Match Report

Hendon
2
Uxbridge Town
1
Date:
Monday 12 September 1927
Competition:
Athenian League
Attendance:
Unknown
Venue:
Hampstead

Match Report

From the Hendon & Finchley Times, 16 September 1927 (includes teams) :

The return Athenian League game between Hampstead and Uxbridge Town at Claremont-road on Monday evening ended in a win for Hampstead by two goals to one. In the previous game Uxbridge had taken the points by 4-2, and playing excellent football on Monday, they promised to repeat the dose. Within ten minutes from the close they were leading by one goal to none, but amid great excitement, Hampstead, after heavy pressing, managed to equalise from a free kick, and just on time Shearcroft obtained the winning goal from a long kick by Allwright. Uxbridge were rather unlucky in losing the match, as for the greater part of the game they had played most convincing football, but credit must be given to the home side for their pertinacity.

Most of Hampstead's supporters were surprised to find Allwright, who captained Uxbridge last year, in the Hampstead team. He was a regular player for Hampstead some seasons back, and his return should tend to strengthen a weak spot. The re-introduction of Smy also gave satisfaction.

Uxbridge had by far the better of matters in the early stages : the fact that their young goalkeeper, a midget compared with Goodwin, did not touch the ball for a quarter-of-an-hour, showed that they had a sound pair of backs and that the home forwards were not dangerous. Howell unfortunately got a nasty blow on the face with the ball, the application of plaster being necessary, but while he was able to keep on the field, the injury had a detrimental effect on his play.

Uxbridge were well served by Rounce and Redding, who were a great source of trouble, and but for some magnificent work by Parsons, who gave one of his best displays, several goals must have been scored. Once, with Goodwin in a hopeless position, Rounce struck the cross-bar. For the first ten minutes Shearcroft did not get the ball, nearly all the aggressive work for Hampstead being done on the left. Smy and Howell worked well together, but the shooting was erratic. Shearcroft sent across one or two nice centres, but his partner was quite off colour, and there was a perceived weakness at centre.

At the end of half-an-hour Uxbridge scored through Redding, from a pass by Rounce, and no one could say that it was not deserved, the superiority of the visitors being apparent. For the remainder of the first half the game was fairly level. Smy, however, was the only Hampstead forward to be at all dangerous. Some of his shots deserved better luck.

Crossing over without a break Hampstead showed some improvement in their play. More vim was shown, and there was a determination not to be beaten without a struggle. Uxbridge's defence was subjected to severe pressure, but Beeson and Streets stood the strain well. Hampstead found every spot except the right one, the ball striking the sides of the net and one or two shots passing over the cross-bar. in the hope of some improvement being effected Smy and Ryding exchanged places. Hampstead had some free kicks from positions near the penalty line, and it was from one of these, taken by Pease, that Hampstead got an equalising goal, Shearcroft heading through.

With barely ten minutes to go, there was a terrific struggle for the lead. Justice would have been done to both sides had nothing tangible resulted, but Hampstead had the good fortune to score another goal, a hard kick by Allwright well up the field giving Shearcroft a chance which he snapped up.

It was a finely-contested game, and the spectators left feeling that they had had excellent value for money. The pick of the Hampstead side were Goodwin, Parsons, Wardlaw and Smy. Of Parsons it can be said that, consistent as he has always been, he has never done Hampstead better service than in this game. Ryding did not play so well as on Saturday, and Smith was quite off colour.
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From the Uxbridge & West Middlesex Gazette, 16 September 1927 (includes teams) :

In their league match at Hampstead on Monday evening, Uxbridge [Town] took the lead after half-an-hour's play, and held it until seven minutes from the end. Then a free kick was awarded against Howarth, and from this Hampstead equalised, and four minutes later - three minutes from the end of the game - a centre by H.H. Allwright (last year's captain of Uxbridge, who was playing left back for Hampstead) led to their scoring the winning goal.

The result of 2-1 in Hampstead's favour was against the run of the game. Playing well together, and with greater confidence than ever before this season, Uxbridge monopolised the play at the start, and only good goalkeeping by Goodwin and brilliant defensive work by Parsons prevented an early score. There was close and brainy co-operation between the forwards and half-backs, while Streets and Beeson so firmly held the Hampstead attack that twenty minutes had elapsed before Rowlands, who was making a first appearance in goal for the first eleven, was called upon to handle the ball. Redding was the most unfortunate of the forwards. Once he had the keeper well beaten when the ball struck a bump and went behind, and a scoring shot was diverted by hitting Allwright. Rounce crashed the ball against the crossbar with a great shot. Smy was the most dangerous of the home forwards, and twice before the interval he tested Rowlands, who saved cleverly. The Uxbridge goal was obtained by Redding, who accepted a push through from Rounce and beat Goodwin with a high shot. Instead of being one goal up at the interval, the Reds deserved to have at least three in the locker.

The second half was more even, with Uxbridge still playing the better game. Barker, who filled Fulford's place, was the one weak spot. He missed two easy chances - one practically a gift goal. There were several exciting incidents midway through the second half, and in an effort to improve their attack, Smy went to centre-forward in the Hampstead team. Here he had some hefty tackles with Howarth, against whom three free-kicks just outside the penalty area were given. The last of these led to the equalising goal. Pease took the kick and Shearcroft headed in, Rowlands being unsighted. Uxbridge appealed that Ryding helped the ball into the net with his hand, but this was disregarded by the referee. In the failing light both teams strove hard for the deciding goal, and following a corner Allwright placed the ball into the goal-mouth, and Shearcroft did the rest.

Hampstead

1
Ernie Goodwin
2
Albert Parsons
3
H H Allwright
4
A Anderson
5
Harold Pease
6
Bob Wardlaw
7
Harry Shearcroft
8
G H Smith
9
F T Ryding
10
Jimmy Smy
11
George Howell

Match Events

G C Redding
31''
83''
Harry Shearcroft
87''
Harry Shearcroft

Uxbridge Town

1
W J Rowlands
2
F E Beeson
3
L Streets
4
E J Ashby
5
G Howarth
6
J Gorman
7
? Barker
8
G C Redding
9
G A Rounce
10
R M Lomax
11
A Church