Opening their league encounters with an engagement in the County tournament with Leavesden on the Asylum ground on Saturday, St Albans City gave a decidedly poor show and were very fortunate in dividing the points. After the game of the previous Saturday at Clarence Park, a good match was expected at Leavesden for the Asylum are one of the best teams in running for the County League(1), but those who expected much were mightily disappointed.
A more straggling and uninteresting game could hardly be hoped for. The City were decidedly a beaten team and if they had been a goal or two to the bad they would only have got their deserts.
With the exception of Hosier, Day and McIntyre not one of the players showed the form of the previous week and that understanding that was hoped for from the signs in the first match were further away than in the opening stages of the previous weeks game.
McIntyre had plenty to do between the sticks and did it well although one or two saves were executed in dangerous fashion.
V.Bourdon, who was the star of the show last week, was off colour He did many excellent things but at other times seemed at sea. His partner, Patrick was better and kicked and tackled with fine judgement. Both, however, had extra work thrown upon them by reason of a poor half back line. Not one of this trio can be said to have been extra good. Davis was the pick and did well at times but Noel and H.J.Chappon(2) (a Watford player, who replaced Brunton) were altogether weak.There was no understanding whatever, either amongst the three themselves or between them and the forwards.
As before stated, Hosier and Day were in excellent form, but their efforts were robbed of the success they deserved by the lack of the support of their confrees. Habbijam was only medium, Walker and a new player in A.H.Puddephatt(3) of Boreham Wood were decidedly poor. Combination was a feature not present excepting between Hosier and Day and occasionally Habbijam. The two left wingers were very successful in being where they were not wanted and absent when they were. Such led to Hosier having to run across to outside left to take a punt from the half-backs and naturally enough the practice did not pay.
Altogether, the St Albans team were at “sixes and sevens” and a decided improvement will have to be shown in the two coming Saturdays unless they are to be ousted from the Charity Cup and the F.A. Cup, the ties for which follow in these two weeks(4).
For both sides, the weather was a trying circumstance, for when the teams lined up the sun shone only as it effuses to do on the occasion of an important cricket match. The heat told on all the players towards the end.
Reprinted from the “The St Albans Post” 23rd September 1908.
1 Leavesden actually finished the season in second to last position.
2 H.Chapman
3 Later revised as R.Morrison
4 The Herts Charity Cup tie versus St Saviours was declared a walk-over for the City.
From “The Hemel Hempstead Gazette” 26th September 1908 :-
The St Albans team are a very nice evenly balanced eleven and showed good football. After having played together a little oftener their presence in the League will be severely felt. Perhaps on the run of things they were lucky to get one point as our boys had by far the most chances to score. |
