The Western Mail of 3rd April 1893 printed a report and separate analysis of this seemingly exciting game for which Oldham had erected stands for an extra 10,000 spectators. Not a victory, and not particularly renowned, but clearly one of Newport's more historic games:-
"NEWPORT V. OLDHAM."
"The visit of the famous Welsh cracks to Oldham attracted general attention in Lancashire, and the Watersheddings ground was crowded by an assembly of 14,000 spectators from all parts of the North, for whom excellent provision had been made by the erection of stand accommodation for 10,000 extra spectators. The weather was, however, showery, and rain was falling heavily when the rivals entered the enclosure at 3.30. Both teams were lustily cheered, and the Newport men received rounds of enthusiastic applause. The Oldham team lacked Mills, who was re-placed by Lees, whose full-back position was taken by Pennington. The Newport team was as advertised. McCutcheon kicked off, and Parfitt returned neatly to the centre , whence Boucher made a magnificent kick to the Oldham line, Pennington returning nicely. McCutcheon and Murrell cleared completely, but Boucher neutralised by another tall punt. Bert Gould passed nicely to Dauncey, who failed in a drop at goal. Fast play ensued in the Oldham half. McCutcheon ran well to midfield, where Parfitt collared him, and another concerted effort by the Newport pack was spoiled by Bonsor. Lees, Chadwick, and Blomley dribbled grandly away, placing Oldham inside the Welsh ground for the first time, but Arthur Gould kicked back strongly, and the advantage was only temporary. Andrew, however, kicked nicely for Oldham, and the visitors replied by neat combination between Thomas and the brothers Gould. Play was fast and very even, but neither side could get away from neutral territory. After an exchange of kicks by Andrew and England Andrew came away, and McCutcheon and Blomley added ground until Oldham were found pressing on the Welsh 25. The speedier Newport forwards asserted themselves, and persistent scrimmaging brought play gradually to the centre, where Cooper got possession, and running nicely gave Arthur Gould a pretty pass, which the latter improved grandly by running straight around the home backs and scoring a beautiful try in the corner, from which difficult place Cooper failed to convert. After the re-start Newport penned the homesters at length, and they were given a free kick near the quarter flag, from where Cooper had no difficulty in placing a clever goal. Subsequent to the drop out Oldham, by good play from Andrew and Arthur Lees, gained a position inside the visitors' half, and after a few moments Dauncey kicked powerfully, but nice dribbling by Arthur Lees and Blomley, and an effective clearance by Newport, was repulsed by Hurst also kicking. More exchanges of footwork ended in Pennington making a weak return into touch at the Oldham 25, and from the tough scrimmaging which followed Andrew, who was showing grand form for Oldham, got away. A free kick to the homesters gained a little, and next some passing out by the visitors was closed by Hurst grassing Cooper. Boucher ran and kicked brilliantly, and Pennington amply returned, the hostilities still remaining inside Welsh territory. Godd play by Lees and Whitworth sent play to the Welsh line, but the interval whistle relieved, the score being:- Newport, one (penalty) goal, one try (five points); Oldham, nil. Graham re-started, and immediately Hurst and Mccutcheon were loudly applauded for some brilliant running and passing, which brought the play to the centre, whence a flying kick returned the operations into the home ground. The game was grandly contested, and for a time matters were very even, the Newport men gradually working themselves down to the goal. Arthur Gould and Dauncey almost got through, McCutcheon being too good for the latter, and bringing the leather quickly back to the half flag, whence Andrew got away to the Newport quarters. The best efforts of the visitors could not get the oval clear, and scrimmaging was the order, until the Oldham backs, combining nicely, looked like scoring, but a race for possession between England and McCutcheon ended in the former landing into touch near his own line. From the line out which ensued Blomley got across near the goal, and Hurst had an easy position for the place, but the kick was abortive. After the resumption Newport rallied, and play was soon back in the homesters' half. A series of long kicks between the rival backs evoked loud applause, but gave the homesters no relief. Boardman, Whittle, and Andrew eventually dribbled out, and a brief return was quickly replied to by Andrew, who made a nice run, and culminated by dropping a magnificent goal, giving Oldham the lead, amid the most ociferous cheering. Afterwards the visitors played desperately, and Cooper was stopped by McCutcheon close to the line, the men being forced to defend for some moments. With some very fast and hot exchanges, the Oldhamers managed to get back to the centre, and the game continued of the most exciting character. By