A big disappointment awaited the supporters of St Albans City at Clarence Park on Saturday, in the defeat of the locals in one of the poorest games seen there for a long time. The City never looked like winning but a host of extenuating circumstances have to be recorded. In the first place, Wiggs was an absentee through injuries received the previous Saturday, Beech, the reserve man, appeared in his place while Edmonds took the field suffering from a strain sustained on the same occasion. He was soon limping and although making one or two of his clever runs, he could hardly “raise a gallop” for the greater portion of the game.
The terrible meteorological conditions too were all against the Saints. With torrential rain falling during the Friday night and throughout Saturday morning, the pitch was reduced to a very heavy state and the Saints chances were correspondingly minimised. While the Saints could hardly keep their feet, their heavier opponents were simply revelling in the mud during the first quarter of an hour, but it was confidently expected that the local team would settle down and give as good as they received. The crowning set-back came in the shape of a serious accident to Walker, the popular captain having the misfortune to put out his knee and henceforth the home team were like a ship without a rudder.
No one could grumble at the result, for the visitors were infinitely the better team on the day.
Reprinted from “The Herts Advertiser & St Albans Times” – 13th January 1912. |
