[Newspaper cutting - apparently from a Finchley local paper - supplied courtesy of Graham Frost of Enfield}

Finchley hold the Middlesex Charity Cup for on Monday the Summers Lane boys beat local rivals Hendon, in the final, played off at Wealdstone. The match had been held over from last season.

There was little sparkle in this mediocre match, and little to show between the two sides, but in the second half, with the score at one all at half time, Finchley played the more cut and thrust football and scored the decider.

[The next two paragraphs of the report give the teams - first name and surname for Finchley, but only initial and surname for Hendon. Both teams will be found following this report.]

For eleven minutes, Finchley played ten men, for their captain, Arthur Wastell, was delayed on his journey to the ground. During this time Hendon displayed the more superior football, and inside forwards Quail and Moore were dangerous.

As soon as the Finchley skipper did come on, Alder moved from right back to the right wing, Sandell went from centre half to right back, and Wastell resumed his normal position.

Immediately Finchley had more of the play. Jim Jeffrey, although he supported the forwards well, made several errors and one or two of his passes went astray.

Roger Alder proved very fast on the wing and one of his moves resulted in Dixon just putting the ball over the crossbar. Supporters' hearts beat fast when a Dixon shot trickled across the Hendon goalmouth, with keeper Warren sprawled out on the ground, but the ball went outside the post.

Hendon's centre forward Lawrence brought Dave Smith into action frequently and Smith shaped up well. When Lawrence gathered a loose ball in midfield, and took it into the penalty area to shoot, Smith hurled himself at the attacking forward's feet and smothered his shot. The ball bounced loose, however, Moore followed up, but Jeffrey was there to trap the ground shot and get rid of the ball.

Hendon took the lead in the 30th minute. Before the game both sides had agreed upon 40 minute halves because of the light. Lawrence cleverly passed the ball between Sandell and Wilkinson to team mate Moore who slammed the ball into the top corner of Finchley's net [the Hendon Times, accessed for team details only, credited Wyatt with the goal].

Finchley pegged away, but tended to try to walk the ball into the net rather than shoot hard and fast.

The team did manage to equalise half a minute before half time, however, when Roger Alder took the ball upfield and had a try. His shot was blocked by a defender, but Walton ran onto the loose ball and crashed it into the top of the net. A beauty!

Half time: Finchley 1, Hendon 1.

In the second half Alder played at inside right and Oliver went on the wing. This move had little effect.

After a Lawrence, Quail, Vinnicombe move, which almost resulted in a goal, Finchley pressed hard. Dixon, Walton, and Oliver kept the defence on their toes.

Derek Wright was slow to come into action when Moore threatened on the right flank. He was slow to intercept a pass to Lawrence whose shot hit the bar and went over.

Soon Wyatt was attacking from Hendon's right wing. Smith fisted away his shot for a corner. Vinnicombe on the left took it, the ball went to Moore, who sank back in dismay as he saw his shot sail over the bar.

Finchley scored the decider in the 33rd minute of the second half when a Derek Wright header was punched over the bar by goalie Warren. Alder took the corner, it went to Wright who was well up and who headed again. This time it hit the bar, but Dixon met the rebound and scored well.

Finchley could have scored a third minutes later when Dicon crossed the balal along the goal-line, only to see both Shreeve and Oliver miskick.

This is the third time Finchley has won the Middlesex Charity Cup. They won it in 1942-43 and in 1950-51.