Match Report

Sutton United
0
Hendon
2
Date:
Saturday 17 January 1931
Competition:
Athenian League
Attendance:
Unknown
Venue:
Sutton United

Match Report

Hampstead, through two goals by Evans, brought home full Athenian League points from Sutton United on Saturday, thus proving that their previous win by 4-1 at Claremont Road was no fluke. The first was scored at the end of eleven minutes and the second eight minutes from time.

On the run of the play Sutton should have scored as many, but not once was Smith (the Hampstead captain) beaten. For this he deserves credit, as does any goalkeeper who keeps a clean sheet, but he has to thank the Sutton forwards for being in an erratic mood. They had chances galore, but threw them away, and we can understand why they have done so badly. Their defence leaves nothing to be desired, Tommy Bedford, their goalkeeper, being one of the best in the League, but the team as a whole was much slower than Hampstead - indeed, one person near the Press table summed up accurately in describing them as "too slow for a funeral."

It was a day not conducive to good football, the ground being heavy and the wind troublesome. Hampstead's forwards were not conspicuously successful, but they were much more dangerous near goal than the Sutton men. The half-backs have to be thanked largely for Hampstead's victory. When he had settled down, Mead, at centre-half, played one of his best games, and was well supported by Young and Butland. A feature of the match was the display by Leslie Compton at left back. He is rather prone to advance too far up the field, but he is quick to recover, and his height is an asset. With careful handling he promises to provide Dean with that assistance he has needed.

The only change in the Hampstead team was at outside-left, Moore taking up his old position. For Sutton, Wall was brought out of the reserve team to take the place of Hance (captain) at outside-right.

The two goalkeepers tossed for choice of ends, and Smith being unlucky, Hampstead had to face the wind. This was a decided disadvantage, but Sutton's forwards failed to make any impression. Wall, for a time, seemed the best of the bunch. Brown missed a glorious chance from Harman's pass, and had this been accepted it might have had a big bearing upon the result. Great work was done on Hampstead's left wing, but it was through a pass on the other side that the first goal came, Evans, accepting from Walsh, beating Bedford.

This was decidedly encouraging for Hampstead, who continued to hold their own, but Harman, who is looked upon as Sutton's star forward, ought to have made better use of his chances. Hampstead's goal had one narrow escape, and in a scrimmage it looked as if the ball had crossed the line, but a free kick (apparently for hands) was given against the home side. Smith did not emerge from the game without one or two hard knocks, and once the game was stopped till he recovered. Numerous corners fell to Sutton, but they failed to make use of them. One was due to them when the game was stopped just on half-time owing to an injury to a player, and the action of the referee in calling the men off the field before it could be taken roused the ire of the spectators.

In the second half Hampstead had much more of the game, and though it was not until near the end that Evans, with a good goal, made the issue a certainty, the Sutton team at no period seemed likely to win or even share honours.

As Sutton had recently taken four points from Redhill and two from Leyton, this was a good performance on the part of Hampstead, who undoubtedly possess the team spirit. Nothing can be more gratifying than the fact that home-bred players are filling the bill satisfactorily, and that at last Hampstead have a centre-forward who can get goals.

Report by Hendon Times & Guardian, 23/01/1931, p.13

Hampstead

1
Sid Smith
2
Frank Dean
3
Leslie Compton
4
Freddy Young
5
H J Mead
6
Bill Butland
7
Bill Morton
8
Harry Walsh
9
Freddie Evans
10
George Bucci
11
Stan Moore

Match Events

12''
Freddie Evans
82''
Freddie Evans

Sutton United

1
T Bedford
2
F Lever
3
W Shepherd
4
R Harris
5
H Delventhal
6
F Mollatt
7
P Wall
8
C Last
9
T Brown
10
L Alton
11
W Harman