St. Albans City 4 Enfield 3
Saturday 28th March
The Citizens' last home League match of the season, with Enfield, at Clarence Park , on Saturday, was stubbornly contested, often in vigorous fashion, and Enfield, who showed the better combination - their quick, low passing being very good - were somewhat unfortunate to surrender both points: indeed. they left feeling that they had been victims of what they considered to be mistaken decisions by the referee.
St. Albans, without Kirkham, playing for the Army in a representative match, were never so well together as they were against Barnet but secured an early lead when BURKE, gathering a delightful pass from Robinson, went through to beat Cracknell with a well-placed low shot. Enfield were quickly on terms. Powell was unable to bold a hot drive from Hinsby and RICHES was on the spot to shoot through before the goalkeeper could recover possession.
The game was evenly contested throughout and the hall went from end to end quickly. Pipe, who lost chances because he preferred to dribble when a first-time pass would have made an opening for a colleague, was tripped when going for goal. Cook, taking the penalty-kick. shot straight at Cracknell, who cleared. Enfield forged ahead when St. Albans defenders failed to clear a corner-kick accurately placed by Glaser and HURST netted following a prolonged goalmouth scramble.
The teams, however, crossed over on terms. BURKE profiting from a miskick by Welland, darted through. He overcome the challenges of Preston and Wallis and beat Cracknell, who ran out, with a well-judged ground shot into the corner of the net. Ten minutes after the interval, while Preston was off injured, Burke completed his "hat-trick" and put St. Albans ahead, with a neat hook shot. It seemed. however, that the Citizens' centre-forward was standing in an offside position when he received the ball, but Enfield's appeals were in vain.
When Preston returned he placed a free-kick judiciously for SAINSBURY, who found a gap in the Citizens' rearguard to equalise with a cleverly-worked-for goal. That was midway through the second half. and a stern tussle ensued for a decider. Enfield made dangerous attacks, but St. Albans defended well, although they were extremely fortunate to escape a penalty-kick when Riches was “cut up” close to goal. St. Albans, too, made strong onslaughts. After one glorious individual effort Burke beat Cracknell with a hard rising shot, but the ball hit the underside of the crossbar and the rebound was cleared after a hectic goalmouth melee.
The Citizens got the deciding goal two minutes from the end. Robinson, who frequently puzzled the Enfield defenders with his passes, lifted the ball across the goalmouth and PIPE, closing in, netted from close range.
St. Albans City: H. Powell: J. Reid, E. Cook: H. Crossley, L. Hall, L. Goldsack: W. Saunders, T. Robinson, R. Burke, J. Richardson, B. Pipe.
Enfield: R. Cracknell; J. Wallis, A. Welland: W. Heal, S. Preston, S. Hurst: E Glaser, W. Holmes, R. Sainsbury, G. Riches, G, Hinsby.
Referee Mr. H. J. Watling (Romford).