 The "Glasgow Herald"'s report on the match between the 3rd Lanark and Western clubs states,

The argument contained within the Royal Engineers section which opposes the Scottish view of the first international match focuses on the contemporary "Scotsman" newspaper article which gives reference to Scottish players dribbling the ball.The Scottish argument, however, contends that the playing style of the Queen's Park players, throughout the 1870s, accommodated both dribbling and passing.The evidence is certainly plentiful.