Golders Green were unlucky on Saturday in the return Athenian League match at Claremont Road to come up against a Barnet team who were at the top of their form. As a result they lost 1-2, and lost to a faster, more co-operative, eleven.

For once Golders Green were at a loss. Their staying powers availed them nothing, even with the wind behind them, because Barnet stayed just as well. The forward line became once more just a collecttion of individuals, not even of clever individuals. Perhaps the surest sign of trouble was that the wily Browne even was at fault.

They appeared to be unable to put a foot right. Their passes were badly judged, they strayed out of position, they found themselves robbed with ease. So desperate did they become that towards the end Duffield was sent out to the left wing and [F.] Boston was given a roving commission down the centre.

Withal, Green tried hard in the centre-forward position, but the ball appeared to elude him. It must be admitted, however, that the home team's one goal came because Green was trying to push his way through.

George Bucci was the best of the halves. That man has a gift for turning up from nowhere, when he is least expected, to stop a dangerous attack with a neat tackle.

Broadis found Weightman, the Barnet centre-forward, a little too fast for him; and then, again, Weightman was hardly ever where Broadis thought he should have been.

Possibly Broadis was unnerved by his unfortunate double miss at a penalty early in the game. Before Barnet had scored, only thirteen minutes after the start, a penalty was given against the visitors for hands.

Broadis came up to take it. He is generally so reliable on these kicks that most of the crowd were prepared to sit back and not watch the goal. But Broadis ballooned the ball over the bar.

There was intense excitement when it was seen that the referee had ordered a fresh kick because the Barnet goalkeeper, Hawkins, had moved just as Broadis was shooting. Broadis took it again. Perhaps he was nervous, or miskicked, but he shot low and almost directly at Hawkins, who was able to smother it.

This may have been responsible for the partial demoralisation of the team. Anyway, they were never the same again.

As for the rest of the Golders Green team, Joe Bloxham had an off day, so that W. Boston had more work to do than he could cope with. Hayward, too, put up quite a promising performance.

It was not Kimber's fault that Barnet scored twice, and he brought off a number of those calmly calculated saves which he makes to look so easy, but which, in fact, are not.

Bucci won the toss and elected to kick against the wind, but from the starting whistle Barnet did most of the kicking. They began to press immediately, and Kimber was soon forced to clear a low centre. W. Boston cleared a nasty looking forward pass, stopping Weightman in full flight. A few moments later Braithwaite broke through and shot just outside the upright.

Duffield came into the limelight when a forward pass put him away. He fired in a nice shot, which Hawkins gathered. Green, coming up fast, nearly pushed it through.

Then came the double penalty kick of which we have already written. Barnet took advantage of their escape and pressed again, Weightman shooting wide.

Boston went back to the other half and Green shot the centre over the top. From a corner on the left Bucci shot wide. Barnet came back at them, but once again Golders Green retaliated and Green put in a good cross-shot which Hawkins did well to save.

Three further shots going wide of the Barnet goal, and Hawkins put Braithwaite away with a long kick. Braithwaite went down and centred nicely for Richardson to head past Kimber's outstretched hands. Barnet thus went ahead after 37 minutes' play.

With eight minutes left, the battle swung from one end of the field to the other, but no further score was recorded.

Shortly after the resumption a free kick was awarded Barnet for hands near the Golders Green penalty area. Luckily Gray shot wide. Barnet then pressed until Boston managed to get away down the touchline and put the ball over. Duffield lofted the ball into the goalmouth and Green used his head.

Hawkins, however, managed to punch the ball out. It went to Duffield again, who passed it via Browne to Boston, who took a snap shot at the corner of the goal and scored. Golders Green were level after 15 minutes of the second half.

They held this position for one minute over a quqrter-of-an-hour. Then Finch went up, crossed the ball to Braithwaite, who put it back to Weightman, who fired in a fine shot which left Kimber standing.

That made it 2-1 in Barnet's favour, and it now became their policy to keep the ball away from their goal at all costs. F. Boston went into the centre, but the move proved fruitless, though he roamed here, there and everywhere in an attempt to get the ball and push it through.

The nearest Golders Green came to scoring was when Broadis took a free kick in front of goal and just outside the penalty area. Gray smothered it.

It was a fst, clean game, pleasant to watch. Barnet just deserved to win.