Golders Green, last season's Athenian League's runners-up, lost their opening League match to Walthamstow Avenue, the champions of last season. From the point of view of tactics, the visitors' victory of 2-1 was a just result, but from the point of view of pressure it should have been a draw, for Golders Green were well worth another goal. All the scoring was in the first half of a closely contested match, but with a little more luck Golders Green would have drawn level after the interval.

On the sun-baked ground the ball was so light as to make efficient ball control a difficult matter for either side, and both sides were weakened by late changes, but Golders Green may be said to have suffered more in the latter respect. R. Ellis, who gave a good display the previous week at right-back, was absent, and his place was taken by F. Dean, who returned from Bournemouth to play without being in proper training, while H. Butt, at right-half, was also fresh from holidays. His presence was required owing to the absence of A. Broadis, to fill whose vacancy W. Seeney moved over to the left.

The visitors were without H. Furness (centre-forward) and H. Lammas (right-back), in whose places G. Anderson and R. Bancroft appeared.

The teams turned out seven minutes late before quite a good crowd.

The opening exchanges were very lively. Golders Green offered the first real attack, with Breagan and Rowe in prominence, but Randall intercepted the ball and Walthamstow worked through on the left, only for Vincent to shoot behind the posts. Andrews tried a solo effort, but could not penetrate the Golders Green defence. Butt gave Bucci a lot of help in checking the well-timed passes of Anderson, but Dean failed badly to give Wilshaw a clear chance with a header, which, however, went wide of the mark.

With but a few breaks the Avenue sustained their attack and a fine effort came from Lewis, who tested Smith with a long shot breast high. Smith cleared well but Oliver returned the ball, sending Wilshaw away on the left, only a timely tackle by Dean averting a position of real danger to the home goal.

Ten minutes from the start Smith brought disaster upon himself. Venturing out to meet the ball when he should have left it to the back, he found himself in difficulty and swung Vincent round. A penalty was awarded and Oliver netted the Avenue's opening goal.

One of Golders Green's best moves in the early stages ended with Breagan shooting across the goal and Evans shooting just wide of the mark.

Walthamstow were very quick on the ball, neat in their passing, and Anderson was for ever forcing his way through, but the shooting danger really came from Lewis, who showed an uncanny instinct for the goal under all circumstances. With his stinging shots, Vincent's speed and Andrews' illusiveness on the right, Smith found himself with a lot to do, but he functioned well until he let through a header from Anderson, which should have been held.

Matters looked black for Golders Green, but shortly before the whistle Drinkwater raised the home spirits, turning in a well-placed pass from Breagan. The interval came with the score 2-1 in favour of the Avenue.

Golders Green pressed more in the second half after a clearance by Smith from Lewis had ended Walthamstow's opening dash, but the only men who gave definite promise of an equaliser were Evans and Drinkwater. The latter was outstandingly good throughout the game. His centreing was always purposeful, he offered good chances with his corners, and not once did he drop the ball behind the goalline. Evans, though given to "juggling" too much at times, was invariably clever, and Rowe only missed scoring by a stroke of bad luck. Breagan, who was given a tremendous amount of work, showed up well, but Spalton was a desperately weak link in the front line. Butt worked much better than in the first half, but Seeney was not too strong on the left, and the visitors took full advantage of the weakness.

Evans came near to scoring with a close in shot taken at speed and again he and Drinkwater all but beat Hine when Drinkwater tempted him out and he recovered only just in time to receive Evans's shot. Golders Green forced a number of corners without gain, but towards the end the Avenue did a lot more pressing and Smith was often in action, his performance now making up for the early faults. He did particularly well to keep out a near shot from Andrews and he saved smartly twice from Lewis in quick succession.

Golders Green still promised a draw and it looked like coming when Rowe, taking up a pass from Butt, headed just below the bar, but Hine reached the ball and leaped aside as Evans bore down on him. Drinkwater also halted the breathing of thousands when a dropping shot from the corner flag reached midway between the posts but the ball scraped the front of the crossbar and was cleared by Wright, who also intercepted a shot from Spalton. Close on time Breagan claimed three corners off the visiting goalkeeper.

Apart from the consistently splendid performance of Drinkwater, the high lights in the Golders Green team were provided by Bucci and Richardson, the latter doing two men's work owing to the weaknesses in the defence already remarked upon.