Since a standard set of laws of football did not yet exist (the Football Association would not be founded until 1863), Barnes drew up its own rules to govern play, choosing to prohibit carrying the ball.
[3] In December, Barnes played Blackheath FC, a club which played a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball and "hacking" (kicking opponents in the shins).
[1] The resulting clash of styles forced "mutual concessions" to be made as to the rules for this game.
It was nevertheless a lively match, featuring "dangerous mélées" in which club captain Ebenezer Morley narrowly escaped being "garrotted".
Club and Forest FC (later renamed Wanderers FC), two teams who, like Barnes, preferred a dribbling game; both would join Barnes in becoming founder members of the Football Association later that year.