Match Report

Wealdstone
1
Hendon
3
Date:
Saturday 24 December 1932
Competition:
Athenian League
Attendance:
Unknown
Venue:
Wealdstone

Match Report

Hampstead opened their holiday programme with a win at Wealdstonr by three goals to one, thus repeating their performance of last Christmas Day although the victory was less decisive. As they were without Evans, their chief goalscorer, it was a satisfactory result, but the play in the first half-hour was so much in Wealdstone's favour that their defeat seemed out of the question.

Hampstead lost a good chance of opening the scoring when Gibbs, who was at outside-left, failed badly with an open goal, and the forward work was very poor compared with that of the Wealdstone side, who had a fine right wing in Wyatt and Underwood. It was some time before Richardson could get the measure of Wyatt, who sent in some fine shots, but later he proved to be the best back on the field, Dean, his captain, being troubled with an injury to his leg. Wealdstone well deserved their first and what proved to be their only goal, scored by Wyatt at the end of twenty-two minutes. But for some capital work by Smith in goal - he invariably does well at Wealdstone - Wealdstone would have scored more goals, although they themselves were sometimes to blame, shooting being faulty. Five minutes before the change-over Knott, who was taking Evans's place in the centre, equalised from a pass by Gibbs; a second goal was obtained by Rowe from one of Breagan's beautifully-placed corner kicks.

Although the score of 2-1 in Hampstead's favour was against the run of the play, they had so much of the play in the second half that the ultimate result did not do Wealdstone an injustice. The only goal in this half was obtained fairly early by Rowe, who headed in from Knott's corner. This season an extraordinarily large number of Hampstead's goals have accrued from corner kicks. The work of the forwards was much better through an alteration in places, Rowe going centre-forward, Breagan at inside-right and Knott on the extreme wing. Knott was off the field for some time owing to an injury.

Both goalkeepers played splendidly, and apart from Smith, Richardson, Bloxham, Bucci and Rowe were starred men on the Hampstead side.

Report by Hendon Times & Guardian, 30/12/1932, p.12

Hampstead

1
Sid Smith
2
Frank Dean
3
Jack Richardson
4
Joe Bloxham
5
Percy Rees
6
George Bucci
7
A J "Billy" Breagan
8
Ronnie Rowe
9
Herbert Knott
10
Jimmy Spalton
11
Eric Gibbs

Match Events

? Wyatt
23''
40''
Herbert Knott
43''
Ronnie Rowe
55''
Ronnie Rowe

Wealdstone

7
? Wyatt
8
? Underwood