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13.03.1909 at 15:00 Clarence Park

Attendance :

St Albans City

2 - 1

Apsley

Referee : Herts County League

Goalscorers
Tommy Walker
Leslie Hosier
Breed
Manager
Opening squads
H. Kerrison
B. Thomas
Harry Davis
Charles Patrick
George Price
H. Chapman
George Butcher
W. Bennett
Tommy Walker
Walter Weston
Leslie Hosier
Dowse
Hitchcock
Bates
Lee
Bourne
King
P.King
Hayes
Breed
Hay
Sheppard
Substitutes
Substitutions
None. None
Yellow cards
None. None
Red cards
None. None
Match report


By defeating Apsley at Clarence Park on Saturday, St Albans City made absolutely safe their position as champions of the Eastern(1) Division of the County League. The game was hard fought and although the City netted the ball at least four times and missed two penalties(2) they only just managed to win by 2-1.
Apsley were not at full strength, but the team gave the City a run for the points. At the same time there could be no question as to which was the better team.
Although the City forwards pressed often and hard they failed to find the net as often as they should have done, many opportunities of scoring being but poorly met. It was not that the forwards were off colour, for generally they were in good form, but the fact was that when in difficult positions they would do well, but in easy positions they failed.
Since the injury to Noel the City have felt the need of a centre-forward and on Saturday a trial was given to W.Bennett, an old St Albans player. Bennett, on the whole, did well but, at times, there was a fatal slowness due to want of practice rather than anything else.
The visitors had to thank their substitute goalkeeper for some splendid saves and one fancies that the one between the sticks was no novice to the position.

Reprinted from “The St Albans Post” 17th March 1909

1 Western Division
2 Penalties missed by Hosier and Bennett
The “Post” also reported on George Butcher’s debut for Hertfordshire’s match at Cambridge on 11th March 1909.
“It was a pleasant surprise to see that the St Albans junior G.Butcher was given a trial in the team and he also, we hear, did very well. Butcher’s progress as a forward leaves one to expect great things of him for the future. To advance from the ranks of the City reserve team to a place in the County eleven in one season is no mean step. The only hope is that he will not be tempted to leave the City too soon.”