HERTS SENIOR CUP.
St. Albans City 3 Murphy Radio 2
Saturday 10th January 1942
But for defensive lapses, Murphy Radio, making their first appearance in the Herts Senior Cup, might well have sprung a surprise upon St. Albans City in a second-round tie at Clarence Park on Saturday, when they gave a creditable display and were somewhat unfortunate to be beaten in a game which was almost as drab as the weather conditions.
St. Albans, again hard pressed to raise a team, included two juniors in H. T. Nicholas, of Hatfield, and E. Cunnington, of St. Albans Wanderers, while they introduced two newcomers - E. Merrick and G. Hopkins - in the forward line. Murphy Radio, who had to make several changes consequent upon the inability of J. H. McMaster and C. A. Ward to play - A. Seagroatt and J. Duffy being introduced as deputies - had the advantage of the wind and slope in the first half, when they had much the better of the exchanges.
The Radiomen were best served on the left wing, where C. M. North plied his forwards to good purpose and L. A. Ellison, the old Barnet and Golders Green player, executed many clever movements. T. Curry also shaped well at inside-right. While the Citizens' backs found it difficult to get the ball away, Leslie Hall, playing another capital game at centre-half, never faltered.
Murphy Radio scored twice in the first half - NORTH netting with a splendid first-time shot after fifteen minutes' play and ELLISON leaving Powell helpless with a glorious cross-drive into the top of the net nine minutes later - but they did not make the most of the advantage of the wind to take aim on every occasion before the interval. St. Albans reduced the deficit in somewhat fortunate fashion after thirty-five minutes' play. Pipe, their most enterprising forward, concluded a good run with a low centre which caused a misunderstanding in the Radiomen's defence, where MUSTARD, in attempting to intercept the ball when he might well have left it to Ludgrove, the custodian, had the misfortune to shoot into his own goal.
St. Albans' newcomers in the forward line were very disappointing in the first half, and at the interval the attack was re-arranged with Saunders as leader of the line and Merrick at outside-right, where he showed better form. Murphy Radio also had to make changes for the second- half, owing to a mishap to Seagroatt, who was more or less a passenger on the right wing for the remainder of the game, although responsible for some really good shots!
It soon became evident that the Radiomen had taken a lot out of themselves by their exertions in the first half and that their defenders, with the exception of Kerrison, who played a sound game throughout, were quickly inclined to become unsteady under pressure. But St. Albans had to struggle hard to get the goals necessary for victory. Richardson, despite a nasty knock sustained in the first half, worked untiringly, as did also Kirkham.
St. Albans equalised twenty-two minutes after the resumption. Saunders robbed Mustard when the Radiomen's skipper dallied in clearing, and passed to Merrick, who delivered a centre which Ludgrove failed to hold and PIPE, running in from the left, headed through. The Citizens had some anxious moments - especially when they were reduced to nine men while Hall and Merrick were having injuries attended to - before they got the deciding goal, which was obtained ten minutes from the end. Richardson put Pipe away, and he lifted the ball across the field. Merrick returned it to the goalmouth, where Ludgrove failed in an effort to clear and SAUNDERS netted.
St. Albans City: H. F. Powell; H. Crossley, H. J. Nicholas; E. Cunnington, L. Hall, S. Kirkham; W. Saunders, G. Hopkins, L. Merrick, J. Richardson, B. Pipe.
Murphy Radio: A. Ludgrove: J. Blackburn, J. Mustard; A. Seagroatt, C. Kerrison, C. North; J. Duffy, T. Curry, B. Jubilee, L. Ellison, P. Mullin.
Referee: Mr. E. L. Marshall (Barnet).
DRAW FOR THE SEMI-FINAL.
In the other second-round lies, Barnet won their home game with Bishops Stortford by three goals to nil; Hitchin Town, the holders, had no difficulty in disposing of Stevenage Town by six goals to one at Hitchin, and Leavesden, last season's runners-up, succeeded at Berkhamsted, also by six goals to one. The draw for the semi-finals, to be played on the grounds of the first named clubs on February 21st (kick-off 3.15 p.m. extra time if necessary) is: Hitchin Town v. Barnet (Referee. H. E. Edwards), St. Albans City v. Leavesden (A. Barrett).