We take a nostalgic look way back to Thursday 24th Febuary 1955’s Official Match Program in which the Hammers take on Doncaster Rovers in the 1954 – 1955 Football league – Division II
The match was at the Boleyn Ground, Upton Park, London E13
Kick off was scheduled for 3:30pm
Pull up a chair and enjoy the program as they did back then #COYI ⚒🛠⚒
Delayed Visit:
This season’s welcome to Doncaster Rovers has been delayed by their progress in the F.A. Cup competition but our greeting to our northern opponents has not diminished
through this occurence. And in according them the usual hearty reception we take the opportunity of congratulating them for their share in a lengthy duel with Aston Villa that
created interest among fans in all parts of thc country.
Unfortunately this tussle availed neither thc victor or the vanquished. For the Rovers were brought down by the very next hurdle at St. Andrew’s and thus lost all further direct interest in the competition.
It thus falls to the Doncaster side to concentrate on improving their place in the league table, and a view of their rather uncomfortable position we can expect them to be very keen to make a good start on that venture today.
The rovers have, of course, already one success on the books against us this season, for they won a hard game at Belle Vue in October by a 2-1 margin, left-half Herbert being the scorer of their two goals (the second from a penalty) whilst sexton reduced the arrears for us 2 minutes from time.
That result was a little better than the corresponding one last season when the Yorkshiremen won their home game by 2-0. so we are naturally hoping that we shall maintain a further improvement here today by adding to the 2-1 margin that gained us the points at Upton Park in 1953-54.
Friendly Victory:
There were over 7,000 here last Saturday for the friendly game against Doncaster Rivers.
S.C. Simmering, the Austrian side which has been carrying out a lengthy tour in England during the past weeks. Considering the icy weather and the fact that the game received comparatively little Publicity the attendance was most heartening and the interest of those who were present was rewarded by the scoring of ten goals which were the result of some good soccer.
With our own XI playing somewhat below top speed for the first half the Austrians held us to 3-2 at the interval but with the Hammers hitting full stride after the resumption they were powerless to prevent us running up an 8-2 margin.
Like many Continental sides, Simmering played some very good soccer in mid-field but they were often too inclined to make that one extra move instead of having a shot at goal.
Much of the interest in the game was due to the initial appearances of Brian Moore and Billy Dare in our First XI and we gained much satisfaction from their displays. Moore was the only forward not to score but he did much towards our successes.
Brian Moore
Whilst Dare also made a notable debut by netting four times; one “own goal” plus a tally each from Hooper, Bennett and Musgrove completed our
goal-feast.
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