The Morning Leader newspaper of that date published their predicted teams for the occasion, with the Ironworks XI listed in the 2-3-5 formation of the time as: ‘Furnell; Chalkley and Tranter; Dove, Dandridge and Bird; Hatton, Gresham, Reid, Mills and Edwards. Reserves: Chisholm and Denham’.
As it happened, Simon Chisholm started, with Walter Tranter not involved. There were, of course, no substitutes in those days.
A wonderfully worded report in the Middlesex County Times published the following week told of a close match between the two capital clubs, settled by Edward Hatton's goal 15 minutes from full-time:
“The fine team now representing the Thames Ironworks had Brentford for their opponents in the London League on Saturday, and as the result of a hard and well-fought game sent them home defeated by one goal to none. The match was played on the Memorial track adjacent to Plaistow station, and there were quite a thousand supporters present.
“The first portion was finely contested, capital work being done by the forwards of both teams, but the capable defence exhibited formed an insuperable bar to any scoring, and at half-time the sheet was a blank.
“On resuming the game was again very even, Gresham and Read (note the spelling mistake) doing some conspicuously good work for the home team, Charlton and Richardson acquitting themselves well for Brentford.
“The only goal of the match came from the foot of Hatton, who scored with a straight shot, which Gillett could not deal with. Richardson putting on a point for Brentford, which was disallowed for offside, the result being as mentioned above.”