Hampstead's Athenian League game with Redhill on Saturday at Claremont Road provided an excellent exhibition of football. It was one of the best games seen there for a long time. The play took a remarkable turn in the first half. At the interval Hampstead led by four goals to none. While admitting that the forward work on the Hampstead side showed a vast improvement on that in the first cup-tie with Wealdstone, the score by no means represented the run of the play. Redhill proved worthy opposition, and many clubs have played far worse and yet been more successful. In the second half the game underwent a big change. Redhill got two good goals, and it looked as though Hampstead might after all have to be content with a share of the spoils, even if they did not lose. The hard game with Wealdstone two days earlier was having some effect on their play. However, at a critical time, there was a pronounced rally, and although Hampstead failed to score again, they succeeded in preventing Redhill doing so. The result - a win for Hampstead by 4-2 - left no ground for either side to grumble.

Hampstead's team was unchanged from the previous Saturday, but it was hard to realise that they were the same eleven. Particularly pleasing was the manner in which the attack was sustained. The understanding seemed perfect, and few passes went astray. Until this match Welsh had not shown great penetrative powers, but while once more he missed chances he scored two goals of the highest calibre. Evans and Eagles got the others, but Peck and Lloyd, the extreme wingers, contributed their part, and if Peck can always do as well then he cannot be ousted. Bucci was again a tower of strength at left-half, and undoubtedly it was a good move to transfer him to that position and thus make room for Rees, who gives every promise of keeping up Hampstead's tradition at centre-half. Butland was not too great at right-half, but the time has not arrived for his replacement. Dean, at right-back, kept his wing men well in hand. Playing slightly faster and with less reluctance to tackle he is showing improvement on last season. Compton was inclined to be risky, and while he was applauded for sending in several good shots in succession, he can afford to leave the attack to others. Smith, in goal, had no chance with the shots that scored, and while he was never so hardly pressed as Sherman in Redhill's goal, he gave the impression that he was much safer than he was in several matches last season.

In view of the threatening weather, there was a good attendance, and the two wins last week, obtained as they were by clever and clean football, should tend to attract even larger gates.

Bucci gave Redhill the benefit of a slight wind in the first half, but Hampstead were soon on top. Sherman made several good saves, one of the best being from Evans, but at the end of six minutes Welsh, who had made a bad miss, opened the scoring with a great shot from a difficult angle. He had been given the ball by Lloyd, and the clever way in which he beat a back and shot was a tonic to the side. A very clever bit of work!

Ten minutes later came the second goal, Evans heading through from a pass by Welsh. Sherman up to this time had had little or no rest, and it was perhaps fortunate for him that he was charged, not too heavily, after Lloyd had placed the ball well from the corner flag. It saved a worse disaster. Another combined movement by Welsh and Evans brought a third goal at the end of twenty-five minutes. This time Welsh sent in a hard shot which Sherman just managed to touch, but could not stop.

Despite these rebuffs, Redhill never gave up hope, and, well served by the halves, the forwards made several good attempts to score, Bond, their centre-forward, having bad luck with shots from his head.

From one of many fine centres by Peck, Eagles, who was keeping the forward line well together, scored another goal for Hampstead. Redhill put forth desperate efforts to open their account before the interval, but found Smith a great stumbling block.

In the second half Redhill were seen to much greater advantage. After Eagles had missed a good opportunity from a pass by Evans, Smith had a busy time, and it was generally felt that Redhill had got no more than they deserved when he was twice beaten, Lockey and Bond being the scorers. On the second occasion there was a scrimmage in the goalmouth, Bucci and an opponent being on the ground when the ball was put through. This ended the scoring but it was only through goalkeeping of the highest order that the forwards were unsuccessful.