Almost to the end it looked as though Golders Green would stave off defeat and send Romford home with only one point instead of the coveted two in the Athenian League match on Saturday. The blue and gold team, however, managed to score the odd goal in three and leave the field with a sense of a hard match well fought.

Golders Green played a good hard game on a pitch to which they were accustomed, and in the first half they kept the majority of the play at the Romford end, although the game opened out considerably after the change-over.

Pressing hard right from the kick-off, Golders Green looked as though they should be the first to score, and made many fine attempts, but these were regularly frustrated by Parrish. The first attack on the Green's goal came as a result of the rush tactics of the Romford forwards, and Patterson made an excellent attempt to put the ball past Hill. He cleared it nicely, however, and Broadis took the ball away, eventually passing up to Soden, who beat the opposing backs. His shot was ineffectual, as Parrish welcomed the ball with open arms and cleared it in no uncertain fashion. The play went upfield for a minute or so and then came back via Soden, who shot straight and hard at Parrish. He fisted out and the ball came straight back. This time he made no mistake and cleared it right to midfield and the right wing, Thomas and Patterson. Taking the ball up the field, they passed it over to the left wing, Metcalfe and Walker. This pair scored the first goal. They carried the ball past Weaver and Broadis, and together beat [W.] Boston. Then Metcalfe shot for goal. Hill saved nicely, but WALKER received the ball and put it past Hill into the net.

This goal was the result of only about three minutes' effective play at the Golders Green end of the field. This effort seemed to wake the Greens up and they set off again full of determination to equalise the score.

F. Boston made some very good attempts and was receiving a lot more of the ball than in recent games. He justified the passing of the ball to him by a number of fine fast wing runs, one of which resulted in a fine shot which was only just saved by Parrish punching it round the outside of the upright.

Play veered to the region of the Golders Green goal for some time and in one attempt to head the ball clear W. Boston was knocked out with the weight of the ball. He recovered and came back to liven up proceedings, but not before WEAVER, with a beautiful shot, beat the Romford custodian. He was midway between the penalty line and the halfway line when he kicked, and the ball sailed right into the net as if it had been drawn there by a magnet. The goal came only a few minutes before half-time and did not leave much hope of another before the whistle blew. An accident overtook Bucci, and he left the field to have his leg attended to.

Play was more even after the change over and although it opened out both forward lines pressed hard to gain the advantage.

Time after time Golders Green attacked the Romford goal and just as often as a shot came for goal did Parrish clear it. Sometimes he was right in the goalmouth, at others he was as much as eight or nine yards out, but not once did he make a mistake and miss the ball. Even when W. Boston took a penalty kick which looked almost a certain goal, he succeeded in saving. It came straight back to Boston, who promptly returned it, but Parrish again saved it.

That was the turning point of the game. From then on Romford were more or less in command and carried the ball to the Green's half of the field. Not disheartened, one or two more attempts were made by the Greens, one a lovely run downfield by Soden, who tricked the centre-half and ran round the back. He did not have time to aim his shot, however, and failed to score. Another was a melee in front of the Romford goal which again failed to bring any result.

At last Romford got clear away to the Golders Green goalline and after a movement on the left by Metcalfe and Walker a shout went up. Romford had again taken the lead.

This is how it happened. There was a crowd in front of the Greens' goal. A kick came across the goalmouth from Thomas. Osborne passed it in, but Hill fisted out. But METCALFE was in the way and returned the ball with interest and it went over the line, W. Boston heading it in an attempt to save even after it had gone between the posts.

Both teams were having difficulty in keeping their feet during the course of play, and many were the incidents that brought the referee's whistle into action. These seemed to come in spasms. There would be a period of really good clean play, and then the whistle would blow three or four times in half as many minutes. Neither team was to blame for this., because the fault lay in the pitch. Frequently a player would lose his balance and fall when starting to run, or while dribbling the ball would slip and run quite half-a-dozen paces on hands and feet before recovering his balance.

The whole forward line of the visiting team played a sound game, with Walker and Metcalfe as the star players. Patterson was good, also. Sergeant and Blogg made a well-nigh impregnable defence and with Parrish they could do nothing wrong. As for Parrish himself, he played a wonderful game.

W, Smelling, from Tufnell Park, filled the vacancy in the Golders Green team caused by the absence of Hayward with a broken leg, and he did very well indeed, pairing off neatly with W. Boston. Bucci did his level best to inspire the team to win and in a measure he succeeded. Soden, F. Boston and Green were the soundest members of the forward line, but Breagan and Browne did not disgrace themselves. When hard pressed Hill was quite capable of rising to the occasion, and did not do less than was within his power.