At this time, the Royal Engineers were among the top football teams in England, having reached the final of the first FA Cup tournament in 1872 and again two years later, finishing on both occasions as runners-up. In the run to the 1875 final, Mein scored in a 3–2 victory over Clapham Rovers on 30 January 1875, helping to set up a semi-final against Oxford University. This was hard-fought, with the Engineers emerging victorious with a 1–1 draw followed by a 1–0 victory in the replay, thus reaching the FA Cup Final for the third time in four years.