The Whites started off brightly, and they scored after only ten minutes of play, when Johnston and Cooling combined well down the right, and when the latter’s shot was pushed out to Cavanagh, he scored with a neatly taken shot from ten yards out.

But instead of the Whites pushing for more goals, this seemed to galvanise the Reds and they scored five minutes later when a quickly taken free kick on the left was sent into the box and an easy equaliser was knocked in from close range.

The visitors were now on top and it was no surprise they took the lead after thirty-five minutes when a mistake in midfield allowed the Reds to score from another close range goal.

The second half saw the Whites up their tempo, and compete for the ball more than they had done in the first half, but against the run of play, the visitors increased their lead, when they scored their third after more sloppy work in midfield. Undaunted the Whites pushed forward and were rewarded in the eightieth minute, when substitute Mercer turned his defender on the right hand side of the box, and scored with a left foot shot, which gave the keeper no chance, a well taken goal.

Although the Reds defence were now in panic mode, the Whites were unable to find an equaliser, and lost their unbeaten league record, to a battling Reds team.