St. Albans City 4 Southall 1
Saturday 25th October
The Citizens' fifth consecutive victory in the Herts and Middlesex League - gained over Southall at Clarence Park on Saturday - was not achieved as comfortably as the score might suggest; indeed the game was keenly contested. Southall proved a well-balanced side, lacking only in marksmanship, and it was not until they were depleted by injury in the second hail that St. Albans asserted any marked superiority.
A strong wind blowing almost directly down the slope had a big influence on the run of the game. Southall, with the advantage of the conditions in the first half, set the pace from the outset. Their forwards, ably supported by the wing half-backs, carried out some attractive movements. Despite good defensive play in which Goldsack, Hall and Kirkham were conspicuous, the Southall forwards frequently got within shooting distance and then failed badly.
With steadiness in front of goal they might have established a comfortable lead during the first fifteen minutes, but their shouting was poor, and Clare, the centre-forward, made one awful miss, lifting the ball over an open goal after Morrad had hit the foot of the post with a smashing drive.
A TALENTED CUSTODIAN.
St. Albans' attack seldom got together effectively in the first half. Passing, generally too close, frequently went astray and the Southall defenders, quick to tackle and covering each other with understanding, presented a solid front. Brown, a veteran at centre-half, was a tower of strength to his side and kept a sharp watch upon Burke. But the Citizens' shooting was good, and although they made the fewer attacks in the first half, they appeared the more likely to score. That they did not open their account before the interval was chiefly due to some smart work by Green, a talented custodian.
The first half was goalless, but only a few minutes had elapsed after the resumption when the Citizens, forged ahead. While Pine, the Southall left-winger, was off the field owing to injury, Earle started a successful movement with a clever pass to Saunders, who lobbed the ball into the centre. There BURKE, smartly evading a tackle by Brown, beat Green in a race for possession and hooked the ball past the custodian as he ran out.
DEFENDERS' BAD PATCH.
When Pine returned, Southall made a spirited reply. Then the Citizens' defenders had a bad patch, chiefly because they dallied when a first-time clearance was needed. First that let Clare through and Powell only saved a dangerous situation after a hectic melee in which he was injured, and finally that hesitancy presented Southall with an equaliser. When Richfield centred, Middleton tried a shot which was charged down. PINE fastened on to the ball, which should have been dispatched to safety, and made the scores level with a shot which hit the foot of the post on its way into the net.
It was not long before St. Albans regained the lead. BURKE, following up a big kick into the Southall goalmouth by Cook, smartly side-stepped two opponents who sought to bar his way, and finally got his foot to the ball to touch it out of the reach of Green as the goalkeeper made a dive for it.
Southall, although losing their right-winger, injured, tried hard for a period to pull the game round. Alter several strong attacks, during which Powell, who carried on pluckily despite a nasty shaking, effected three brilliant saves, they were forced back and St. Albans, lasting a hard, fast game the better, established a superiority which they maintained to the end.
EARLE'S GOOD WORK.
A glorious run by Earle paved the way to St. Albans' third goal. He went out to the left, tricked three opponents before sending the ball across the goalmouth for SAUNDERS, who had closed in, to touch through. Southall protested that Saunders was offside, and although their appeals were supported by one of the linesmen, the referee refused to pay any heed to them. Green was frequently in action after that. He made brilliant saves from Saunders and Earle. but had no chance when EARLE completed the scoring with a smashing first-time drive. Allen and Kirkham went through on the left with a neat bout of passing, and when Allen centred, Earle, taking the ball on the half-volley, sent it into the top corner of the net at great speed.
St. Albans City:H, F. Powell; E. Cook, L. Goldsack: T. Short. L. Hall, S. Kirkham: W. Saunders. S. Earle. R. Burke, J. Richardson, W. Allen.
Southall:G. H. Green; C. Wellstead, H. Marshall, G. Clark, R. Brown, A. Chudley; N. Richfield. A. Middleton. K. Clare. F. Morrad, D. Pine.
Referee:Mr. J. M. Jenkins (Watford).
