Game of three halves
The "Game of three halves" was a football match played between Sunderland and Derby County on the opening day of the 1894–95 English football season.

Derby had travelled to Sunderland on 1 September for their first round fixture in the new First Division season, but as the nominated referee, Tom Kirkham, was running late, the game started with a replacement referee, John Conqueror, in charge.

After 45 minutes play, with Sunderland leading 3–0, Kirkham arrived and, "to the surprise of everyone", ordered that the game be restarted from scratch.

Two more halves followed, thus allowing three halves to be played, but the decision to start the match again did not help Derby. They conceded three further goals in the "second half" and five goals in the "third half" to officially lose the match 8–0.

References

External links
Full report of match

1894–95 in English football
Association football controversies
Football League First Division matches
Derby County F.C. matches
Sunderland A.F.C. matches
1894 in sports
September 1894 events
Nicknamed sporting events