Have Golders Green reached rock bottom? Since they beat Ilford at Claremont Road in the middle of November they have given no outstanding performance, and seem to be gradually getting weaker. Of the last 14 games they have won 4, lost 7, and drawn 3, and no one will suggest that their victims (Wealdstone, Hounslow, Winchmore Hill, and Worthing) are tip-top clubs.

On Saturday a few optimists accompanied the team to the Harwich and Parkeston ground at Dovercourt, where an A.F.A. Cup-tie was decided. They saw little in the Golders Green display to inspire them; as a matter of fact, it was one of the poorest exhibitions given by them this season. The home side won by five goals to one, and if the truth must be told, the score did not flatter Harwich, who literally overwhelmed Golders Green in the second half, during which they scored thrice, and might have scored a dozen but for remarkably good play by Godding, who was never long idle.

If Golders Green could have spent the weekend at Dovercourt and started another game on Monday they might have shown that their football was not quite so bad as it seemed, but the longer they played on Saturday the more pronounced was their weakness, and the few travellers from Golders Green must have been pleased when the end came.

In fairness it must be said that Golders Green were without J.W. Richardson at left-back and F.P. Evans at centre-forward. Business prevented them from taking such a long journey. We are not going to say that their presence would have brought success, but the defeat would not have been so heavy. Richardson's place was taken by L. Birch from the Reserves. He started promisingly, but he had to face one of the finest forwards on the field in Rowland, who scored three beautiful goals. Richardson's experience and weight would have been invaluable.

Freddy Evans has his detractors, and many have thought that his playing career should have closed by now, but we are sure he would have improved upon the display given by his deputy. But weakness was not confined to the centre-forward position. We are inclined to think Edwards was the pick of the five, but that is not saying a great deal. Tom Evans, at outside-right, started as though he was going to smite his opponents hip and thigh, but he petered out long before the finish.

Skeels was given offside times without number, and the constant stoppages for free kicks seemed to upset the visiting forwards, who at no stage seemed to be a happy combination. Their passing was bad, and their shooting was weak compared to that of the home side, who lost no chance of testing Godding. And there was sting in their shots - not the gentle taps with the ball that so often put an end to attacks by Golders Green.

The match was watched by a crowd slightly in excess of 2,000, representing takings of just over £60. Owing to a similarity in colours, Harwich played in red shirts, and when the Harwich president told our representative that never had a match been lost when the Harwich boys were compelled to change colours one was not altogether hopeful. Further, the luck of the toss gave Harwich the benefit of the wind and slope in the first half, an undoubted advantage. They were first to take up the running, a corner being forced. This was headed over, but it was soon evident that a good deal of reliance was being placed on Rowland, who had no reason to complain of the way in which he was served by those behind him. Broadis, with a heavy but fair charge, defeated one of his movements early on, but six minutes from the start Rowland found himself unmarked and drove the ball home.

This was an inauspicious start for Golders Green, but they were not undeterred. T. Evans, their star turn for a few minutes, was twice unfairly treated, but the free kicks yielded nothing, although the goal had a narrow escape. However, a fine shot by Evans led to a corner, and this was so well placed that the defence could not clear, and Edwards, after 12 minutes' play, brought the scores level.

No other goal was scored until ten minutes before the change-over, but Harwich had the greater part of the play. No quarter was given by either side, the football being of the bustling character without being really rough. The referee's whistle went frequently, but mostly for minor offences. Without much difficulty Golders Green were put offside, Skeels being the chief offender. Self, the Harwich goalkeeper, was prone to leave his post, but the Golders Green forwards were too slow to take any advantage of his recklessness.

Good shots by Golders Green were few and far between, one of the best chances coming from a well-placed corner kick by Drinkwater, who was not having suffficient work. Perhaps the finest shot of the match which brought no goal was that by Caesar, who as pivot of the home team contributed largely to their success.

A goal by Day, the Harwich centre-forward, gave his side the lead for the second time, and Golders Green may be considered rather fortunate that at the interval they were only one down, because in the closing stages they had to fight desperately against a strong attack, in which Rowland was always prominent.

Although their play had not held much hope of ultimate success, there still remained a possibility that with ground and weather conditions in their favour, Golders Green might force a draw. But we were soon disillusioned. Harwich played better in the second half, or we might say, the standard of Golders Green's play, never very high, dropped.

The match developed into an hot attack by Harwich forwards (and indeed the halves) against a defence which it was felt must ultimately succumb. It is to the credit of this defence, in particular the work of Godding and Boston, that Harwich did not score for half-an-hour after the restart. During this period the good shots that came from the home forwards could not have been more than half-a-dozen.

Rowland scored Harwich's third goal with a fine shot, and this put an end to any likelihood of a draw, much less victory for Golders Green. Eight minutes from time Upsom beat Godding, and just on time Rowland completed Golders Green's discomfiture by scoring his third goal, giving Harwich and Parkeston victory by five goals to one.

We are not surprised that Harwich and Parkeston have had a good season. There are few weak spots in the team, and in particular they have forwards who could give a lesson to Golders Green in marksmanship. They were well supported by the halves, Caesar being outstanding, and as a result the home backs were not worked to anything like the same extent as were Boston and Birch.

Bloxham was playing in his first cup-tie for Golders Green this season, and is undoubtedly an acquisition, but we are not prepared to say that even the half-back line, which has often been the deciding factor, reached the standard of palmiest days.

Bucci was injured during the match, but played pluckily until the end.