Match Report

Southall
3
Hendon
1
Date:
Wednesday 21 March 1923
Competition:
Middlesex Senior Cup
Attendance:
1715
Venue:
Southall

Match Report

From the Hendon & Finchley Times, 23 March 1923 :

In the re-played semi-final tie of the Middlesex Senior Cup on Wednesday, Southall, playing at home, beat Hampstead Town by three goals to one.
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From the West Middlesex Gazette, 24 March 1923 :

Before a large mid-week crowd - the gate returning the attendance of 1,715 - Southall and Hampstead Town met at Western-road on Wednesday to replay the semi-final tie of the Middlesex Senior Cup. The game produced a clean and keen exhibition of fast and exciting football, in which both teams struggled hard for the mastery, Southall showing just that slight superiority fore and aft that justified their victory by 3-1.

Southall were early dangerous, Alford and Heard being prominent, and after ten minutes' play Heard neatly tricked Butcher and scored with a splendid ground shot that went in off the upright. Spirited work by the home forwards kept the Hampstead defence busy, McCracken making fine saves from Alford and Morey, while Watts sent over with a fine opportunity. Twelve minutes from the interval Alford, who was prompt to exploit any weaknesses of the backs, took advantage of a slip by Butcher and beat McCracken after a brilliant run from near the half-way line. Hampstead had been keenly contesting every inch of ground and their forwards had made many threatening raids but the Southall defence was very sound and Holding had not been called upon to handle the ball. He had no chance when, from a melee in front of goal, Travers Day reduced the lead. In a smart attack by Southall, Hampstead sustained an appeal for a penalty for hands and McCracken ably saved a superb shot from Hunt. Half-time : Southall, 2 ; Hampstead Town, 1.

There were early thrills in the second half, quick runs to each end resulting in creditable shots that were as creditably saved. After Wise had missed a good chance of equalising, Travers Day struck the crossbar and Barnard had a fine shot well saved by Holding, while at the opposite end McCracken dealt cleverly with excellent shots from Heard and Hunt. Hampstead lost their early supremacy in this half and Southall begain to again have the better of the game. Morey skimmed the bar and Watts narrowly missed the posts with good efforts, and McCracken distinguished himself by saving two hot shots from Heard. In enacting these saves - the second was a marvellous clearance - McCracken injured first his hand and then his head but was able to resume. At the other end Howell sent over when favourably placed and Holding saved a difficult shot from Lewis Smith. There was a loud protest when Alford scored a good goal but was ruled offside. Both sets of forwards were making strenuous efforts and the issue remained in doubt until five minutes from the end when Alford made Southall reasonably secure by breaking away from his own half, and, after beating both backs in turn, wound up a brilliant run by driving the ball past McCracken with a vigorous ground shot. Hampstead kept going, and the Southall goal survived a dangerous moment when Holding droppped a centre from Barnard. Result : Southall, 3 ; Hampstead Town, 1.

Hampstead Town

1
E T McCracken
2
J Humphries
3
A G Butcher
4
Bill Little
5
Lewis Smith
6
Leopold Evershed
7
A Barnard
8
Freddy Young
9
Travers Day
10
Cecil Wise
11
George Howell

Match Events

L Heard
10''
B Alford
33''
40''
Travers Day
B Alford
85''

Southall

1
T Holding
2
E Buttery
3
W Harry
4
E Fidler
5
R Wenham
6
T Strevens
7
J Hunt
8
L Heard
9
B Alford
10
F Watts
11
S Morey