In winning by three goals to none on the Barking Town ground, last Saturday, Hampstead accomplished their best performance this season, and that is saying a good deal. Barking are among the few amateur clubs remaining in the F.A. Cup, Clapton being their victims by 4-0 in the last round, and while the Hampstead players now enter the field with confidence, it was felt that if they could secure one point at Barking it would be a feather in their cap. However, they brought off the unexpected, and while we are not prepared to say that the score does not over-represent their superiority, their win was well deserved. They have not played better in any match this season, and the chief factor in their success is an excellent team spirit. There is close co-operation throughout the side, and the placing of an unchanged team in the field for several weeks has brought about a thorough understanding which spells success.

Hampstead's captain, J. Smy, who was numbered among Tottenham Hotspur's goal scorers against Cambridge University last Thursday, is now shaping in his old style. Against Barking he put up his best exhibition this season. Apart from his goal, which was worth travelling miles to see, he inspired his men with confidence, and the forward work was at times thrilling. There was not a weak spot, although perhaps special mention should be made of the outside men, despite the fact that they were somewhat hampered by the touch lines being close to the rails. Moore was adjudged to be the best forward on the field by many Barking supporters ; on the other wing Sherman played with even more dash than usual, and beat his opponent time after time. He exercised good ball control, and completed his sprints by tricky movements and centres. For the first time since his return to the first eleven, Shearcroft failed to score, but this does not imply that he was a failure. Perhaps he can explain how he came to miss a particularly good opportunity in the first half. with the goal at his mercy, he screwed the ball outside the post, a feat which one would have thought was impossible, but otherwise his work was good. He had always his eye on the goal, which was not always the case last year. The wings were fed with judgment, and success was largely due to the fact that close passing was dispensed with in favour of a more open game.

As a trio, the Hampstead halves compare with any in the Athenian League. It is true that in this match Moody, at centre, failed at first to get his passes to the forwards with that accuracy that generally marks his work, but upon the change of ends when the wind was not against him, he proved a fine pivot, and for the most part held Fox in subjection. Wardlaw scarcely ever escapes without injury of some kind. Twice he needed the attention of the trainer, but was able to take up the work again after a short rest. Young was as persistent as ever.

In the first half, with the wind against them, Hampstead's backs were none too sure in their kicking and there were few of those hefty lunges up the field which relieve the situation. As a matter of fact, they were often in difficulties, and Owens on one occasion came perilously near putting the ball through his own goal. After changing over their work was much easier. Webb was the better of the pair, but they covered one another excellently.

The fact that Smith once again kept a clean sheet goes to prove that Hampstead has never been better served in goal than now. In his first match for Hampstead against Leyton, some twelve months ago, he was beaten eight times, but even then we were impressed by his performance, and while he has occasionally made errors of judgment, he has played consistently, and has never actually let his side down.

It will be seen that, like Hampstead, Barking had a strong team, and on their play they showed no signs of having gone through a strenuous match forty-eight hours before.

Losing the toss, Hampstead had to face the wind, but they were the first to attack, a concerted movement by the forwards giving Moore a good opening. His finishing, however, was weak. Then Barking took up the running, and for some time the visiting defence was kept hard at work, Barking's outside men being fast and clever. Offside spoiled several movements by Hampstead. Smith's first great save was from Kemp, and from the corner kick the ball was headed from one to another in front of goal. Relief came at last, and getting away, Shearcroft sent across to Moore, whose shot was saved with difficulty. Moore had another fine opening later from Sherman's pass, and one was afraid that Hampstead might have to regret inability to seize chances.

Both goals had narrow escapes, but on the whole, while Barking had more of the game, Hampstead's forwards were the more dangerous. Sherman, by magnificent play, gave Shearcroft the opportunity of opening the score to which reference has already been made, but a little later, while Clark, Barking's inside-right, was off the field through an injury, Sherman beat Hine from a good pass by Moore. By this goal Hampstead led at the interval. On the run of the play they should not have been one up, but the wind had been an important factor against them.

Clark returned after the cross-over and in the second half Hampstead were clearly the better side, although it was some time before they added to their score. The result might have been different had Barking made good use of a penalty kick. This was conceded by Owens, but it was doubtful whether, even if he had not handled the ball, the shot would have had effect. Fox failed lamentably with the spot kick, the ball going wide of the net. Hampstead then settled down to some really clever football, and gave the home defence no rest. From both outside forwards good efforts were made, but it was Smy who got the second goal. He had veered round to the right wing, and from some distance out put in a shot which completely baffled Hine. For a second or two it was difficult to believe that the ball had entered the net.

Barking made desperate efforts to show that they were capable of better work than the score indicated, the positions being changed in the hope of effecting an improvement, but Smith played a magnificent game, and would not be hustled. The backs also played finely at critical moments and seldom made a mistake. A third goal for Hampstead, obtained by Moore from a pass by Bucci, set at rest any doubt as to the issue, and disappointed with the lapse of the home side, many people left the field. Right up to the finish, however, the Barking players spared no effort to minimise the severity of the defeat, but they failed to beat Smith. Hampstead was not without vocal support, and upon leaving the pitch Captain Smy and his men had a rousing cheer for bringing off such a handsome victory.