for the final day. As Jan Scafford scored the seventh goal to completely eliminate Glasgow, the Hammers still led 3-1 in Monmouthshire with just four minutes remaining. They would still carry a healthy two point advantage into the final day. The Beacons have been masters of the late fightback this season and Florence Heller's goal two minutes from time set up Mary Gilbert for a dramatic last gasp equaliser that suddenly threw a group wide open, when it had at one stage appeared done and dusted.

Group Two appeared far more straightforward as Jean Anstiss again inspired Willesden to a hard fought win in St Louis while Eleanor Butler's early goal was enough for the Miners to see off Liverpool. Only a four point turnaround for Lanarkshire could prevent Willesden reaching Supergrid while St Louis could steal the Bronze match spot if they could inflict a heavy defeat to the Scots.

Neither was ever likely as a tight game in Missouri was settled by two second half goals for the visitors to ensure they would play for a medal, while Willesden recovered from a goal down to go to Supergrid in style.

The real drama was reserved for the other group where West Ham started the day in pole position but the jittery Londoners looked out of sorts against a Glasgow side with nothing to play for but pride. Meanwhile Cheshire went for broke with Jan Scafford opening the scoring after just four minutes. If the Hammers didn't respond, the Champs were now going to Supergrid. However, Cheshire weren't going to depend on Glasgow and when Carol Watson put them 5-0 up a minute into the second half, the pendulum had swung away from the Hammers. A win over Glasgow for them would no longer be enough as Cheshire had a superior goals record. Pat Sterland's goal for Glasgow sixteen minutes from time sealed the Hammer's fate, and though they fought back to earn a tie, Cheshire ran riot 9-1 in Wales to reach Supergrid in sensational style.

For the devastated Hammers, at one stage so assured of their place in the showpiece, came the reality that they now had to pick themselves up for a bronze medal match with Lanarkshire.

Score correction: Willesden 1-0 Liverpool

Bronze Medal Match

Some tipsters predicted a Lanarkshire victory in the Bronze Medal match if only for the fact West Ham's players were so low after missing out on Supergrid. In fairness to the Londoners, they arguably shaded an open and exciting match, but Lanarkshire, and in particular Eleanor Butler was more clinical in the shooting zone, scoring twice in the second half to complete a hat-trick that settled the game in the Scots favour, while Vivienne Havergal joined the list of players to win three club or personal awards in one season, getting Bronze here to add to her Open cup silver and team of the year award.

SUPERGRID '59

Willesden First half blitz clinches title

Cheshire 0-4 Willesden
Kate Good {3}
Jean Anstiss {13, 27}
Rosalie Williams {29}

The Willesden Saxons hit defending champions, Cheshire with a second half blitz to match the Cats record of being the only teams to have won a second Supergrid.

Pre match talk was of a tight game between a Willesden side who came through the third phase of this season's competition unbeaten against a Cheshire side who smashed nineteen goals past their three third round opponents in their final three games to book their place in the showpiece.

With Nancy Berlin, Gabrielle Braid and Carol Watson all named in the 1959 team of the year, The Cats hoped the omens were in their favour against a Saxons team that included two of the team of the year in Sharon Wallis and Shooter, Jean Anstiss. The Welsh goal getter was honoured in Tuesday's end of season dinner by being named 1959 World Player of the Year. She also needed a goal to share the Golden Bat with West Ham's Betty Chalmers, who scored in the Bronze medal match last weekend.

The 1959 Final will go down as a tail of two forward lines, one that was clinical and one that misfired, yet it wasn't one of the regular goal getters that struck first. Rosalie Williams tried to set up Jean Anstiss in the third minute. Nancy Berlin was initially there to block the ball in, only for Kate Good to arrive unmarked to hit the Saxons into the lead. It was a sweet moment for the Irish Sweeper, playing her final game for the Saxons before returning to Dublin next season.

The jittery Cats couldn't get going in the first quarter and when Jean Anstiss struck again a couple of minutes before the first quarter turn around, the Saxons had the game by the throat. It was also the goal that ensured she would at the very least share the Golden Bat.

