HALF AN OWN GOAL

I was having a chat with a local Hepworth, West Yorkshire, ex-footballer.  He was a founder of the local club, Hepworth United FC. His son was one of the pillars of the team later on and Charles was a regular supporter of the club, that played in the Huddersfield and District League at the time. The club is now in the Sheffield and Hallamshire League and sign of the progress that the club made after Charles' early influence.
The club's badge shows that it was established in 1905,  but with various fluctuations in the interest in football in the local area, the club open and closed a few times. It was eventually reformed by keen "youngsters" from the Yorkshire village and it is very successful today. There are two men's XIs, a Ladies team, three girls teams and around 15 junior sides! It is thriving.

"Veteran", Charles Battye was a regular performer, a serious athletic, centre half who took no prisoners. He also scored a few goals....sometimes in the wrong end! I got two stories from him when he was "able".

Against Brook Motors in the Huddersfield and District League, on a windy day, Charles took a swipe at the ball to clear it and got a top edge. The ball spiraled upwards like a flying saucer and shot towards his goalkeeper, Tony Smith, known as Tonto, who at this time would have felt like his cowboy partner, the Lone Ranger. Isolated in his goal area, the ball flew over his head and despite a despairing dive, nestled in the top corner. The only goal of the day.
Another story included a match at home, on the old Far Lane pitch, against local rivals, Honley FC. Charles nailed 4 goals, one in their net and 3 his own, mainly from passing back to his goalkeeper, who seemed incapable of pocketing the ball (in those days you could pick up a back pass). Final score 8-5...good game!!
Here is a blog about "own goals" from a while back.
https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2018/12/own-goals-and-gongs.html

18th December 1954, Chelsea's second goal in the 3-1 win over Leicester  was a shared own goal. Two Foxes, lunged at the ball, Stan Milburn and Jackie Froggat contacted the ball equally and the ball flew into their net, "half an own goal each" was the credit on the score sheet.
14th May 1955 an England Schoolboys v Scotland Schoolboys international at Goodison Park, ended 2-2. Both Scot's own goals were scored by England centre-forward, Joe Baker (left). The England goals were scored by Scottish centre forward Alex Dawson They both went on to make a career out of the game.

In Madagascar (now Malagasy) in October 2002, the players of club side Olympique De L'Emryne, were so fed up with the referee's performance that they repeatedly put the ball into their own net, 149 times, AS Adema couldn't believe their luck! The score at the start of all this was 0-0!

Between 1956-7, 1961-2, Danny Malloy, below, played mainly for Cardiff City and Donny Rovers. He never scored for either club but was accredited with 14 own goals!!

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1953–1955	Dundee	72	(7)
1955–1961	Cardiff City	225	(1)
1961–1962	Doncaster Rovers	42	(0)
1962–1963	Clyde	14	(0)

Frank Sinclair of Leicester City scored an own goal in the last kick of the game v Arsenal at Highbury on August  1999. Arsenal won 2-1. In the next Premier League game v Chelsea on August 14th, Leicester were leading 1-2; Sinclair slotted an own goal again, equalising the score with 7 seconds left in the game!!!