The season for Hampstead Town (now Hendon) began with
a friendly at Chelmsford against Hoffman's Athletic, and after a narrow
defeat at Barking in the London League, the first home match saw the opening
of our new ground at Childs Hill, Cricklewood. The team celebrated in
style as newcomer O.F. Neale hit a hat-trick, with Kilburn being thrashed
5-1 in the London League. The club's 'new' ground is pictured below, the
picture being believed to be the only surviving one of the Avenue Ground.
It was donated to the club by Richard Blackmore. Both of his grandparents
were supporters, and Sidney Blackmore was a committee member.

The weather for the match was ideal, and a large crowd
witnessed an interesting game in the London League. A.H. Parker made a
succesful re-appearance at right half, after his injuries recieved at
the back end of the previous season, and another local player, wearing
the club colours for the first time, was O.F. Neale who marked his debut
with a hat-trick. The Kilburn defence was in a tangle and the Town lead
by three goals within the opening twenty minutes. Kilburn improved, but
Matthews, in the Town goal, was only beaten once. The second half was
interesting, but the Town always had the game in hand, and added further
goals. Garlick and Summer played well and the latter was unlucky not to
get on the scoresheet. Missing from the Hampstead line-up was their captian,
W.J. Denham, and vice-captian, E.L. Hudson, and the result was therefore
the more meritorious. It was a good win ahead of the following weeks English
Cup (F.A. Cup) visit to Maidenhead.
On Successive Saturdays, Hampstead were involved in all major cup competitions,
but their debut appearances in the F.A. Cup, F.A. Amateur Cup and London
Senior Cup unfortunately resulted in defeats against Maidenhead, Luton
Albion and Page Green Old Boys respectively. H.D. Prides hat-trick against
Polytechnic saw Hampstead through in the Middlesex Charity Cup, and seven
of the next ten league games were won up to the turn of the year, putting
the club in strong positions in both the London and Middlesex Leagues.
Highlights of the season included a 6-0 London League hiding of Deptford
Invicta, in which inside-left O. Summer notched 3 goals, and a 5-1 success
against Barnet & Alston in the London League, where Summer added two
more. The first Saturday in January saw a Middlesex Senior Cup exit agianst
the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards, but a run was maintained in the other
County Cup, and the Town reached the Final of the Middlesex Charity Cup,
going down 2-1 to Uxbridge at neutral Staines, after taking a second half
lead through Sumner. Meanwhile the League form had been excellent, and
consistant centre forward H.J. Pennifer hit hat-tricks in the Middlesex
League against Walthamstow Grange and Page Green Old Boys, he finishing
the season with over 20 goals as the clubs leading goalscorer. Sumner
also got into double figures as did G.T. Merchant.
During a heavy schedule of league games in late April saw the club play
six times in eleven days,, On 26th April 1913, Hampstead Town met Wood
Green Town in the London League, Division One at the Avenue Ground, and
defeated them by 2 goals to nil (Willeseden Chronicle 02/05/13),
both goals being scored by H.J. Pennifer. Immediately following this match,
the 2nd XI entertained Christchurch, Hampstead in a friendly encounter.
Christchurch put up a splendid fight, thier goalkeeper giving a particularly
good display, but the experience and better combination of the home team
produced the inevitable result, the Town juniors winning a good sporting
game by two goals to nil.
However, in spite of this fixture pile-up, the club clinched the Middlesex
League Premier Division although Hampstead Town were pipped for the London
League title by Bronze Athletic after losing a crucial home fixture to
them in the middle of a congested spell of games. The strong reserve team
picked up the Finchley League Division One title ahead of Friern Barnet
(see table below), an overall excellent finish to the 1912/13 season for
Hampstead Town Football Club.
Middlesex & District League Division One (As at end of season) |
| Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
| Hampstead Town |
14 |
12 |
0 |
2 |
42 |
12 |
24 |
|
| 2nd Battalion Scots Guards |
13 |
9 |
1 |
3 |
34 |
20 |
19 |
| Wood Green Town |
13 |
7 |
0 |
6 |
25 |
30 |
14 |
| Walthamstow Grange |
12 |
6 |
1 |
5 |
44 |
25 |
13 |
| Barnet Alston |
14 |
6 |
0 |
8 |
28 |
42 |
12 |
| Page Green Old Boys |
14 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
24 |
36 |
9 |
| Waltham |
10 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
15 |
28 |
6 |
| Kilburn |
12 |
2 |
1 |
9 |
12 |
28 |
5 |
The annual club supper was held later in the evening
at the Cricklewood Tavern, with over Sixty members and their friends being
present. Mr Charles Farrer, the President, occupied the chair, and in
proposing the toast of "the Club", complimented the players and officials
on the excellent results they had achieved during the season. Mr C.E.
Timms, the club's chairman, in responding, attributed this success to
the splendid spirit of comradeship existing between the players, the excellent
work of the committee, and more especially to the untiring energy and
enthusiasm of the Honouary Secretary, Mr Walter J. Styles. These remarks
were endorsed by loud cheering and the toasting of the Honourary secretary
with musical honours.
An excellent musical programme was provided, and the evening was concluded
with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne", with the pleasurable anticipation
for next season.
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