Match Report

Sutton United
1
Hendon
4
Date:
Saturday 26 September 1925
Competition:
Athenian League
Attendance:
Unknown
Venue:
Sutton United

Match Report

Hampstead Town, in their return Athenian League match with Sutton United, at Sutton, scored four goals to one, this being their fourth win in the League, in which they have scored 13 goals to 3. The visiting side was constituted as in the match against Finchley the previous week. C. Daily, the Surrey cricketer, was included in the Sutton side at inside-left. He appeared to be about the best of an ineffective line of forwards, indeed the Sutton team as a whole were poor, and it would have caused no surprise had Hampstead reached double figures.

Hampstead had a glorious eight minutes, in the course of which they scored four goals, but for the greater part of the game a weakness in attack was noticeable. Many gilt-edged chances were missed, particularly on the right wing, and although the results to date might indicate that Hampstead have a champion team, changes are necessary if honours are to be attained. Supporters, we know, will learn with satisfaction that G.F. Howell has again offered his services, and if he can show the form of a couple of seasons back, his return should strengthen the left wing.

In Saturday's game Hampstead were on top from the beginning. F. Thorpe, Sutton's left-back, could do nothing right, and it was surprising that nearly twenty minutes passed before the defence was penetrated. Corners galore fell to Hampstead, but Berry, the Sutton goalkeeper, did excellently. The man he had to fear most was Pease, Hampstead's centre-half. He put in some fine shots, one of which hit the upright, and another was just tipped over the bar by Berry. Much good work in mid-field was wasted by Hampstead's erratic forwards, and the few supporters in the stand, among whom was the hon. secretary, Mr. W.J. Styles, began to wonder when the tide would turn. When the defence was at last pierced there was an orgy of goals. Berry had dealt very cleverly with a couple of shots, but following a corner Wardlaw cleverly got possession of the ball, which he hooked into the net. Then Reinke, who had been dashing about a good deal without success, came into the picture, and within a few minutes had performed the hat trick. For the first of his trio of goals some credit is due to Wise and Ball, the first-named initiating the movement. The next goal came off the post, and the third emanated from a corner forced by Pease with a good shot. Sutton supporters were dumbfounded by the sudden change in the position of affairs, and some of them proffered caustic comments, but the players were not despondent, and from that time onward showed to better advantage, although at no period did it appear likely that Hampstead would lose their unbeaten certificate.

The teams changed over with the score 4-0 in favour of Hampstead, and the only goal in the second period was obtained by G. Streeter, the Sutton centre-forward, a long shot deceiving Goodwin, who apparently thought that the ball was going wide of the net. At the time the goal was scored Barnes was lying on the ground injured, but he soon able to resume. Sutton showed much improvement after this bit of encouragement, and occasionally troubled Goodwin, but taking the general run of the game Hampstead ought to have netted more than four times. The forwards were most exasperating, Harris being a great offender.

Except for misjudgment on one occasion, Goodwin played well, and Clarke appeared slightly the better of the backs. The halves, as usual, did excellent service, and Sutton must have felt sorry that they had not been successful in enticing Pease into the fold. Wise and Reinke were the pick of the forwards.

Report by Hendon & Finchley Times

Hampstead Town

1
Ernie Goodwin
2
R S Clarke
3
Ron Brazier
4
Bert Barnes
5
Harold Pease
6
Bob Wardlaw
7
L A Batchelor
8
W E "Taffy" Harris
9
Oscar Reinke
10
Cecil Wise
11
F H Ball

Match Events

19''
Bob Wardlaw
21''
Oscar Reinke
24''
Oscar Reinke
27''
Oscar Reinke
G Streeter
65''

Sutton United

1
W Berry
3
F Thorpe
9
G Streeter
10
C Daily