Of the dozen games won by Hampstead this season perhaps none has given greater satisfaction than that which was so well earned on Saturday at Maidenhead, where the club that now leads the Spartan League table by a substantial number of points went under by four goals to two. The fact that it was an Amateur Cup-tie made the result so satisfactory. For some years past Hampstead have been excused the qualifying rounds of this competition, but having failed to make much headway, defeat in the first round proper might have meant having to plod through the weary weeding-out stages next year.

Maidenhead United were recognised as formidable opponents, but the away record of Hampstead this season led them to enter the field with abundent confidence, and even when they were one goal down at half-time there was no fear as to the ultimate result. Playing sparkling football in the second "45," Hampstead outplayed the home side, and were well worth their victory.

The Hampstead side at the moment is not merely a collection of eleven players, but a team in the strongest sense of the word. Both on and off the field they are in complete harmony, and therefore there is no desire to attribute success to one player more than to another. We cannot, however, but pay tribute to the wonderful work of J. Smy, the captain, against Maidenhead. Of the four goals he was responsible for three, all of which were of the highest grade, and we can well believe a spectator in the stand when he stated that the last goal obtained by Hampstead was the best that had ever been scored on the ground. Standing about 30 yards out, Smy sent in a hot swerving shot which beat Richens, the goal-keeper completely. In a section of the Press, Moody has been given the credit for this shot, but finely as the centre-half played, he would, we know, not wish to take honours that were due elsewhere. The gate represented a sum of about £55.

Hampstead placed in the field the team that can point to an undefeated record since October 20th, seven of the eight games having been won. Before the kick-off a band played the National Anthem; the players standing in their respective positions at attention.

S.R. Smith unfortunately missed the train by which the Hampstead team was due to leave Paddington, and was not able to take his place in goal until the game had been in progress five or six minutes. In the meantime the utility man, G. Bucci, stepped into the breach. He has now played in practically every position on the field, although undoubtedly his proper place is at half-back. While we are not prepared to judge his worth as a goal-keeper by his brief spell as custodian on Saturday, it can certainly be said that the manner in which he dealt with one awkward shot showed that he is a good emergency man between the uprights.

Maidenhead, having been given the benefit of the slope by Smy, who won the toss, started in spirited fashion, Moody being effective in defence. The first dangerous movement for Hampstead came from Moore, who placed the ball on top of the net, and then Sherman might have turned Smy's pass to account had he not received it when offside. Smy made an attempt on his own after taking the ball from Shearcroft, but was stopped in the danger zone. At the end of ten minutes Maidenhead scored through Beats, whose name recalls a member of Wolverhampton Wanderers when that club was a power in the land. The shot was preceded by good work by Rose and Cridland.

Hampstead were not dismayed by this setback, although the outside men were not so prominent as usual. Moore felt the effects of a tackle early on, and Sherman was finding a strong defence in Cridland and Snow. Notwithstanding ground disadvantages, however, Hampstead fully held their own, Webb and Owens, at back, and a persistent half-back trio preventing Maidenhead attacking for any lengthy periods. From the outset Smy was brilliant, and after tricky work, he was responsible for the first goal with a terrific shot. In his effort the Hampstead captain fell heavily upon the hard ground, and much relief was felt when it was found he was not badly hurt.

The game proceeded on very even lines. Maidenhead had perhaps the larger share, but when the Hampstead forwards got near goal they were impressive. The defence stood the strain exceptionally well, and it was pleasing to see Owens so effective, as it seemed that he was in some degree responsible for the United's first goal. The usefulness of Hampstead's head work was freely commented upon, the ball often touching the craniums of three or four players before dropping to the ground. A hot attack by Hampstead ended in the goal-keeper tipping the ball over the net from Wardlaw's shot, and Richens also came into the picture from a well placed corner by Moore. In defensive work Allum and Moody, the centre-halves, were conspicuous. Shortly before half-time Maidenhead took the lead for a second time. Following a corner kick, taken by Rose, which some contend should not have been awarded, Rose beat Smith.

In the intervening minute or two before the half-time whistle Smy looked to have a chance of equalising. He sent in a hard shot, and many were surprised to find it had passed by inches the wrong side of the upright - that is, speaking from a Hampstead point of view.

Speaking to players during the brief interval, we gathered that Maidenhead had been playing the best way from a scoring point of view, and that it was odds on the visiting side pulling off a victory. Within five minutes Hampstead had equalised. Just after the re-start Smith made a grand save from a free kick just outside the penalty area; and after Sherman, who played much better with the slope in his favour, had shown his worth both as regards speed and cleverness, Smy, from a very difficult angle, beat Richens. It was a shot which few players could have made successfully.
At this stage the light became very bad, and with half-an-hour to go there was the possibility of being abandoned, but happily the conditions improved instead of getting worse.

While Maidenhead were dangerous at times, Hampstead were unquestionably the better side in this half. Shearcroft had a tendency to get offside, and both sides were penalised for other offences, but taking it on the whole, it was a clean game, and worthy of teams heading for the championship of their respective Leagues. Although Moore improved as the game advanced, he was not so helpful to Smy as is generally the case, and Sherman, on the other wing, was much more dangerous. His effectiveness was partly due to Young, who played on top form. Maidenhead's defence seemed to get rattled by persistent pressure, and it was evident that before long it must succumb. The much-longed-for goal came from a corner by Sherman, Shearcroft finding the net with a head tap.

The final goal, which gave Hampstead the victory by four goals to two, came shortly before the end, Smy, as already stated, beating Richens with a long shot. After this Smith was cheered by Hampstead supporters for several fine clearances, in one of which he seemed to be injured, but he soon recovered. Just on time Moody and Allum were in collision, and both had to be carried off the field. The Hampstead player required surgical treatment, but his injury is not likely to keep him out of any club engagements. In fact, with the application of plaster for a nasty cut near the eye, he was able to be present at a social event in the pavilion on the Hampstead ground on Saturday night.

Maidenhead played in a manner likely to keep them at the top of the Spartan League. The defence has been beaten only 14 times in ten League games, so it is a feather in Hampstead's cap to get four on Midenhead's ground. The home side were well served at half-back, although, as a trio, we preferred the Hampstead line. In Nickless and Rose, the Berks club had two smart wingers, and against a less effective pair than Owens and Webb would have scored freely.

In face of an unprecedented run of successes it would be ungracious to search for weak spots in the Hampstead side. It is true that Moore has often been seen to greater advantage, but, as has previously been pointed out, he was handicapped almost from the beginning. Bucci was very useful at inside-right; but, apart from his successes in shooting, Smy was undoubtedly the best forward on the field, and Maidenhead supporters must have regarded him with jealous eyes.