A goalmouth incident. A previously unpublished image.

The result of the match between Dorothy's Dollies - a team of girls from the Burnley Express office - and an Express Male XI was almost as confused as the game itself. The final score was either 4-2 or 5-2, or was it 3-0. Anyway, it was 2-0 at half-time, although it could have been 2-1. Well one thing is certain - the girls won.

The referee, Burnley footballer Billy Ingham, didn't only relax the rules for the girls. He turned a blind eye to obstruction by the men, providing it was done in a gentlemanly fashion. There were frequent absences from the field by both sides - hasty make-up repairs being the most common reason. Tackles were restricted to bear hugs (or were they cuddles') and shirt-pulling. Anyway the girls triumphed in the end but credit must go to the men, who were exceptionally enthusiastic when it came to congratulating the scorers-especially the female ones- in the traditional manner. Gentlemen even in defeat.