Chesham Generals, who are strong candidates for the Spartan League Championship, visited Clarence Park on Saturday and met the City eleven before a good crowd of spectators. The City has beaten their opponents the previous week at Chesham by two goals to one and when they again succeeded on Saturday the records of the two teams were more identical in everything bit goal average. That the Championship will ultimately depend on goal average is not unlikely for, as will be seen from the table, the 2nd Coldstreams (with one more match played) are four points ahead of the City but have yet to visit Clarence Park, while the Newportonians, with two matches in hand, are only four points behind the City and Chesham.
The City are certainly making another bold bid. On Saturday they played well enough without the services of Wiggs, Grimsdell and Edmonds, to defeat the Generals on their merit. Of the three players named Wiggs was missed much more than the other two for Michell, who took his place at centre-half thus allowing Marsh to resume at inside-right, was not suited to the position.
It was the defence more than anything else that gained a brace of points for the City. The Chesham forwards were admittedly one of the smartest quintets that have been seen on the Park this season, but so cool and confident was Smith that they never appeared likely to score. He was more than equal to everything sent in and the delight of the crowd at his display reached it’s climax in the second half when he saved from a penalty kick. In front of him were F.Palmer and T.Hearn and here again St Albans were well served. Palmer can adapt himself with credit to the duties of the full back and along with Hearn he kicked and tackled well.
The play of the remainder of the team was very good but, although everyone did a good piece of work occasionally, the team did not play well collectively. There was much ineffective individualism and short passing and not enough swinging of the ball about. In this matter the Chesham forwards were far superior to the St Albans men, for time after time the ball was played from wing to wing or down the centre of the field. The St Albans backs were thus kept continuously on the run and it was only the good defence already mentioned that kept the visitors in check.
Reprinted from “The Herts Advertiser and St Albans Times” 5th April 1913.
Chesham Generals merged with Chesham Town to become Chesham United in 1917. |
