HERTS SENIOR CUP FINAL

Barnet 3 St. Albans City 1

Monday 6th April

Underhill

There was a complete reversal of form in the final of the Herts Senior Cup at Underhill, on Monday, when Barnet secured what was, on the day's play, a well-deserved victory over St. Albans, thereby avenging the defeat which the Citizens inflicted upon them in the semi-final of the Herts Charity Cup, at Clarence Park , on March 21st. The largest crowd which has assembled on the Barnet ground since the outbreak of war saw a hard game in which play, chiefly because of the strong wind blowing up the slope, did not reach a high standard.

Barnet took the initiative from the time Jack Richardson, the St. Albans Captain, after winning the toss, gave them the advantage of kicking with the wind in the first half, and Barnet kept the initiative practically through-out. But it was not the Citizens' lucky day. There was an element of misfortune for them about the manner in which Barnet opened the scoring. By shooting at every opportunity. Barnet established a three-goal interval lead and St. Albans, when starting upon their uphill task in the second half, quickly suffered a misfortune which shattered all their hopes of pulling the game round.

Two minutes after the resumption, Ron Burke, who had caused the Barnet defenders much anxiety in the first half, received a painful thigh injury. He was carried off and, on reaching the dressing room, fainted. After attention, he recovered and resumed, but was limping badly. Although Burke tried hard and subsequently got the best goal of the game, the thrust had been removed from the Citizens' attack and they really never appeared likely to save the game, despite the fact that they had most of the play in the second half. They created openings which were wasted because, with Burke incapacitated, they could never develop the first-time shooting prowess displayed by Barnet before the interval.

Barnet were without two of their amateur internationals - L. C. Finch and J. McCarthy - but were reinforced by the appearance of three of their pre-war players in St. Weightman, J. Jordan and J. C. Gerrans. They were the better served at half-hack and certainly showed more cohesion in attack. St. Albans' forwards seldom received the ball on the ground and, subjected to close marking and very quick tackling, rarely moved as a line. Jack Richardson could not find his best form on the ground where he has given so many brilliant displays in the past, and Pipe in the second half lost chances because he dribbled when a prompt centre or a slick pass would have been of greater advantage. Saunders and Robinson were the Citizens' best wing, but even they did not cause Greygoose, the Barnet goal-keeper, much real anxiety.

Barnet were quick to get into their stride and, displaying good ball control, applied heavy pressure which, because of the strong wind, presented St. Albans' defenders with many difficulties. Reid and Crossley managed to hold Gerrans and Ford fairly well, but Ryman, a clever young player, and Jordan combined in a way that perplexed Cook and Kirkham. Hall had a busy afternoon, for in addition to giving Hancock, the Barnet centre-forward, little scope, he tried hard to cover his colleagues on the left flank of the Citizens' rearguard.

With Barnet shooting powerfully and accurately at every opportunity, Powell was freely tested and effected many splendid saves in the opening half. He was first beaten after fourteen minutes' play. He went to his knees to gather a low shot from Weightman, but just before the ball reached him, it caught an uneven spot on the pitch and rose awkwardly. Powell managed to get his hands to the ball, but could not bold it, and HANCOCK, dashing up, netted before the custodian could recover.

Eleven minutes later Barnet increased their lead as the result of a capital movement on the right wing, which resulted in JORDAN cutting in and slipping the ball past Powell as the goalkeeper ran out in an effort to thwart the winger when he had the goal at his mercy. Barnet's third point, notched ten minutes before the interval, followed a corner-kick well placed by Jordan. Powell fisted out, but the wind carried the ball back into the goalmouth when GERRANS fastened upon it to score with a low shot which, passing between the legs of players crowding into the goalmouth, gave Powell no chance.

St. Albans opened the second half in promising fashion, but, following the injury to Burke, their forwards were well held by the Barnet defenders, who played soundly, with Hawkins and Weightman outstanding. Greygoose was not severely tested, but he showed capital judgment in gathering awkward centres from Saunders and handled the ball in clean, confident style.

The Citizens' best efforts were a great shot from Richardson which a defender managed to deflect with his leg for a corner; a header from Robinson which hit the crossbar and another header from Burke, which Greygoose tipped over the crossbar. St. Albans' only goal was scored by BURKE twelve minutes from the end. He gathered a pass from Crossley, tricked Duncan and beat Greygoose with a quickly-delivered low shot which found the corner of the net. That goal served to inspire the Citizens, but they could not muster sufficient forcefulness to appear likely to save the game.

The cup was banded to Duncan who captained the Barnet team in the absence of Finch, by Mr. W._Plumpton of Hoddesdon, a member of the Huts F.A. Council and a former official of the Barnet Club. The medals. which were not available for distribution on Monday, will be forwarded to the clubs later. The attendance was about three thousand and the gate receipts amounted to £71.

Barnet: W. Greygoose; E. W. Bunker, E. Hawkins; S. Weightman, J. Duncan, P. McKinney; J. Jordan, S. Ryman, E. Hancock, J. C. Gerrans, R. Ford.

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

Referee: Mr. C. J. Dean (Watford).