The absence of H.L. Pease and D. Levy had a marked effect upon the Hampstead team in their Athenian League game at Bromley on Saturday. Pease has not recovered from his ankle injury at Southall, and may be unable to play for a week or two. His place at centre-half was filled by W. Little, an ex-captain of the first eleven, who for some time has been in the Reserve team. Levy was absent owing to the death of his father, and it is remarkable that in the first three months of the season no fewer than three players - Reinke, Smy, and now Levy - have had domestic bereavements. The outside position was taken by R. Crump, who has represented the Casuals. While it would be unfair to say that with Pease and Levy available, Hampstead would have won the match, it will at least be admitted that the newcomers were not conspicuously successful, although they tried hard.

Bromley put a strong team in the field and on the run of the play should have won by a greater margin than three goals to one. That they did not is a tribute to the defence. Goodwin made some exceptional saves, and both Parsons and Shorland earned much praise. For the greater part of the second half Bromley were well on top, and there were several occasions when the downfall of the goal seemed a certainty, but fine defensive work, coupled with a little luck, enabled the score to be kept down to the half-time figures (2-0) until seven minutes from the end. Bromley then got their third goal, but just on time Shearcroft netted for Hampstead, although in the very bad light it was impossible to see how the goal was scored. Shearcroft was thus rewarded for a good afternoon's work : he was clearly the pick of the Hampstead forwards.

It would have caused no surprise if the referee had abandoned the game in the second half. Not only was there a heavy rain storm, but the light was so bad that it was difficult to follow the ball. However, after a very black period, conditions improved, and the action of the referee in keeping the game going was justified. Considering that Hampstead had been thoroughly overplayed a replay would have been an injustice to Bromley.

Although Bromley scored two goals to nothing in the first half, their superiority was not so pronounced in this period as after the change of ends. Hampstead missed one or two good chances, Crump letting his side down when he got face to face with Bloyce (Bromley's goalkeeper) at close quarters. It seemed that with a little more judgment he could easily have scored. Crump had had very little to do up to this stage, but later on he put across several nice centres. Unfortunately for him he was up against an exceptionally good back in Clark.

Bromley got their first goal at the end of ten minutes, clever work by H. Osborne, at outside-right, enabling Holbrook, his partner, to score with a good shot. After this Hampstead played up strongly and more than once looked like equalising, Shearcroft being particularly forceful. Clark cleared nicely when Oakley, his partner at back, had miskicked, but mistakes by the home defence were few and far between. After several fruitless corners Bromley went further ahead, Mills, at centre-forward, finding the net from a pass by Baird. Hampstead tried vainly to beat Bloyce, one of the best shots being from Little, at centre-half.

Hampstead started the second half in promising fashion, the right wing pair doing good work except in finishing but Shearcroft, unlike some others, was more to be pitied than blamed. Their era of attack was, however, short-lived, and when Bromley took up the offensive they peppered the Hampstead goal without mercy. Despit the bad state of the ground, Parsons and Shorland did magnificently, the younger of the pair saving splendidly when Goodwin was out of position. After valiant work, however, the defence was beaten, [? - unreadable] finding the net before Goodwin, who had run out to save from Mills, could get back. Soon afterwards Shearcroft reduced the lead, the game ending in a win for Bromley by three goals to one.