A goal scored by Copeland towards the end of a hotly contested match on Wealdstone's ground on Saturday gave Park Royal victory over Hampstead in the semi-final of the Middlesex Senior Cup.

Park Royal, who will now meet Barnet in the final at Finchley on Easter Monday, just about deserved their win. Hampstead, playing with the wind, had a big share of the game in the second half, but the forwards, though showing some improvement on the previous week, were not impressive, and until radical changes are made in this direction the club cannot be expected to win the Athenian League, the only honour now open to them. With two new forwards who can shoot and can give assistance to Evans, their prospects of winning the League championship would be bright, because other clubs in the running have unexpectedly dropped points in the last two or three weeks.

As a line the Park Royal forwards were much better, a feature being their headwork. They were prone at times, however, to shoot wildly. The goal that won them the match was one that would have beaten most custodians. Prout centred from the left, and Hannam, who had gone from outside-right to centre-forward, feinted to shoot, but let the ball go to Copeland, who scored with a great cross-shot.

The only effort that approached it was made by Bramley in the second hald during a period when Hampstead were doing so much pressing that there were hopes that they would pull through. After Potter had struck the foot of the far upright, the ball went out to Bramley on the other wing, and Bartaby, the Park's goalkeeper, was extremely lucky in be able to divert his shot. From the subsequent corner, Butland headed into goal, but Bartaby cleared.

Candidly speaking, Evans seemed to be the only dangerous forward on the Hampstead side. He never gave up trying, and sympathy went out to him when time after time he found himself unsupported. Once in the first half he did find the net, but he was penalised for hands. Of the wings, the left was the stronger, but even Butland and Bramley were disappointing. In the first half Buchanan sent in some hard shots, but they presented no great difficulty to Bartaby. He might have been more helpful to Potter, who, however, is evidently not fitted for the position of outside-right. He was rather slow and further disinclined to shoot. It may have been because he was fearful of another breakdown, but he has never been noted for shooting ability. He might have served the club better at left-half, a position he took up in the last five minutes in order that Bucci might see what he could do in the front line. His effort came too late.

The score indicates that the respective defences were too clever for the forwards. On the Hampstead side Smith was much more confident than he was against Hitchin Town the previous week. In the first half some of his clearances were reminiscent of his best days. Blame for defeat cannot be laid to his charge. With the return of Dean the back division was stronger, although one was led to think Dean had not fully recovered from his illness. His kicking was not so powerful or so accurate as we have seen it. There were times when Elwell rose to great heights clearing his lines when it looked as though the defence must be pierced, but he is not consistent, and the decisive goal was to some extent brought about by a temporary lapse on his part. However, we have to look more to the forwards than to Elwell for this defeat.

The half-backs were once again the mainstay of the team. Both in attack and defence they were fully equal to their opposing middle line. Bucci has played many fine games, but has rarely done better than in this match. Rees and Bloxham were almost as good, and it was galling to see so much excellent work on the part of these three men wasted.

Park Royal included in their front line an old Wealdstone player in E. Hannam, who, at outside-right, was very conspicuous. It was from him that most danger came in the early stages when his side had the benefit of the wind. He was clever with both head and feet. Indeed, it was a treat to watch the ball passing from one head to another.

It was the first time the clubs had met, as they operate in different Leagues, and the 2,500 or more people who watched the game thoroughly enjoyed it. The teams were well matched, as the result would denote. Though the London League club were the better combination in the first half, Bartaby had far more work to do than Smith after ends had been exchanged, although one would not say that either was overworked.

There were one or two stoppages for injuries, Bucci being badly winded, while Butland had a nasty smack with the ball that dazed him for a time. There was an unusually large number of free kicks for various offences, Park Royal being the principal offenders, but no one would be prepared to say it was a "dirty" game.

The ground was in a better state than Hampstead, who are coming to look upon it as their second home, are accustomed to find it, and had it not been for a strong wind, the conditions would have been perfect.