Hampstead Town confounded the critics and there were many who procreated their early removal from the English (F.A.) Cup cpmetition, by a decisive and well deserved win over Southall last Saturday at the Avenue ground by 3 goals to 1. The Town have made considerable progress in recent years as a senior team, but like all rising organisations, find that the greatest obstacle to overcome is the reputation of their opponents. However, this and previous meritorious performances should once and for all elevate the club from the list of 'possibles' to that of the 'probables'.

While Southall played well up to their great reputation thoughout, there was no mistake about the Town's superiority. They started and continued with great determination and after the Southall goal and had several narrow escapes, A.W. Humphreys scored with a fine shot. This advantage was neutralised before the interval, Ballard at left-half making a splendid drive through a crowd of players with Winyard unsighted. On resuming, The Town quickly took the lead, G. Garlick putting on the finishing touch to a really clever move by the home forwards. Later on, F. Poltock who had worked for and obtained a clear opening was, as a last resort, heavily founled in the penalty area by a Southall defender, and W.H. Hooper scored from the resultant spot-kick.

The game continued fast and exciting, Southall making meritorious but vain efforts to score, Winyard in goal and Hopper and Hornbury, the Town backs, negotiating a good deal of work in satisfactory style. Southall were not balanced - that is it is hard to single out any member of their team for special mention. The Town were fortunate in having the assistance of two of their old and tried members, E.J. Wright (centre-half) and G. Garlick (outside-left), who both had an afternoon's leave from military training. The attendance was well over 1,000.

A letter sent home to Hampstead Town from a gunner in the Royal Field Artililery referred to a meeting on the Western Front with a couple of local lads, one of whom was O.F. "Okay" Neale (former Hampstead Town centre-forward). They had just come from Antwerp in Velgium, apparently travelling on a fleet of Omnibuses. Two of these had been blown up by enemy gunfire and another one that they'd been on had seen it's staircase blown right off.