At Harpenden, in the Herts County League, on Saturday such a game was witnessed between Harpenden and St Albans City as, fortunately for the good name of football, is not often seen. The game started alright but, after St Albans got down in the first few minutes and scored, the Harpers appeared to lose their tempers and the game became rough in the extreme. About ten minutes from the start the visitors got down and Noel, in the centre, had the goal at his mercy when one of the Harpenden players attempted to take a kick at the ball and met Noel’s leg. A sharp “click” followed and it was seen that Noel was down. The game was stopped and it was found that the player in question had received a broken leg. An ambulance was sent for and the victim was conveyed to the St Albans Hospital in a cab. Fouls were frequent before the mishap and one would have thought that the players would have played a cleaner game after this, but it was not so, for the ambulance had barely got off the playing pitch when a penalty was given against Harpenden for a foul on Butcher, the St Albans inside-right. Within a few minutes Green was injured twice and about fifteen minutes from the start, no doubt owing to two nasty kicks he received, he over-reached himself and had to retire for the remainder of the game.
The Harpers certainly did not play football as it should be played. So much is evident in the fact that the majority of the St Albans men were forced to interview the trainer during the course of the game and at the finish all were suffering from cuts or bruises. There is little doubt, however, that the spectators were as much responsible as were the players, for one should hear such shouts from some of the Harpenden supporters as “Hack him”.
Considering the disadvantages under which the City played, it is greatly to their credit that they obtained two points from Harpenden. It can be said that all the team played splendid football. Hosier, Butcher,Walker, Weston and Noel, during the time he was on the pitch, played a fine game and Davis and Chapman in the half-back line were splendid.
The backs were all that could be desired and Kerrison, between the sticks, was a pillar of strength.
For Harpenden, Sygrove in goal was good, but the backs mis-kicked a lot. The halves were fairly good. Perry and Woodfield were the pick of the forward line. |