If Cheshire fans expected a response in the second quarter, they were to be bitterly disappointed by an error strewn performance that Willesden eventually punished with two further goals before the interval. At 0-2 down the hope was that the Cats could get back into the dressing room and regroup, but that hope was shattered when Anstiss got the goal that all but sealed this Final and confirmed her as the outright Golden Bat for 1959. A cheeky wave to Betty Chalmers, watching from the stands was met with a smile and a shrug by the West Ham shooter, in attendance to collect her now Silver Bat at full time.

Rosalie Williams was last years Golden Batter, and had swapped positions with Anstiss this term, and yet the forty year old veteran, setting a record as the oldest player to play in a Supergrid, has still been potent enough this season to secure a share of the Bronze Bat when scoring a killer fourth gaol right at the break.

As chart topper, Adam Faith performed to the crowd at half time, the Cheshire dressing room must have been an interesting place as the players were already conducting a post mortem. Their only hope was an early goal and when it didn't come, the Saxons players began to relax. Rosalie Williams even went to the crowd to retrieve a bat sprayed gold to present to Jean Anstiss at the end of the third quarter.

As the game drifted towards it's conclusion it turned into a battle for the Bronze Bat as Cheshire tried to tee up Carol Watson while all Willesden's moves went towards Rosalie Williams. Neither got a clear sight of goal and with a minute remaining, and the game over as a contest, both coaches sent on their subs, Shirley Doyle came on in goal to enable Birmingham bound Jenny Tresilian to receive the applause of the Cheshire fans in her last game for the Cats, while teenager, Jean Don took to the court to allow Jean Anstiss to receive the standing ovation of the crowd that her performance and season deserved.

4-0 it finished, with Kathleen Bidmead, who missed the 1957 victory, lifting the trophy as she, Sharon Wallis and Kate Good all got their first Championship gold medals.

It was only after the team came to get their medals that it became apparent that Jean Anstiss suffered a badly twisted ankle early in the third quarter and played on through the pain barrier.

West Ham and Willesden Shirley Pithers with Shani Wallis and Ann Hanslip.png

Willesden Saxons: 1959 World Champions

Netminder: Sharon Wallis- Age 25, Rated 8 {Superstar}

Image: Willesden Netminder, Sharon Wallis and defender Ann Hanslip with former team mate, Shirley Pithers of West Ham

1950s Hall of Famer

Left Guard: Ann Hanslip- Age 25, Rated 8 {Superstar}

{Pictured Right} A second title for the woman who captained the 1957 team and was in the team of the year in 1956.

Right Guard: Kathleen Bidmead - Age 32, Rated 6 {World Class}

1950s Hall of Famer

Sweeper: Kate Good - Age 21, Rated 5 {Excellent}

Irish International who arrived from Belfast at the start of the season and made an instant impact. Also won a Bronze medal in the Nations cup this season. The signing of Elizabeth Meriwether from Los Angeles at the end of the season suggested Good would lose her place so she decided to return to her home town Dublin team.

Image: Willesden captain Ann Hanslip is held aloft with Supergrid '60 trophy by Jean Anstiss and Kate Good and Jean Don

Centre: Margaret Rees - Age 25, Rated 8 {Superstar}

{Nee Dynevor} Welsh International, named in the 1952 Team of the Year when playing alongside her sister Anne, Signed for Willesden in 1956 and scored their first goal in the victorious Supergrid '57. Came third in the Gridballer of the Year award that season. In addition to her two Supergrids and two ToTYs, she also has two Nations Cup Silver Medals with the Welsh Squad of 1957 & 1959.

Attacker: Rosalie Williams - Age 40, Rated 8 {Superstar}

1950s Hall of Famer

Image: Willesden's Margaret Rees is mobbed by Beryl Lugg-Neville, Maureen Davis and Jean Anstiss after opening the Supergrid '57 scoring against Portsmouth. Their players, Nan Clarke [foreground} and Ilene Andrews look on