There was a thrilling finish to the Athenian League game at Romford on Saturday. Hampstead, playing their full team, had so much of the game in the first hour, during which they scored twice, that defeat seemed out of the question. Romford, however, played splendidly in the closing stages, and encouraged by their supporters not only equalised the score but came perilously near winning full points. In the last minute they took a corner kick, and a sigh of relief went up from the Hampstead contingent when it was cleared.

Play was confined to forty minutes each way. Had the full time been allowed the chances are that Romford would have pulled the game out of the fire.

Romford entered the Athenian League last season, and it is a coincidence that their three games with Hampstead have ended 1-1, 2-2, 3-3. Will the return game, due to be played at Claremont Road on April 1, result in a draw of 4-4?

Dean, the Hampstead captain, won the toss, and gave his side the benefit of the wind in the first half. Romford were also handicapped by the sun. Hampstead soon gained the ascendancy. After a timely stoppage by Bucci, who had to face an International player in Patterson, Breagan put in a good ground shot from a pass by Rowe. Romford then attacked, Dean doing well to clear.

Scoring was opened when the game was seven minutes old, Knott accepting a pass by Evans and driving the ball home with a hard shot which Peart made no attempt to clear. It was a capital goal, and one was pleased to see that it fell to Knott, who was a doubtful starter owing to an injury on Christmas Eve. As a matter of fact, Knott's work compared favourably with that of any of the other forwards.

Except for occasional raids, which were easily repelled by Hampstead's defence, Romford did not give an impressive show. There was much miskicking by both sides, but Romford were the chief offenders. The condition of the ground may have been responsible, but the play of the Romford side gave one the impression that they were feeling the effects of some hard Cup-ties.

Breagan put in some very good shots for Hampstead, and it was a stroke of misfortune that from one of his passes Knott should have been given offside. Evans also made some good attempts. He was responsible for the second goal, following a corner kick by Knott, this being registered after 25 minutes.

During the rest of this half Evans made some of his characteristic rushes. Once, from the halfway line, Evans eluded all of the defenders with the exception of Peart, who might have been beaten had he shot instead of trying to walk the ball into the net. The best of Romford's chances came to Reynolds, who, well placed, shot well over the bar.

For some time after the restart play was mostly in the Romford half, and the home side may be accounted fortunate that after Evans had got within sight of goal he had to be content with a corner kick. This was well placed by Breagan, but the defence prevailed. Romford had quite a harassing time, and every minute another goal for Hampstead seemed possible. However, Romford's defence was showing up much better than in the earlier stages, Anderson, another Amateur International, being effective.

Rees was conspicuous in making a clearance when at last, Romford's forwards got going, but the subsequent corner kick was badly placed. Several offside decisions were given against Hampstead, the correctness of which could not be denied, but with two goals in hand little or no anxiety was felt, Smith having shown remarkably good form whenever Romford forwards got within sight of goal.

Twelve minutes from the end, however, Skinner scored for Romford, and encouraged by the crowd, who saw hope of the game being saved, Hampstead had to face an entirely new set of circumstances. The defence got rattled, and Romford had the benefit of two free kicks. In magnificent style Smith tippped one over the bar, but another taken soon afterwards by Anderson was placed so nicely that Lumm had no difficulty in equalising.

Frantic efforts were made in the closing minutes to score a winning goal. Smith had the more difficult shots to save, but some clever work by Knott almost brought success to Hampstead. He beat his man nicely, and Peart, scenting danger, came out of goal, but there was no other Hampstead forward near to give the ball the final touch.

Though Hampstead were disappointed in not securing full points after their measure of success in the first half, it was not a bad performance to draw on the Romford ground. Had Hampstead won, they would have headed the League table, but even with one point their chances have been improved, none of the other clubs in the running for the championship doing more than sharing points.