dint of strong endeavours Newport returned, and by a magnificent display of fast running and well-timed exchanges by Parfitt, Arthur Gould, and Dauncey, the leather was taken to the homesters line, where Hurst, amid tremendous applause, pulled the latter down. With ten minutes to play, and being one point in the minority, the Newportonians were playing brilliantly, but the homesters stayed equally well through the fast game, and a brief return being made to the centre by the home forwards the play ruled fast and most intensely exciting on the centre line. A free kick was given to the Welshmen, but McCutcheon neutralised the advantage by a good return. A return kick was replied to by Sam Lees, who found touch with a mighty kick, and from the lone out which followed Arthur Lees ran over. Hirst failed to augment, and after the drop out, Arthur Gould took a free kick, but failed to land a goal. Almost immediately the Newport backs got possession, and a bout of beautiful passing was spoilt by fine tackling. A few moments only remaining to play, the homesters were penned inside their quarter flag, but they were equal to all the subsequent attacks, and ran out winners. Result:-
Oldham.................. 1 dropped goal, 2 tries (8 points)
Newport................. 1 penalty goal, 1 try (5 points)"
In the same edition of the Western Mail, in the column "FOOTBALL. NOTES BY "WELSH ATHLETE." the following analysis was offered, including sympathy from Cardiff!
"Newport's defeat at Oldham came, not only as a surprise, but as a very unpleasant one to South Wales footballers. In Cardiff many were the expressions of regret heard on all sides, and the Cardiff players and officials were more grieved than anyone else. It is the one blot on the Welsh football of the year, and, as a prominent member of the Cardiff committee said, "There will be no holding these cock-a-whooping Northeners now. Honestly, I would sooner that Cardiff had lost the match at Newport than the Usksiders should have been beaten by Oldham." As I suggested in my notes of Saturday, Percy Phillips' absence did make a big difference to the team. Strange to say, Phillips's absence on the two occasions this season has been singularly fateful to the Usksiders. He was absent when, at Wellington, Newport could only manage to make a draw. On Saturday he was absent, and they lost. However, my Oldham correspondent has something to say on the matter, so let him rip."
"Notwithstanding that rain fell continuously during play and that the ground was considerably affected, both fifteens evidently strove their hardest to make the play open, and when, five minutes after starting, the Newport backs came away at top speed, passing beautifully meanwhile, the enthusiastic crowd renewed the cheering with which the Welshmen were greeted. Both teams adopted four quarter-backs, although Gwynn was absent through severe injuries sustained recently, and at the commencement the home defenders were foiled completely, the forwards being also unused to such speedy opponents. But once the pack realised their opposers' tactics matters were even, and Newport had slight advantage behind, the backs being keenly watched by McCutcheon and Hurst. When Cooper eventually dodged through and passed to Monk Gould there was, however, no tackling the latter, whose smartness was lustily acknowledged, and as a moment later Cooper placed a goal from an off-side penalty, another tall score seemed certain, though Oldham managed to stave off disaster until near the interval, when they obtained the upper hand and were first dangerous."
"The unanimous opinion pronounced was that the game was the finest exposition ever seen on the ground. By playing a less scientific and open game, the visitors might have surely maintained their interval lead, and their subsequent play was not unappreciated by locals and Northeners, who applauded repeatedly during the grand display. Newport may attribute their defeat to the lagging display of the forwards after the first 30 minutes and to the effective tackling of the Oldham backs. Credit is due to Boucher, Watts, and Graham for their unavailing efforts in the front rank, where they found determined opponents in Blomley, Boardman, and Bonser who were the leaders of the Oldham pack."
"At half-back the visitors were at a disadvantage by Phillips's absence, and Parfitt and Thomas, playing behind beaten forwards, were generally overpowered, though in the initial half Parfitt's form was excellent. The welsh three-quarters showed greatly superior attacking powers, and McCutcheon and Hurst, though their defence was almost impregnable, never showed anything to equal the pretty and skilful movements of Cooper and Herbert and Arthur Gould, whilst neither try scored was to their credit, both being from line-outs taken from touch near the Newport line."
"England and Pennington at back fulfilled their requirements satisfactorily. The Oldhamers generally played as much above usual form as the Newport forwards appeared below theirs, and therein lay the victory which has given such unqualified satisfaction in Lancashire."