After a ninety minutes scramble in the mud at Clarence Park, St Albans City were able to boast of having reached the final round of a cup competition for the first time in their career they having, with consummate ease, disposed of Harpenden Town by four clear goals. They were the better team at all points and won on their merits, Harpenden again suffering from the weakness of their forwards as compared with the defence.
Both teams, however, were badly handicapped by the state of the ground, which more resembled a mud heap than the excellent playing pitch that is usually is. To the amusement of the spectators the players slipped and slid in all directions during a large part of the first half and it was half-time before they could properly keep their feet.
The crowd was not so large as usual. The City were without Webb, owing to illness, while Harpenden
were practically at full strength, The excellent refereeing was a feature of the game, an offender against the
offside rule never being allowed to escape and the players being controlled with a firm hand.
Reprinted from “The Herts Advertiser and St Albans Times” 5th February 1910. |