At Green Pond Road, Walthamstow, on Saturday, the home team contained six internationals, including the redoubtable Jim Lewis, but Golders Green set the pace, scored first, and were the better side for half the game.

In the absence of Fred Boston, who was unable to get away from business, Griffin moved up to outside-left, Bucci to left-half, Lovell to centre-half, and Breagan, now fit again, took the right-half berth. The visitors won the toss and nearly scored in the first five minutes. Breagan put Tomlinson away, and from his pass Stroud took the ball down and centred well for Cochrane to put a flying header only a foot wide of the upright with Pinner beaten.

After a short Avenue rally, Tomlinson gained possession to go through, but he was pushed in the back just outside the penalty area. Bucci took the free-kick but Pinner fielded well. From the clearance the Avenue attacked and Collins forced a corner, the centre going right in front of the goal-mouth with no one up to convert - a narrow escape.

Then Griffin put Cochrane on the move, and he sent out a fine cross-pass to Stroud, who took the ball down and centred well into a cluster of players. Bracken, however, managed to scramble the ball away on the goal-line when the Green seemed almost certain to score.

Golders Green took the lead after 25 minutes. Bucci beat Lewis and passed to Cochrane. The inside-left, after a typical run, gave to Tomlinson, who put Fontana in possession. He cleverly lifted the ball over Childs' head when challenged and, dodging round him, scored a great goal.

Golders Green were definitely on top at this stage. The forward line, with good support from the halves, were working well, and the Avenue had to contest every inch of the way. They could not equalise until a minute from half-time. Lewis started the move and put across to Collins. Boston intercepted and, in heading, was knocked out. The ball went to Joseph and, with the Green right-back on the ground, the outside-left hit the ball hard and true into the net.

The Avenue were all out to make the game safe in the second half. Boston was finding Joseph a rare handful and the outside-lefft was the danger spot in the Avenue attack. The home side were piling on the pressure andd the Green began to tire.

Collins was getting the measure of Ward and two corners came from that wing. Hart twice fisted out in quick succession and then went full length for a fine save from Groves. Immediately afterwards he pushed one from Davis round for a corner.

After a short respite, in which Tomlinson took the ball well over the half-way line, the Avenue came back. Hart fielded a shot and, with Groves on him, tried to throw the ball over the attackers' heads to Boston, but Groves intercepted the clearance and quickly flashed the ball into the net to give the Avenue the lead after 20 [65] minutes.

Here Bucci and Griffin changed places, but the Avenue came again. Hart once more tried to clear by throwing out, but the return shot only went for a corner. The pressure was relieved by a nice run by Stroud, who beat three men and centred. No one was up to take the chance and the ball came back to the other end, following good combined work by Lewis and Joseph. Hart, worried by Groves, agaoin tried to throw out, but Collins fastened on to the ball and whipped it across to Davis, who scored the third goal with a beautiful header.

Golders Green put up a plucky fight against strong and experienced opposition. Lovell made a fine centre-half, Tomlinson showed his worth at centre-forward, while Fontana proved again a valuable inside right. These three were, perhaps, the pick of a team which worked creditably and well.