A really excellent exhibition of football by two good sides, at Hitchin last Saturday, ended by the home team securing the verdict by 4-2. This victory was just about deserved as the winners were just that little bit faster, their kicking was of better length and more accurate, and their movements better worked out.

This does not mean that the Green were outplayed in any way. They put up an excellent fight and, despite the splendid displays of [J.T.] Jones at left back and Chamberlain at centre half, there was not a better player on the field than Topp, whose work both in defence and attack was of the highest order.

The home side opened the score after about three minutes' play. A visiting attack was repulsed and from Westwood's pass, L. Clark put in an excellent long range shot which went into the net: the flight of the ball appeared to deceive Roberts, who made no attempt to reach it.

Encouraged, Hitchin set up some hot attacks, but the Green's defence, though pressed, held. It took the visitors 20 minute to gain their first corner, after which they attacked for a period. A minute before half time, Hitchin were awarded a free kick, from which Chamberlain scored direct.

On resuming, the Green were on top for a period and Hitchin's goal had one or two lucky escapes. After a quarter of an hour's play, in a dramatic two minutes, each side was awarded a penalty. First, Chamberlain was adjudged to have handled, and Bossoms, taking the spot kick, reduced the Green's arrears. A similar offence at the other end, however, enabled Chamberlain to restore the balance to 3-1.

After half an hour's play, Hitchin broke away on the right and the ball was sent across for Sparshott to net the home side's fourth. Just prior to the close, Fair's shot was parrie by R. Jones, but the ball rebounded to Finch, who scored the Green's second with a great shot.