Playing on a ground which has seldom yielded them good results, Golders Green, at Sutton on Saturday, received a heavy defeat. They scored two goals, the first and the last, but Sutton managed to find the net six times, and considering the pressure upon the visitors' goal for the greater part of the second half we are only surprised that the defeat was not heavier.

On Saturday's form few visiting teams will win on Sutton's ground, and it is questionable if Golders Green on top form would have brought off a victory, but we have seldom seen them so hopelessly outclassed as they were in this match, and we can well understand that at the end an "inquest" became necessary. The verdict was not made known to us, but we gathered that further changes would be made in the hope of getting a match-winning side.

Two new players were introduced - J. Long at right-back and A. Scarboro at inside-right. Long, a former Hitchin Town player who has recently come to work in this district, gave such a disappointing display in the first half that during the interval he was brought into the forward line, Scarboro, who was originally chosen at right-back, then partnering Richardson. Long, with a surprise shot just on time, scored a goal, but this does not mean that he was worthy of a place in the sixde, and he must be satisfied with a run with the Reserves before he can expect to be chosen again. Scarboro also failed to come up to expectations, although allowances must be made in the case of one making his first appearance in a team.

But weaknesses were not confined to the two new players. We did not get the best from those who have participated in many big victories. Credit must be given to Richardson, Bucci and Broadis, but there was nothing outstanding in the work of the others. R. Carr, the Sutton goalkeeper, who has been transferred from Hayes, had little difficulty in dealing with the few shots that came his way, but he was far better served at back by Mason and Shepherd than was Godding, who was kept going all the time. While he saved brilliantly on occasions, one detected weaknesses in some of Godding's clearances, and it is rather disconcerting to find that the first three matches of the season have yielded 13 goals.

With the benefit of the wind in the first half Golders Green started confidently, and Carr was soon brought into action from an attack on the right wing. He punched out really weakly, and maintaining the attack, Scarboro lobbed the ball to F.P. Evans, who drove it home with a left-foot shot.

This was encouraging, but Sutton retaliated strongly, G. Smith, an old-time Hampstead Town player, testing Godding. He was equal to the occasion, and a little later he stopped a penalty shot. It was rather hard luck on Sutton that they should be deprived of a goal seeing that the ball had entered the net just as the whistle blew for hands. Solly sent in a good shot, but Godding cleared.

Sutton, however, continued to have more of the play, but the game was 20 minutes old before Tarrant scored after Beaven had struck the post.

Golders Green responded with an attack on the left, Drinkwater putting across a good shot. Ready, a fine centre-half, kicked out on the goal-line, a piece of work which undoubtedly saved Sutton a goal.

After Pratt had landed the ball on top of the net, Sutton took the lead through Tarrant, who, although hard pressed, managed to get in a long distance shot which went into the corner of the net - a commendable individual effort.

Drinkwater had a good chance of equalising from Breagan's pass, but he was not in his happiest mood. Godding saved well from Beaven, a smart outside-right, but he had no chance whatever with a first-time shot by Pratt, the ball going into the net at terrific speed.

A long shot by Richardson just wide of the post - perhaps he thought he would try his luck when others had so miserably failed - was the only other notable incident before half-time, when Sutton led by 3-1.

Despite the positional changes in Golders Green's team, there was little or no improvement in their play. Sutton, ten minutes from the restart, got a fourth goal through Tarrant, the ball bobbing in and out of goal before Godding was beaten.

Although victory was now out of the question, Golders Green played pluckily, though their football could not be compared with that of their opponents. Ready again saved Sutton in one of the few dangerous movements by Golders Green. Solly and Pratt obtained further goals, but while Broadis was off the field for a minute or two owing to an injury Long completed the scoring, a long shot beating Carr.

Sutton deserved ther victory, there being no weak spot in the side.