Women football pioneers were all a bit of a novelty

"Ladies can hold their own with their brothers in golf, hockey, tennis, etc., but in a pastime requiring such a vast amount of agility and elasticity of movement as football they are not cut out for it," was the view of the Shrewsbury Chronicle's man – it will almost certainly have been a man – at the game.

That match on March 12, 1921, at the Gay Meadow in Shrewsbury, was the first of its kind played in Shropshire, and was just a part of the long journey for women's football which has culminated just over 100 years later with the exploits of England's lionesses on live television and before a record crowd which caused national celebration.

Today the women's game has achieved status and credibility, but while that 1921 match was between two of the foremost women's teams of the day, it was viewed as a novelty, and indeed the lot of women's football for a long time was novelty matches.

The game played between St Helens Ladies and Chorley Ladies was a friendly to raise money for the Royal Salop Infirmary.

"As this was the first match of its kind to be played in the county there was every prospect of a big crowd, and it was early apparent from the influx of people into the town that a deal of interest had been aroused," reported the Wellington Journal and Shrewsbury News.

Both teams arrived from Lancashire in charabancs and entered the town to the accompaniment of toy trumpets.

The crowd at the Gay Meadow, then the ground of Shrewsbury Town, was put at "quite 7,000" by the Journal, but "nearly 8,000" by the Chronicle.

"St Helens Ladies were in royal blue jerseys and blue knickers, and Chorley Ladies in white jerseys and white ditto and both looking quite chic, they were greeted with much applause."

St Helens took the lead when the Chorley goalkeeper failed to save a soft shot, and doubled their advantage before half time. After the break Miss A Swift added a third, quickly followed by another from Miss L Ashton. Final score: St Helens 4, Chorley 0.

"One did not see much football," was the verdict of the Chronicle, while the Wellington Journal's correspondent said: "Although it would be unfair adversely to criticise any player participating in this game, it must be admitted that the standard of football exhibited was not a high one, rushes, scrambles, and miskicks being the order of the day."

Woman of the match was Miss Scott, the left back and captain of Chorley, who "kicked like a man."

"What the ladies lacked in football knowledge they made up for by their unlimited keenness. The crowd certainly had a very enjoyable time," said the Journal.

Afterwards the players were entertained to tea, and were thanked by Lord Berwick, the treasurer of the Royal Salop Infirmary, for their help, and later they left for home, being given a rousing send off. The event raised a handsome sum for the time of £500 for the RSI.

So everyone was a winner.