Hampstead paid their second visit to Barnet this season on Saturday, and in a Middlesex Charity Cup-tie beat their old rivals by four goals to one. They had already gained four Athenian League points at the expense of Barnet, so that the rout of the Hertfordshire side has been complete. We do not remember an occasion when Barnet have had to knuckle under to Hampstead in three successive games.

There was quite a good crowd, the fact of no game taking place on the Claremont-road ground adding to the strength of Hampstead's away contingent, but when Barnet were three goals down with little hope of making good the deficiency the crowd began to dwindle, a fact which did not tend to encourage the home players.

Hampstead put their usual side in the field, [as below]. Barnet's team had undergone two or three changes in view of the heavy defeat against Sutton United. Martin is a Southgate junior who has been showing very good form in Barnet's reserve team; and MacDonald, upon whom Barnet evidently place great value, is only able to assist occasionally.

Barnet have sported some new jerseys (black and amber hoops instead of vertical stripes) this season, but the change has not brought much success.

The spin of the coin went in favour of Barnet, and taking advantage of the wind and slope, had much the larger share of the game in the first half, but the interval was fast drawing near before they could score. Hampstead opened promisingly, a nice run down on the left forcing Fletcher to concede a corner; but after that it was a long time before Thornett was seriously troubled. The Hampstead defence had to be constantly on the watch, and in times of trouble Owens and Moody did exceptionally good work. Some of Smith's saves were of the tip-top order, one of his clearances almost on bended knee giving to Barnet supporters proof that to beat him their shooting would have to be of more than average merit. Barnet relied largely on their left wing, on which most of the work was done, but Sparrow was not able to be as prominent as usual owing to the close attentions of Moody. Nevertheless, he managed to get in one or two good shots. The Hampstead forwards were by no means impressive, Smy being far and away the best of the bunch. There was certainly hope of a goal when Moore got in a good centre, but Shearcroft just failed to reach the ball, but a minute or two later Shearcroft almost beat Thornett, who did not seem any too safe. With a blind kick Owens saved what seemed to be a certain goal. Owens, who was giving his best display this season, then got hurt, but fortunately was not compelleed to leave the field, and his subsequent work showed there was little amiss with him. Smith dealt splendidly with an effort by Deeks, who served with Hampstead for a spell, and from MacDonald. Martin had a fine opening, but headed over. Barnet were certainly weak in front of goal, although had Hampstead not been blessed with more than an ordinary amount of luck they would have scored more than the one goal which was credited to them by Morris, who a little earlier had been foiled by Smith. In the closing minute of the first half Shearcroft made one or two good efforts, and was getting well towards the goal when the whistle sounded.

On the run of the play in the first "45" Barnet should have been three goals to the good, and in Hampstead's dressing room no doubt was entertained that, with the advantages of ground and wind hitherto enjoyed by Barnet, there would be no difficulty in at least saving the game.

This prediction was fulfilled, but even the most sanguine of Hampstead's supporters could not have expected the course of the game would undergo a change so remarkable as that which occurred. Barnet were unfortunate in that Darvill was hurt, and had to take up a position at outside-left, but this did not account for the great disparity in the play of the two sides. Hampstead for a quarter-of-an-hour ran riot, and scored four goals, two by Smy, and two by Shearcroft. Working in perfect harmony, the ball passing from man to man without a Barnet player getting a smell of it, Hampstead gave Thornett an experience he will not soon forget. After he had been tested by Moore, and Smy had missed a good chance, Shearcroft got the equalising goal, and before the cheers from Hampstead's supporters had hardly died down, Smy, from quite twenty yards out, put in a terrific shot which was much too good for Thornett. Constant potting at goal, with Smith at the other end on the unemployed list, resulted in Smy again finding the net, although from the stand it looked as though this shot might have been saved. Sherman, who had done none too well in the first half, then came into the picture. After several good but vain efforts to score, he put in a fine centre which was turned to account by Shearcroft.

This completed the scoring, and so far as Hampstead was concerned, a glorious fifteen minutes' football had been served up. As the game advanced the superiority of Hampstead was not so pronounced, although there was never any sign that Barnet would make good. Impotent earlier in the game, the Hampstead forwards combined splendidly, and from the extreme wings many shots were directed at Thornett. Sherman beat Garrett time after time, and Moore was responsible for well-placed corner kicks. The only real danger to Hampstead came from a free kick just outside the penalty area, but Smith was not to be again beaten.

Of the Hampstead side, Smith, Owens, Moody, Wardlaw and Smy might be singled out for special notice, although the team was well balanced; and for Barnet, Garrett, Leach, Sparrow and MacDonald did well, but as a team they did not compare favourably with the elevens of past days.