Golders Green accomplished their best performance this season on Saturday, Hayes, on their own ground, being beaten by 3-1 in the Amateur Cup. That the win was well deserved no one who saw the game will deny. Admitting that Hayes threw away easy chances, Golders Green had extremely hard luck in not scoring more than three times. Broadis, who has scored several goals from long distances, failed when taking a penalty kick. It went straight to Carr, the goalkeeper, who will long remember the power behind the ball given by Broadis.

The result afforded some compensation for the one-goal defeat sustained by Golders Green in no fewer than six competition games this season, and the victory came at a time when supporters were getting disheartened. Tomorrow the first team of Golders Green are at home, after a month's absence, to Redhill, who head the Athenian League, and the match ought to draw the largest crowd seen at Claremont Road this term. The club needs it, because money has not come in very fast of late.

Hayes have been playing so well this season that only the most optimistic thought that a win was possible, but after the first few minutes they were clearly the better side, there being no department in which Hayes excelled except perhaps in goal, and that only by reason of the fact that Smith's capabilities were not brought out to the full.

There can have been few better goals than that which was scored by Groves from outside-left. From a difficult angle he sent the ball into the net at a terrific pace, Smith havuing no chance. But he was not beaten again, although he must have thought himself very lucky when the Hayes' forwards failed to snap up chances.

Golders Green scored twice in the first half, first through Evans and then by Drinkwater, while soon after the cross-over Evans got another of his spectacular goals. They have been few this year. Getting the ball near the halfway line, he managed, by clever footwork, to beat off all opposition and calmly put the ball past Carr. Evans shows a remarkable turn of speed on occasions such as these, and the Hayes crowd could not resist cheering, although this goal meant so much to their own team.

But well as Evans played - and we have not seen him do better this season - it was Drinkwater who caught the eye of the crowd. Time after time he would beat his opponent by really clever footwork and then centre unless he felt he was serving his side better by taking a shot himself. "There goes that lad again" was the phrase one heard when Drinkwater was speeding along the left wing. He gave Ward and Macpherson (Hayes' right wing defenders) a gruelling time. Of course Drinkwater was sometimes beaten, but he wears a smile even when dispossessed. He is a cheery soul. A rare forager was Knott, who had put that dash into the front line which was so much needed. Though he did not score, he put in a number of good shots, and made openings for others. We have already referred to Evans, at centre, and although the right wing was not quite so prominent as the left, Spalton and Breagan assisted in making the front line more effective than in any previous matches this season.

The half-back line proved a good trio, and Rowe, who served Hayes for many seasons and was at one time their captain, demonstrated that he was by no means a spent force. It appeared to give him great pleasure to do well against his old side. Bucci did much to take the sting out of Pullen, the outside-right who recently went from Barnet to Hayes, and Broadis, at centre-half, can be forgiven for missing the penalty by reason of his excellent work the rest of the game. Golders Green's defence made the Hayes attack look extremely poor, the weakest men being their inside men, Wainwright and Brown.

Well as Harrison played at left-back, we preferred Ellis and Richardson to the Hayes' pair. One was glad to see Ellis do so well after his misadventure against Clapton. In regard to Smith, we can only say that few goalkeepers leave Hayes with only one goal against them.

Hayes opened impressively, and when it was found Ellis was an absentee (Rowe being at right-back) one began to wonder what had happened. However, Golders Green were soon at full strength, and Ellis doing much to stem the early attacks by Hayes.

From Golders Green's left wing we saw some good work, Knott shooting at every opportunity. One good opening was lost by the ball being sent high over the bar. Broadis took a free kick not too far out, and those who know his penchant for scoring by that method looked for a goal. They were disappointed. The game was not very old, however, when Golders Green took the lead from a movement started by Bucci. The ball went out to the left and Drinkwater placed it so well that Evans easily found the net.

This encouraging start was followed by a couple of corners for Golders Green, one on either wing, but the defence prevailed. Then Groves got away on the left wing, and having got the better of Ellis put in a magnificent shot which gave Smith no chance.

Before the interval, however, Golders Green regained the lead through Drinkwater, who, cleverly beating his man, sent in a shot which struck the post and reached its intended destination.

These were three excellent goals, and the crowd had enjoyed some really good football free from tactics distasteful to those who like to see the game kept clean.

Golders Green well deserved their lead at the interval, although it was not gained except by a big effort and a little luck. Just before the change-over the ball rebounded off a player with Smith out of goal, but fortunately for Golders Green it went out of bounds.

Soon after the game restarted Spalton had to leave the field and with a man short Golders Green were hard pressed. Happily, however, Spalton was not long out of action, and the tide then turned. Golders Green attacked strongly, Drinkwater sending across many fine centres. As a line Golders Green forwards were infinitely better than the Hayes men, who seldom looked dangerous. Once Pullen seemed to be running through, but was beaten by Smith.

After a quarter-of-an-hour Evans, by a solo effort, got another goal, which will rank as one of one of the best he has scored for Golders Green, and they have been many.

This ended the scoring, though both sides often looked like finding the net. That they did not must not be regarded entirely as a tribute to the goalkeepers. There were some unaccountedly bad misses.

When Drinkwater was fouled in the penalty area there was a call for Broadis, who in recent times has been regarded as the most dependable man to take these free kicks, but he must now be added to the long list of men who have failed to profit from the offences of opponents.

In the closing stages Macpherson and Richardson were injured, but did not have to leave the ground. The final whistle went as Breagan was about to take a corner kick.

It was generally regarded as one of the best games seen on the Hayes ground for some time, and though disappointed at the result, there was nothing but praise from the home crowd for Golders Green in bringing off an unexpected and well-deserved victory.