Match Report

Uxbridge Town
2
Hendon
1
Date:
Saturday 07 February 1925
Competition:
Athenian League
Attendance:
Unknown
Venue:
Uxbridge Town

Match Report

From the Hendon & Finchley Times, 13 February 1925 :

Hampstead [Town]'s league aspirations received a set-back in their visit to Uxbridge Town, who, with a greatly improved side, gained the points by two goals to one.

After a strenuous but goalless first-half the home side opened the scoring, but Stanley Smith equalised with a fine cross shot. Uxbridge, however, forged ahead again, and just on the final whistle Smith scored another goal close in for Hampstead. This was, unfortunately, disallowed, the referee yielding to strong appeals from the home team for offside, and reversing his original decision as to the legitimacy of the goal.

Hampstead lacked the services of Sweetman in this game, but H.G. Barnes made a welcome re-appearance at centre-half and gave a good display.

An early opportunity is afforded Hampstead to atone for this defeat, as they entertain Uxbridge Town in the return match at the Child's Hill ground tomorrow (Saturday). Kick-off 3 p.m.
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From the Uxbridge & West Drayton Gazette, 13 February 1925 (including teams) :

Maintaining their good form, Uxbridge [Town] defeated Hampstead Town in the Athenian League on Saturday by two goals to one. Playing convincing football throughout, they fully deserved the points. It was a fine, sporting game, goalless and quiet in the first half, and bustling and very exciting in the later stages. Facing the sun Uxbridge got into their stride from the kick-off, and the forwards surprised the Hampstead defence by their liveliness. In the first two minutes Yates accepted a forward pass from Alford to shoot inches wide, and a pretty bit of combination between the three inside forwards resulted in Alford sending the ball skimming over the bar. Shortly after, Alford threaded his way through the defence and finished by volleying against the under part of the crossbar, and the ball rebounded into play, many holding that it was a goal. Then, and not until then, did Hampstead get going. This was through the instrumentality of Smith, their left winger, who proved to be their most dangerous forward. Eluding the Uxbridge backs, he drove hard for goal. Allen stopped the shot, but dropped the ball, and Allwright kicked clear when on the goal-line. Uxbridge next gave the Hampstead defence a bad time. A neat pass by Holding gave Alford a chance, and from his shot Goodwin pulled the ball down and kicked clear, and from Dimmock's return gave a corner. As time went on play became more even, with the half-backs on both sides doing particularly good work. Allen gained rounds of applause for a brilliant save from Irwin, and later he eluded three Hampstead men before getting out of a tight corner. At the other end both Dimmock and Alford were on the mark, but Goodwin saved on both occasions, being well supported by Iles and Brazier. Allen was again prominent when Seabrooke got clear through. The Uxbridge goalie dashed out of goal and charged down his shot when a goal looked certain. Just on half-time Dimmock had hard luck with a glorious shot.

Play in the early part of the second half was not quite as fast, but was still very interesting, despite the fact that the defences largely dominated the situation. The Uxbridge forwards were the more resourceful line, and their combination often had the Hampstead halves in a tangle. a nice solo effort by Yates resulted in a fruitless corner, and it was a pretty bit of combined work that led to the first goal. Dimmock started the movement, and finding Hunt unmarked, slung the ball out to the winger, who dropped in a beautiful centre for Alford to head past Goodwin. Then the game bacame full of excitement. The visitors half-backs entered freely into the fray, and their shots, particularly those by Harris, were more dangerous than those of the forwards. Holding, of whom but little was seen in the first half, now contributed some really fine work, and his combination with Yates was very effective. Dimmock hit the crossbar with Goodwin well beaten, and Wright threaded his way through and sent in a shot which the goalie scrambled out. Hampstead equalised while the Uxbridge defenders were appealing for offside. Their protest was justified, for Smith was palpably offside when he received possession, but, "playing to the whistle," he sent in a nice cross shot which hit the further upright and then into goal. Thrills followed quickly. Hunt centred to Dimmock who tapped the ball to Alford, who again put Uxbridge ahead, and from the kick-off Smith, again offside, netted for Hampstead. The referee pointed to the centre, but after consulting both linesmen ruled that Smith was offside, and disallowed the point.

Hampstead Town

1
Ernie Goodwin
2
Frank Iles
3
Ron Brazier
4
W E "Taffy" Harris
5
Bert Barnes
6
Bob Wardlaw
7
Eric Irwin
8
Freddy Young
9
Kenneth Seabrooke
10
Cecil Wise
11
Stanley Smith

Match Events

B Alford
70''
75''
Stanley Smith
B Alford
80''

Uxbridge Town

1
R S Allen
2
J Shaw
3
H H Allwright
4
E J Ashby
5
L A Wright
6
T Strevans
7
A J Hunt
8
B Dimmock
9
B Alford
10
F A Yates
11
A Holding