NEWTOWN and Liverpool may seem to have little in common.

However the Montgomeryshire side provided one of the first opposition to the newly founded Merseyside club on October 29, 1892.

County Times:

Anfield in the 1890s. Picture courtesy of Play Up, Liverpool.

Liverpool FC played their first match the previous month and welcomed the mid Wales side to Anfield for the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.

More than 4,000 spectators and ran out convincing 9-0 winners.

County Times:

Courtesy of Play Up, Liverpool.

Thomas Wylie led the rout with a hat-trick while Malcolm McVean netted twice and goals from John McCartney, Hugh McQueen and John Cameron, together with an own goal, completed the cup thrashing.

The Newtown team that day was: A. Edwards, Oliver Taylor, Alfred Townsend, Henry Tucker, Tom Chapman, Edward Rees, William Pryce-Jones, E. Evans, Tom Worthington, J. Thomas, W. Morgan.

A year later and the rivalry was renewed when Liverpool made the trip to Newtown.

At this point the mid Wales club was among the pioneers of the game in Wales and would meet Nottingham Forest, West Bromwich Albion and Everton during a boom time for the town.

On April 10, 1893 the sides squared off at the town’s Cunnings ground which has long since been replaced by Newtown Bowling Club.

County Times:

The site of the Cunnings in Newtown.

A crowd of 2,0000 is recorded to have been been present for the 6pm kick off.

The Newtown team included several future Welsh internationals and lined up as: A. Edwards, Oliver Taylor, Alf Townsend, E. Reese, Tom Chapman, H. Tucker, W.E. Pryce Jones, Tom Worthingon, E. Evans, W Morgan, William Parry.

The report in the Liverpool Mercury read: ‘Played at Newtown in splendid weather, but the attendance of spectators was not so large as might have been expected.

‘The game started very fast, and during the first half both goals had several narrow escapes, but nothing was scored.

‘In the second half the pace was well kept up, but neither side could notch a point, and the game ended in a draw.’