HERTS CHARITY CUP.

St. Albans City 4 Barnet 1

Saturday 21st March

Clarence Park

Giving an exhilarating display, St. Albans brought off a capital performance on Saturday when they defeated a strong Barnet side in the semi-final of the Herts Charity Cup and so qualified to meet Hitchin Town in the final.

Barnet were captained by Lester Finch, the English amateur International left-winger and had the assistance of Guardsman J. McCarthy, their Irish amateur International centre-half; but Crossley and Reid saw to it that Finch had few opportunities to shine, while McCarthy found more than his match in Ron Burke, whose quickness to seize his chances produced a clever "hat-trick."

The game, hard fought out, but always with an excellent spirit of sportsmanship prevailing, produced fast, constructive football of a standard that was a treat to watch. St. Albans were the smarter on the ball and the quicker in the tackle from the start, while they were generally the better together in the matter of combination.

Jack Richardson, who made a welcome reappearance in the Citizens' ranks, beat Finch, his partner for so long on Barnet's left wing, in the toss. St. Albans faced the slope in the first half and quickly got into their stride. The subjection of Finch, the forcefulness of the wing half-backs and the clever scheming of Richardson and Robinson promptly gave St. Albans the initiative, which they used to worry the Barnet defenders. And, with the exception of one spell in the second half, St. Albans maintained the initiative.

Bunker, the Barnet right-back, was puzzled by the trickiness of Pipe, and Saunders, ably supplied by Robinson, who made his passes with a subtlety that perplexed opposing defenders, had Hawkins on tenterhooks. Although Lyman. the Barnet inside-right, made many clever moves, the Barnet forward line seldom appeared as dangerous as that of the Citizens, for Hall completely overshadowed Birbeck, while Reid, who played his best game for the club, and Crossley always had the mastery of the Barnet left wing.

Barnet had only two real chances in the first half. Both fell to Hancock, one - when he failed to gather a centre from Darbon with the goal at his mercy - before there was any score and the other just before the interval, when he had only Powell to beat but was thwarted by the goalkeeper, who dived at his feet.

St. Albans scored twice in the first half, the opening goal being notched after eleven minutes’ play by BURKE. Robinson drew defenders by a clever manoeuvre and then pushed the ball through the middle for the centre-forward, who evaded a challenge by Bunker, to score with a well-placed left-footed shot. The second was obtained seven minutes later. BURKE gathered another good pass from Robinson in his stride, tricked McCarthy, resisted a hearty shoulder charge by Bunker and hooked the ball well out of the reach of Greygoose. Burke was unlucky not to convert two centres from Saunders with delightful headers. One grazed the crossbar and the other was brilliantly saved by Greygoose, who was always the busier custodian and shaped well throughout.

Four minutes after the interval St. Albans increased their lead. Saunders concluded a good run with an accurate centre to Burke, who touched the ball on to RICHARDSON. The Citizens' skipper coolly side-stepped Duncan - Barnet's best half-back and from the edge of the penalty-area, delivered a powerful cross-shot which gave Greygoose no chance. Hawkins, standing beneath the crossbar, made an unavailing effort to head clear.

After that St. Albans fell away and Barnet, making a big effort to pull the game round, had the better of the exchanges for a period. Powell made one grand save from Finch, gathering the ball beneath the crossbar; but it was from Barnet's right flank - and particularly Ryman - that most of the danger came. Twice this very promising young inside-right worked his way through only to be foiled by the daring of Powell.

Following a corner-kick, St. Athens had a narrow escape, there being an exciting scramble on the goal-line before the ball was cleared. Twenty-three minutes after the interval, RYMAN concluded a delightful dribble with an unstoppable shot, and for a brief period subsequently Barnet, pressed bard, but St. Albans' defence - despite the fact that Cook was tiring rapidly - held out and gradually the Citizens regained the initiative. Greygoose effected three masterly saves from BURKE, but the centre-forward beat him again six minutes front the end. Saunders and Robinson started the successful movement and Burke, taking the inside-right's pass in his stride, tricked McCarthy before driving a herd shot into the top of the net.

At the close of the game Lester Finch hastened to congratulate Jack Richardson upon the Citizens' success.

A collection on behalf of Mrs. Churchill's Aid to Russia Fund realised over £5.

St. Albans City: H. F. Powell; J. Reid, E. Cook; H. Crossley, L. Hall; S. Kirkham; W. Saunders, T. Robinson, R. Burke, J. Richardson, B. Pipe.

Barnet; A. Greygoose; R. Bunker, E. Hawkins; J. McCarthy, P. McKinney, D. Darbon, S. Ryman, J. Birbeck. J. Hancock. L. C. Finch.

Referee: Mr. A. G. Tarrier (Enfield).