“OUR SPORTS REPRESENTATIVE’S CRITICISM”As in war, so in football, the spoils invariably go to the side that perpetrates the fewer blunders. Because the 2nd Coldstream Guards more often did the right thing at the right moment than did their opponents, I unhesitatingly aver that the soldiers only reaped their deserts in carrying off the Spartan Leaguer Cup at the expense of St Albans City.
A merchant who fritters away golden opportunities of accomplishing profitable strokes of business cannot expect sympathy when he finds himself in the desolation of the Bankruptcy Court; neither can a football team be commiserated with when it’s undoing on the field is largely brought about through failure to accept 22 carat scoring chances. That is the unfortunate truth with regard to the City’s defeat.
The flood tide in the team’s affairs set in soon after the second half commenced; for twenty minutes the Guards were hopelessly out-manoeuvred; about a half-dozen glorious opportunities, including a penalty, were wasted and then the tide ebbed, leaving the City impotent on the rocks of despair. The soldiers, on the other hand, had an opportunist named Leach in their ranks. He found his opportunity ten minutes from the start and snapping it up with all the avidity of a trout rising to the fly, scored the only goal of the match. This in brief is the story of how the Guards achieved their victory.
In the presence of about 1,300 spectators.
Reprinted from “The Herts Advertiser and St Albans Times” 7th May 1910. |
