It is not too much to say that Lovell won the game for Golders Green against St. Albans last Saturday.

He gave a display at centre-half that has seldom been equalled on the Claremont Road ground. Not only did he hold Burke in complete check, but assisted the other defenders time after time. He was always where he was needed and worked like a Trojan, yet he appeared as fresh at the end of a gruelling game as when he stepped on to the field.

With Weeks and Bucci absent, Munday dropped to left back, and Birbeck came in at left half; both did well in unaccustomed positions. Breagan gave an excellent display at right half, and Shorland, though badly starved, was always a potential scorer when he gained possession.

Stroud did not seem at all happy in the first half, when he continually stopped promising movements by "killing" the ball and waiting, instead of keeping it on the move, but both he and Pulling settled down well in the second period.

St. Albans fielded a big, hefty side, and relied on long kicking to initiate their attacks, though they showed clever touches at times. Golders Green tried to play good football, and often succeeded, but there was still a tendency to close play which has caused their failures in the past. Only first-time methods can open up a defence.

The only goal in the first half was scored early on by the Green. Fontana, who showed brilliant touches, put across to Stroud who got the ball across to Shorland. The left winger put it back, Stroud touched to Pulling who netted from close in.

With only a one goal lead, and the wind against them after the interval, Golders Green's prospects looked black, and the game seemed lost for them when St. Albans scored two quick goals to take the lead. Allen headed home the first following a nice corner by Rand, and the inside-right again netted with a very fine shot which had Hart beaten all the way.

The hard, long-kicking tactics of the visitors seemed for a long time to be worrying the Green's defence. Hart had difficulty in dealing with a swerving centre from Rand, and for a time St. Albans pressed strongly.

Then suddenly the game took a complete turn. Golders Green attacked, and Cochrane had bad luck when he put a fine drive over the bar following a good combined movement by the forwards. Then Stroud gave Pulling a chance, and he headed just outside. Finally, however, Stroud got away on the right wing and put the ball across. It went to Cochrane, unmarked, and the inside-left took steady aim and scored with a beautiful shot.

St. Albans tried to hit back and gained a corner, which was cleared. The ball was punted down the field, and St. Albans, trying the "offside" game once too often, eased up when Pulling gained possession. He was not offside, however, and he ran through, side-stepped Powell, who came out to meet him, and walked the ball into the net to give the Green a 3-2 lead.

It was all Golders Green towards the finish. They nearly scored again when Fontana blocked Goldsack's effort to clear and the ball spun back, Powell having the utmost difficulty in gathering it. Not to be denied, however, the home side came back again. Brilliant work by Cochrane and Shorland paved the way and as the ball came across to Stroud he hit hard and low into the net.