With three County players in the team - Pease, Anderson and Bloxham had represented Middlesex in a match against Devon at Exeter last week - Hampstead should have done better than merely draw three all with Summerstown at Claremont-road last Saturday, and the loss of a point makes the position of Hampstead very precarious. But for the fact that West Norwood are doing badly, the local club would be favourites for the wooden spoon. As it is, the Bantams - as the Norwood men are called - are only five points behind with six games in hand. Hampstead showed better form than in the match against Sutton United, but have only themselves to blame for not extracting full points. When forwards shoot wildly with only the goalkeeper to face, points cannot be expected.

There was some fine goalkeeping in the match, although each man was beaten three times. C. Thornett, keeping for Summerstown, was called upon more frequently than [T.T.] Brown, and he is entitled to much credit for his brilliant clearances. He was well supported by his backs - P. Woodcock and R. Daniell - the first-named, originally named as centre-forward, deputising for C. Saggars. The half-backs - J. Morris, V. Waller and J. Holland - constituted a sound line, although we preferred the Hampstead trio, A. Anderson, H.L. Pease and R. Wardlaw. Anderson did much good work, and Pease, who still bore the marks of an injury to his face in the match against Sutton, broke up the visiting attacks time after time.

Hampstead introduced a new inside-left in the person of J.L. Fox, who has had experience with Tufnell Park, and at the beginning of the game it seemed that Howell would have one of the best partners that have been allocated to him this season. Unfortunately, Fox did not maintain the high standard that marked his earlier work, and was one of those who missed a glorious opening. Howell tried hard, but has often been more effective; and Deeks, at outside-right, showed a good deal of dash, but much of his energy was wasted. He threw away some chances, lack of weight telling against him on one or two occasions, when he was bundled unceremoniously off the ball, and we think it has now been realised that he ought not to be entrusted with corner kicks. The old Barnet man, however, shared in one of the finest pieces of combined work seen on the ground, he and Smith taking the ball down the wing in a manner that thoroughly baffled their opponents, and an injustice would have been done had no score resulted. Smith found the net, and the crowd showed appreciation of their brilliant footwork.

The two best forwards were Shearcroft and Smith. The former cannot get rid of the habit of stumbling, but he played with thrustfulness, and the shot with which he scored the equalising goal was a beauty. He appeared to be unfairly charged as he was threading his way through, but he managed to retain possession of the ball. As usual, he used his head effectively, and distributed the ball well. Smith also played better than in the previous week. He took more shots at goal than any other player, but it was a long time before he looked like getting a bull's eye, some of his attempts being very wild. In the second half he showed marked improvement.

The visitors' left wing, J. Imison and J. Lock, was the more dangerous, and Bloxham found difficulty in getting their measure. Locally Bloxham is not regarded as a player of County stature, but though he makes mistakes - often very glaring - and his practice of getting mixed up with the half-backs and even the forwards is disconcerting, his heart is in the game, and he is popular with the crowd. In the second half he did not compare unfavourably with Parsons.

Summerstown opened the scoring at the end of twenty-two minutes, Birnie, at inside-right, heading in from Imison's centre, but before half-time Hampstead had taken the lead, Shearcroft and Smith finding the net. Soon after crossing over Summerstown equalised, [T.T.] Brown, in clearing, kicking the ball against Birnie, and it rebounded into goal. Smith again gave Hampstead the lead, and it looked as if the home side would get the full points, but shortly before time Summerstown succeeded in sharing the spoils from a corner kick, which was so well-placed that it almost went into the net without touching a player. Lock had no difficulty in scoring, Brown being out of position to save.

Though there was local disappointment at the partial failure of Hampstead, the game was an enjoyable one. It was cleanly contested, there being not one bad foul during the ninety minutes, and the spectators gave the visitors full credit whenever a smart piece of work was done.