To the St Albans City F.C., for the second season in succession, the massive and handsome cup for the champions of the Spartan League has been “so near and yet so far” and for the second season in succession the 2nd Coldstream Guards have deprived them of it in the last match of the season. In the match at Clarence Park just a year ago the Guards succeeded in winning the cup by dint of sterling football combined with a little luck. No so, however, on Wednesday, for on this occasion the City were so out-manoeuvred by a vastly superior team on the day’s play that they were never in the picture.
The expectations that this match, with the championship depending on it, would produce a fast and interesting encounter failed utterly to be realised. Never in their career have the City given such a wretchedly poor display. True, there were certain extenuating circumstances: Walker, Hosier and Seabrook were each suffering from injuries, but it must be added that several of the Guards bore evidence of accidents sustained the previous Saturday in the final of the Aldershot Senior Cup, which they won.
The City players had obviously not recovered from the effects of a tiring railway journey, followed by a long walk to the ground, which had served to fatigue them before the match was started. And when they did turn out, what a ground they had to play on! Consisting of large bumps, small bumps and ups and downs, the pitch – which the writer was informed was an enclosure borrowed, owing to the Coldstreams’ usual ground being prepared for cricket(1) – was the very opposite to that of Clarence Park.
Both teams were strongly represented and lined up before a small crowd
Reprinted from “The Herts Advertiser & St Albans Times” – 29th April 1911,
1 The Coldstreams “usual” ground was The Brigade Ground, Aldershot. |
