St. Albans City 1 Barnet 2
Saturday 20th December
Owing to mist, it was difficult to follow play in St. Albans City's local "Derby" Herts and Middlesex League match with Barnet, at Clarence Park , on Saturday, and the difficulties were accentuated by clouds of steam from passing trains which, at times, completely obliterated the players from the view of the spectators, twice so badly that the referee found it necessary to stop the game for a brief period for the steam to disperse.
The Citizens, who suffered their sixth successive defeat, again had difficulties in raising a team. E. Cook bad to cry off owing to injury and Corporal Wright was not available. Robinson was moved from the attack and H. Crossley from the half-back line to fill the vacancies at full-back; L. Graham, of the South Lancs, was introduced at right half-back and the forward line rearranged, with W. Saunders in a new role at outside-left.
Barnet, who had three of their pre-war players in Hawkins, James Richardson and Lester Finch, and were able to field their selected side, were the better together throughout, but on the run of the play they were somewhat fortunate to gather both points. They succeeded because they snapped up two of their very few chances, whereas St Albans, who tried hard, were repeatedly thwarted by the solid defence of Bunker, Duncan and Hawkins, who played with excellent understanding.
DUNCAN'S GRAND DISPLAY.
Bunker, who is rapidly developing into a first-class defender, and Hawkins, both positioned themselves with excellent anticipation, tackled accurately and kicked powerfully, while Duncan was equally effective, particularly with his well-judged interventions with his head. In the closing stages, when the Citizens began to overcome the resistance of that trio, Greygoose, the Barnet goalkeeper, foiled their efforts, and a series of saves which he made, mostly from Pipe, provided the chief thrills of a somewhat drab game in which play was limited to thirty-live minutes each way.
Although their kicking was never characterised to the accuracy and strength of that of the Barnet rear guard, Robinson and Crossley certainly played well in their strange positions, both tackling effectively and showing good judgment in their interventions. Hall, too played effectively, completely subduing Saw, Barnet's dangerous young centre-forward, who has, so far this season, scored fifteen goals in League games. Hall saw that he never had a chance to add to that number on Saturday.
SURPRISE SHOT FINDS THE NET.
Although closely watched, Lester Finch made number of spectacular runs and one, after fifteen minutes' play, led to the only goal of the first half. He dribbled into the middle and, when he was stopped, the ball ran loose to McKINNEY, who delivered a first-time low cross-shot which took Powell by surprise, the goalkeeper making no effort to go for the ball, which entered the bottom corner of the net. Generally, goalkeepers were not severely tested before the interval but Greygoose did well to gather a couple of centres from Saunders as the ball was curling under the crossbar.
Two minutes after the interval, Barnet increased their lead as the result of a movement by the two sixteen-year-old lads on their right wing. RYMAN finally gathered a pass from his partner, tricked two opponents neatly, and netted.
After that St. Albans did the bulk of the attacking. Kirkham worked hard in support of his forwards and Graham who, once he settled down tackled strongly and disposed of the ball to advantage, gave Pipe some excellent passes, and so did Rand. The winger who possesses many tricks and often had Hawkins guessing, put over some excellent centres, and it was difficult to understand how Jones, another enterprising and nippy little player, did not convert at least a couple; although on one occasion he was unfortunate, after steering the ball past Greygoose, to see Hawkins clear from the goal line.
PIPE KEEPS GREYGOOSE BUSY.
Pipe also shot well, but could not outwit Greygoose, who made a series of brilliant saves, turning several rasping drives from Pipe out for corner-kicks. Two minutes from the end, when St. Albans were pressing hard, a shot from Saunders was handled by a Barnet defender and JACK RICHARDSON obtained St. Albans' only goal from the resultant penalty-kick.
A collection made on behalf of the Mayor's Fund for providing Christmas parties for children - both local and evacuee - realised £4 10s.
St. Albans City: H. F. Powell; T. Robinson, H. Crossley; L. Graham, L. Hall, S. Kirkham; B. Pipe, D. Rand, E. Jones, Jack Richardson, W. Saunders.
Barnet: W.F. Greygoose: E.W. Hawkins, E.W. Bunker; James Richardson, J. Duncan, W. Hancock; J. Elmer, E. Ryman, R.H. Saw, P. McKinney, L. Finch.