Hampstead startled the amateur Soccer world on Saturday, as they have often done before. Usually it has been because an unexpected victory has been gained: this time the surprise came through their defeat by six goals to none at Maidenhead in the Divisional Final of the F.A. Cup. No one expected Hampstead would win easily, Maidenhead United being a club which has played a big part in football, but it was confidently thought they would at least be able to run their hosts to a draw and win the replay at Claremont-road. Instead of that, the biggest defeat that has been sustained in Cup-tie football for years past was their lot. It is true that last season Botwell Mission put up the same number of goals against them, but Hampstead got a couple. On Saturday they never looked like scoring. The Maidenhead goal-keeper did not have half-a-dozen good shots to stop during the game, and as Hampstead got worse as the match advanced, we wonder whether they would have scored if they had been playing until now. At the close they were a thoroughly demoralised side. Changes were made in positions in the hope of effecting some improvement, but all to no purpose. It was one of the worst displays that has been given by Hampstead for many a long day. One could hardly attribute the blame to any one individual: there were so many weaknesses. If we named one to whom credit should be given it would be Bucci, who never gave up trying. In the latter part of the game he was at centre-half instead of Wilton, and the change might with advantage have been made earlier, because it required a more skiful player than Wilton would claim himself to be to master Palethorpe, the United's centre-forward. Of the six goals scored Smith might possibly have saved one, but the Maidenhead forwards did not dally in their work, and shot with remarkable power. Whereas Hampstead's forwards seemed to require time to steady themselves, their opponents took the ball in their stride, and shot at every conceivable opportunity. Maidenhead also had a strong half-back line. It is seldom one has to complain of the Hampstead halves, but even Young, whose consistency has been remarkable, was not able to hold his wing so effectively as usual. It was not easy to circumvent Vickers and Eve, and their work on the left was responsible for Maidenhead's early successes. Leaving drawing-room methods to the other side, the Maidenhead players played such an open game that the defence was spread-eagled time and again, and but for the fact that in Smith Hampstead have a goal-keeper of more than average merit - some fancy he might reach International rank - it is not easy to imagine what the result may have been.

Hampstead did not have the best of luck, many well-intentioned movements going astray, but taking everything into consideration, one cannot get away from the fact that on the day they were beaten by an infinitely better team. Possibly with the same teams in the field Hampstead would win four matches out of six, but as they compete in different Leagues the only possibility of another meeting is the Amateur Cup. Last season, in that competition, Hampstead won at Maidenhead by 4-2 after being down at the interval, but we have not a Jimmy Smy in the side now. Maidenhead supporters say that the side have never played better than they did on Saturday: we are prepared to say that Hampstead have seldom, if ever, played worse. Thus we can account for the score of 6-0 which staggered many people on Saturday night.

Webb won the toss, but preferred to give Maidenhead ground advantage in the first half. After a promising movement by Shearcroft and Sherman had been nipped in the bud, the home side started work in deadly fashion, and at the end of three minutes, from a pass by Eve, Day sent the ball into the corner of the net well out of Smith's reach.

This was a depressing start for Hampstead, but it proved to be only the first in a series of shocks. Shearcroft tried hard, but unsuccessfully, to force his way into a shooting position, and then Smith may be regarded as fortunate in beating off an attack in which Eve figured conspicuously. However, he was completely beaten just afterwards by Palethorpe, who, with a long shot, demonstrated the value of a centre-forward able to snap up opportunities. His work was of the deadliest character. He not only fed his wings judiciously, but never lost a chance of shooting when well placed.

Hampstead, on the other hand, seemed quite incapable of doing really anything worthy of note. One shot by Gardner from Sherman's pass and another by Shearcroft by Bucci might be mentioned, but Richens had a far easier task than he expected. Sherman forced a corner and himself took the place kick, but it was not used to advantage, and then Day scored his second goal, this point being registered while the game was still comparatively young.

Hampstead were lucky not to be another goal down in the next minute, Blackman hitting the post, a really fine effort. Shearcroft then came into the picture with a tremendous effort which Richens tipped over the bar, but the referee was of opinion that he was in an offside position when he received the ball.

Palethorpe was credited with the home side's fourth goal, and almost got another with his head after a brilliant run on the right wing. Bang, bang, bang went the ball to Smith, who saved splendidly again and again, and it was through his good work that Maidenhead had to be content with a four-goal lead at the interval. That the margin was great we admit, but it did not over-represent Maidenhead's superiority.

Play in the second half need not be described at length. At the beginning there seemed a possibility that Hampstead would recover lost ground, Sherman doing good work, while Moore managed to get across some centres which enterprising inside forwards might have converted. However, Moore was himself often at fault in losing time before shooting.

Palethorpe completed his hat trick from a pass by Blackman twenty minutes after the resumption, and things got to such a pass that a number of Hampstead players took up unusual positions, defenders coming into the front line and forwards to see what they could do in the way of stemming attacks. These changes had no effect.

The last straw to break Hampstead's back came in the form of a penalty kick for hands. They could not complain, seeing that the ball had been forced into the net before the referee stopped play. Allum drove the ball home with a powerful shot.

Thus ended a game which Hampstead's supporters will be glad to forget. It was an inglorious final to the F.A. Cup programme. Hampstead had defeated Hayes, Abingdon Town, and Oxford City, and thus have done much better than last year when they fell at the first hurdle. Defeat against Maidenhead by a goal, or even two might have been excused, but what can be said of this trouncing?

Maidenhead must be congratulated on upsetting form in this startling manner. Theirs was a well-deserved victory, and we shall be interested to hear how they fare in the first stage on Nunhead's ground.