SOTONIANS a century ago found some welcome relief from the wartime doom and gloom when The Dell became the venue of a charity football match that provided an afternoon of fun and frolics.

Nearly 1,000 people turned out to witness the light-hearted game between the “How D’ye Do” Revue Company and Mr Phil Mead’s team, which raised more than £30 for the local Belgian Refugees Relief Fund and produced something of a goal-fest with each side scoring six on the day.

Nothing like it had been seen at The Dell before, the Daily Echo reported.

Each side was strengthened by the help of a lady centre forward and a lady centre half with all four ladies using their weight so freely that several “casualties” occurred among the men, who, however, quickly recovered from violent treatment dished out to them.

Those that chose to “suffer” from their injuries were quickly attended to by the team’s trainer who dashed towards the scene of hostilities carrying a sponge and towel to revive the combatants.

With play resumed, the attentions of the spectators were drawn to another part of the pitch when a melee between the referee and one of the players produced a most unexpected dismissal.

For some time the referee had not given a penalty kick, which prompted one of the players to relieve his frustration by commandeering the whistle from the official, which was promptly followed by the player sending off the referee for an early bath.

Daily Echo:

A newly-appointed referee was brought on to the field of play but, owing to the fact that he left his monocle in the dressing room, he could not see very well and decided to firmly punish every misdemeanour by way of compensation for his poor eyesight.

His first call of action came when one of the players sent a wayward shot on goal high into the stands which hit a soldier sat in the West Stand.

As Britain needed every one of their sons at a time of war, the referee took a very dim view of the incident and quickly frogmarched the perpetrator off the field.

As well as all of the spontaneous humour and side-splitting antics on the field, which kept the spectators roaring with laughter, the band and drums of the 5th Battalion Hampshire Regiment also provided a wonderful musical selection at the interval that completed a rather enjoyable afternoon for all those present, the newspaper said.