Match Report

Enfield
0
Hendon
0
Date:
Saturday 28 March 1936
Competition:
Athenian League
Attendance:
Unknown
Venue:
Enfield

Match Report

Golders Green were fortunate in winning a point in the Athenian League match at Enfield on Saturday. Enfield were at the head of the table, but failure to win this match may seriously affect their chances of maintaining premier position.

Earlier in the season Golders Green had beaten Enfield in the League by ten goals to one, but that freak result was due to the sudden illness of W.F. Greygoose, their goalkeeper, from which he has not yet fully recovered.

Both clubs were well represented in Saturday's match, J.W. Bloxham making a welcome return to Golders Green's side. It was distinctly fortunate that he was able to play, as, apart from G.L. Kimber, he was the most serviceable player. Broadis, if not outstanding, rendered good service.

Kimber gave a wonderful exhibition of goalkeeping. It was certainly his best show since joining the club. It is no exaggeration to say that he had six times as much work to do as F. Holmes, the Enfield goalkeeper. There were occasions when it seemed that nothing could prevent Enfield scoring, but Kimber's high reach and sense of anticipation saved the situation again and again. As time went on the shooting of the Enfield line began to deteriorate, and for this state of things Kimber must have been grateful.

A poorer exhibition by Golders Green attack has seldom been given. The number of shots which could be classed as good numbered less than a dozen. The best came from M. Fallon. He was the pick of the line, but that is not saying a great deal. To S. Preston, Enfield's pivot, can be traced the weakness of the attack. Literally speaking, he had T.E. Evans in his pocket, and as a result the line was at sixes and sevens. There was no cohesion, and the opposing defence had no difficulty in staving off attacks. Shots were ill-directed, and except for a few, those which went to Holmes possessed little or no sting.

For a few minutes Golders Green, playing an open game, gave promise of good things, Bloxham doing well both in attack and defence, but when Enfield had settled down they made things warm for Golders Green's defence. In G. Hinsby and G. Metcalfe they had two wingers who could not only cover ground quickly, but knew the location of the goal, and W.T. Weightman was an enterprising forward ready to snap up chances. Kimber will long remember one of his shots which brought a corner.

Weightman, however, missed one glorious opening. A goal looked certain as he speeded up the field unhampered. There were a few occasions when the visiting wingers got in centres, but the finishing was weak. There were good shots from Bloxham and W. Boston, but coming from a distance Holmes was not greatly troubled.

Ten minutes from the interval R. Ellis, Enfield's left-back, who formerly served Hendon Town and then Golders Green, had to leave the field through injury, but he soon returned, and by his play showed that he had not been badly hurt.

Play in the second half was on much the same lines as that which had gone before, Enfield attacking most of the time but wasting opportunities. They must have scored, however, but for the continued good form of Kimber, who looked beaten to the world after a scramble in the goalmouth. At the other end a bad miss by F. Wheeler (at right-back) [the line-up below gives G. Wheeler] gave an opening to Golders Green, but it was not snapped up. A lot of work fell to J. Shorland, who did not receive that full measure of support he generally gets from G. Bucci, the captain. Shorland was somewhat erratic, and within a short time had two free kicks awarded against him - first for a foul, then for handling. But these kicks brought no result, and the Enfield suporters began to get restive. No doubt it was galling to them to find so much pressure bearing no fruit.

There was always the possibility that against the run of the play Golders Green, as they did in the corresponding match last year, would score one goal to give them full points, and Fallon put in one or two nice shots, and the combined work of F. Boston and Evans raised hopes. In the closing stages Golders Green also forced two corners, but the end came without either goalkeeper being beaten.

This was one of the luckiest points ever earned by Golders Green, but it is not difficult to recall when the reverse has been the case.

Report by Hendon Times, 03/04/1936, p.14

Golders Green

1
Gerry Kimber
2
Bill Boston
3
Jimmy Shorland
4
Joe Bloxham
5
Bert Broadis
6
George Bucci
7
A J "Billy" Breagan
8
Johnny Browne
9
Tommy Evans
10
Mike Fallon
11
Fred Boston

Match Events

Enfield

1
F Holmes
2
G Wheeler
3
Bob Ellis
4
W C Heal
5
S Preston
6
A Martin
7
G Hinsby
8
J H Newman
9
W T Weightman
10
K C Lister
11
G Metcalfe