St Albans City 1 Walthamstow Avenue 2
22nd November 1941
The Citizens' encounter with Walthamstow Avenue. the undefeated leaders of the Herts and Middlesex League, at Clarence Park . on Saturday, was a thriller, and until the closing stages it appeared likely that St. Albans might be the first to lower Walthamstow's colours this season. The Citizens took the lead nine minutes after the interval and, despite the handicap of an injury to L. Goldsack, who was off the field for a period and then returned only to be a passenger on the right wing, St. Albans retained their advantage until the last five minutes, when the Avenue scored twice to secure their hardest victory of the campaign.
Walthamstow Avenue, who were without G. Winckless, their regular centre-forward, owing to injury, have a strong, well-balanced side, with a hefty set of defenders who played with good understanding, and a methodical forward line in which J. W. Lewis and F. A. Davis, two amateur internationals, knew how to get the most out of two speedy wingers who created much danger. The Citizens. playing with a dash and determination that obviously bothered the Avenue, were, as the game ran. somewhat unfortunate to surrender both points, and so well was the defence shaping up to the time of the mishap to Goldsack that it is possible that had the left back not been incapacitated, the Avenue's unbeaten record would have been shattered.
St. Albans had to make last-minute changes. Earle and Allen, having been posted elsewhere, were not available. Franklin was introduced at outside-left, S. Kirkham moved to inside-right, and H. Crossley, of Leavesden, made his first appearance for the Citizens at left half-back. He played splendidly, but the other newcomer to the Citizens' ranks - T. Robinson, an Artilleryman who has made occasional appearances for Watford - was not so successful at centre-forward.
DEFENDERS' MASTERY.
It was a strenuously contested game in which defenders were generally masters. The Citizens'. rear-guard, until upset by the injury to Goldsack, was excellent and, even after that, withstood the Avenue's strong onslaughts in resolute fashion. Hall was outstanding at centre-half, his tackling being deadly, and his interventions with his head well timed, while he showed sound judgment in his positional play and in his moves to cover his backs. Cook gave his best display for the club, his powerful kicking being a big asset, while Goldsack was shaping in very reliable fashion. Short and Crossley kept a sharp watch upon Davis and Lewis, respectively, and Crossley also found time to initiate attacks with acceptable passes.
Although Kirkham and Richardson worked hard, they could not get the Citizens' forward line to move as smoothly as did that of the Avenue. Nevertheless play, which was full of good football with no lack of thrills, was very evenly contested in the first half, when the Citizens had the advantage of the slope. The Avenue's attack appeared the more dangerous, and the Citizens' goal had two narrow escapes. The first was when Gilberg. cutting into the centre, hit the crossbar with a powerful shot. The ball bounced out to the Avenue centre-forward and he headed against the crossbar. He regained possession from the rebound and seemed certain to score when Powell dived at his feet and punched the ball off his toes. The nearest St. Albans went to scoring in the first half was when Kirkham eluded the opposing backs and delivered a low shot which Pinner gathered at a second attempt. The Citizens’ second narrow escape was just before the interval when Lewis taking a free-kick of the penalty-area, delivered a fast ground shot which Powell, diving at full length, punched out. The ball went to Chaventre, who made a quick return which Cook cleared from beneath the crossbar with Powell still on the ground.
KIRKHAM'S GRAND GOAL.
The Citizens made their best attacks during the opening twenty minutes of the second half, and they resumed after the interval with a strong onslaught, in which it seemed that a Walthamstow defender handled the ball close to goal, but a confident appeal for a penalty-kick was unavailing.
Nine minutes after the interval, St. Albans secured the lead as the result of a grand individual effort on the part of KIRKHAM. Gathering the ball in midfield, he cleverly beat three defenders and then placed a hard shot well out of the reach of Pinner. That goal shook the Avenue and for the next eleven minutes it seemed that St. Albans might add to their lead; indeed. Pinner was in difficulties with two shots. from Richardson.
Then, with twenty-five minutes to go, Goldsack, in stopping an attempt by the Avenue inside-forwards to force their way through, received an ankle injury and was carried off. For ten minutes St. Albans were a man short, Crossley moving to left back. Then Goldsack returned and went on the right wing, with Saunders at inside-right and Kirkham at left half-back.
The Avenue redoubled their efforts to save the game. but St. Albans' defenders held out splendidly. Following a free-kick, Chaventre hit the crossbar with a hard shot, and Lewis headed in from the rebound, but Hall cleared from beneath the crossbar with Powell beaten. Then, in another desperate onslaught, Cook was in the way of a powerful shot from Davis and the referee awarded a penalty-kick for hands. It seemed that the official had made a mistake, for it appeared that there was no intention on the part of Cook to play the ball; indeed, the shot was delivered at close range and he could not avoid the ball, which struck him on the shoulder. St. Albans hotly disputed the award of a penalty-kick and the referee, after consulting a linesman, reversed his decision.
WALTHAMSTOW'S DETERMINED EFFORTS.
That only served to spur Walthamstow to more determined efforts, and in a hectic finish they were rewarded. With five minutes to go, Chaventre, who contributed much towards his side's success, got away and centred to Davis, who delivered a smashing low shot. Powell, diving at fell length, effected a brilliant save, fisting the ball out to the left. It was returned to the goalmouth, where there was an exciting melee which finished with Kirkham being injured and LEWIS driving the ball into the back of the net. Kirkham was able to resume after attention, but at this juncture, Goldsack. who, although obviously in pain, had been pluckily trying to do his bit retired.
St. Albans made a fleeting bid, in which Robinson gave a glimpse of his skill with a clever run, to regain their lost lead, but Walthamstow were soon attacking again and, with a half-minute, apart from time allowed for stoppages, remaining for play, they obtained the deciding goal. CHAVENTRE got through on the right and when defenders were apparently expecting him to centre, he netted with a remarkable shot from an acute angle, the ball entering the top corner of the net close to the post.
That was the climax to the hardest-fought and most exciting match in which the Citizens have taken part in the Hefts and Middlesex League and the play served to keep the largest crowd which has assembled at Clarence Park for a war-time game in a fever heal of excitement to the end. A collection on behalf of Mrs. Churchill's Red Cross Aid to Russia Fund realised £8 11s.
St. Albans City:H. H. Powell: E. Cook, L. Goldsack; T. A. Short, L. Hall, H. Crossley; W. Saunders, S. Kirkham, T. Robinson, J. Richardson, R. Franklin.
Walthamstow Avenue:A. Pinner: J. T. Johnson, S. Bracken; W. Harden, H. Oliver, H. Harris, J. Chaventre. J. W. Lewis, R. Laurence. F. A. Davis. H. Gilberg.
Referee:Mr. H. E. Edwards (Waltham Cross).
