The City’s first Spartan League victory this season was scored on Saturday before a good crowd. The ground was in ideal condition and a much better game than that which took place might have been expected.
Sutton Court(1) brought down a strong eleven and gave a fairly good show, but they have played several better games at St Albans. The City, for their part, were more than a trifle disappointing and hardly deserved to win by a margin of two goals. Apart from a splendid display by Hosier and occasional cleverness and good shooting by Edmonds, the forwards did not show to much advantage and the shooting generally was very poor. Clark was rarely able to beat that smart little half-back Adams, while J.Butcher, younger brother of the West Ham professional(2), was hardly a successful inside-right, but he showed that he has the makings of a good player and, on another occasion, considering that Hosier appears to be even more valuable in the inside berth, he should be given a chance in his proper position of outside-right. In the last quarter of an hour Hosier and Butcher changed places and this change was the main factor in the City winning the match.
In the continued absence, through injury, of G.F.Meagher, H.G.Cook appeared at left-half but Harry was only a shade of his former self and with Brandham and Palmer, his colleagues in the half-back line, performing strongly he did not show to very great advantage.
Grimsdell and Hatton hardly reached their best form, but this was perhaps due to the excellent methods of the visiting forwards. Smith made one or two smart saves but he is yet awaiting opportunity to fully uphold his reputation.
Of the Sutton Court team the strong kicking of the backs was the feature of their defensive play, although they possessed a fine line of halves. B.J.Bateman was the pick of the forwards.
1 Founded in 1899 they changed their name to Old Latymerians in 1922. They joined the Southern Amateur League in 1928 and still compete in this competition.
2 George Butcher was a City player between 1908 and 1910. |
