Golders Green did well to defeat Barnet by a margin of three goals in Saturday's Athenian League match, and that the victory was fully deserved cannot be questioned. Certainly Barnet were by no means showing their true form, but the result was due quite as much to Golders Green's sterling performance as to the faults on the part of the visitors.

It was a clean and fast game on a well-conditioned ground at Claremont Road and interest was tense throughout the match, for, though only one goal was scored in the first half and Golders Green were completely superior in the second half, there was never any actual slacking of effort on the part of Barnet, and the winners had to work hard for every advantage they secured.

Generally speaking, Golders Green were a more business-like combination, with the forwards consistently snappy except for Spalton, who was the weak link in a brilliant line. Slow and uncertain, he failed to take advantage of frequent openings and it must be said, too, that the forwards frittered away chances on several occasions in the first half in spite of their undoubted capability. No player stood out more than Drinkwater, who was practically faultless in his work the whole way through.

Barnet included the Cambridge University forward, W. Charlton, in their line, but he was unable to achieve a lot against the Golders Green defence, and Finch, on the left, did not give the performance that was expected of him. Simpson, at outside-right, was more dangerous, but was not allowed too much rope.

Barnet won the toss and Evans kicked off before a packed crowd of spectators, passing to Spalton, who slipped and fell, surrendering the ball to Richardson, but before Barnet could get on the move Evans recovered the ball and passed out to Drinkwater, who sent back a well-judged centre which Knott was unable to pick up. Jarrett put the Barnet line in motion, but they were scattered by the home halves and Knott secured, working down the field with Drinkwater and passing in to Evans, who was too awkwardly positioned to get in a shot. Evans was, in fact, carefully attended to by the Barnet defence throughout the game and was rarely able to shine, but he might well have opened up more instead of sticking to pretty tricks after drawing three or four defenders around him. If he had surrendered the ball earlier under such circumstances, Golders Green might have held the lead at the interval.

Simpson led Barnet on their first real attack, but Broadis intercepted Charlton and Smith coolly gathered a lovely shot through from Charlton. Finch shot behind and the goal-kick sent Golders Green's left-wing away in promising style, but Drinkwater was robbed by Marchant and though Bucci sent the ball down again Spalton's slowness spoilt the attack. Further raids by Barnet, led by Simpson and Charlton, failed, and Golders Green were aggressive for a long spell, Drinkwater, Knott and Evans trying hard for the net. Evans was practically through once, but was forced to pass out to Drinkwater, who shot low and straight, Wingfield doing well to hold the ball.

Then Golders Green conceded a corner, but Simpson placed the ball over the line and the visitors fell back for Wingfield to be tested by Evans (with a neat header) and Breagan. This second shot raised the hopes of the Golders Green supporters, but the ball was scrambled away while the Barnet goalkeeper was out of the posts.

Wingfield, new to Barnet, appeared somewhat nervous in the early stages and took chances in running out, besides fumbling the ball occasionally, but the Golders Green forwards did not take advantage of the weakness.

Barnet came into the picture again as the result of a nice bout of passing on the right, culminating in a brilliant shot from Simpson, but Smith cleared easily and Broadis upset a further advance. Golders Green were all the time carrying out rapid raids on the visitors' goal area and likely chances came to Knott, Evans and Drinkwater, but Knott lost one of his best opportunities by shooting high over the bar, getting his wrong foot to the ball. Drinkwater, always elusive, was the most accurate marksman and was responsible for many delightful efforts. Barnet were not playing together well now and their breakaways had little of promise in them except on rare occasions. Finch could not get going except once and then Smith ran out to gather the ball when Finch tapped too far ahead. Simpson and Charlton were doing a lot of work, but found the home defence consistently strong.

It was four or five minutes to the interval when Barnet's only goal was netted, and this was a gift from Broadis, who put the ball into his own goal when there was no real danger at all. The ball would probably have gone out of play if Smith had not taken it up. It was probably this goal, however, that gave Golders Green so thorough a victory, for the undeserved reverse stirred them up and there was soon little doubt as to the result.

Half-time came with Golders Green all round the Barnet goal and after the change-over they played with a determination and style that gave them prominence most of the time. The forwards were well supported by the halves, quick to intercept and with the centre-half a dominating personality, while the backs were splendid when called upon, for Barnet were still strenuous enough to keep the defence at work now and then, though they had petered out in comparison with their first half display.

For Golders Green, Breagan had hard luck to miss the net with a likely shot taken on the run, and Drinkwater shot close across the front of goal. Broadis, taking a spot kick for a foul on Evans, sent through a lovely low drive which Wingfield stopped, and Evans was fouled again practically on the penalty line. Again Broadis took the kick but the goal was blocked. A corner resulted and from this Rowe netted Golders Green's equaliser, while Wingfield was out of goal after clearing from Drinkwater.

Golders Green kept up the pressure and Drinkwater came near to adding a second goal from a pass from Breagan. Evans and Spalton each tried for the net after Rowe had worked well for an opening, but it fell to Drinkwater to give Golders Green the lead, when he slipped the ball past off Knott. Barnet appealed for offside, but the referee disallowed the objection.

Twenty-two minutes from the restart Drinkwater put Golders Green further ahead with the best goal of the game, heading neatly in off Breagan. Then Breagan drew the defence and presented Spalton with an absolute gift, but the latter was beaten by Wingfield, who came out to meet him.

Several times Barnet looked dangerous again and Smith had to punch clear from Finch and clear a hot drive from Morris, while Richardson upset a good effort on the part of Simpson, but Barnet were in poor fettle compared with the home team and Golders Green only fulfilled expectations when they secured their fourth goal through Rowe with seven minutes to go.

Outstanding players of the day were Rowe and Drinkwater for Golders Green, and Garrett for Barnet, the last-named showing a lot of his old speed and skill. Rowe could stand any amount of work and Bucci was in good form on the left. Evans did not lead his line so well as in the past, but this was partly due to the particular attention paid him by the Barnet defenders. It was purely his own responsibility, however, that, when he did find the right position, he failed to put power behind his shots. Smith was in brilliant form and brought off some admirable saves.

Among the Barnet forwards, Finch was given to fiddling with the ball, though his failure was partly due to the fact that he was limping half-way through the match. In the main the Barnet line lay well up the field, strategically placed, and their tactics wouuld have been rewarded if they had been faced with a less knowing defence. Wingfield was disappointing between the posts.
[N.B. The attendance of 3,000 was given in the "Sports Gleanings" column on page 20 of the same edition of the Hendon Times.]