Friday 07 October - Reserves were unlucky

HAYES RESERVES 3, GOLDERS GREEN RESERVES 1. Golders Green Reserves were definitely unlucky at Hayes on Saturday, as their centre-half, R. Button, had the misfortune to receive an injury in the first twenty minutes, and was compelled to leave the field. He caught the full force of the ball in the face and, in falling, dislocated his wrist. He returned at outside-right after the interval, but was on for only ten minutes when he received a bad kick on the ankle and again had to retire. He was playing a great game at centre-half, and his loss was doubly felt. After the accident Lambert moved to centre-half, Willmott came back to left-half, and the visitors played four forwards. The game opened quietly, and swung from end to end, but the Green's backs were not covering each other well and played too wide apart, so that at the interval Hayes were leading by 2-0, and but for the excellence of Barnes in goal the score would have been higher. Immediately after the interval McMahon beat three players and put a beautiful pass to MARCANTONIO, who netted easily. Within striking distance, the Green peppered the home goal, but though they hit post and crossbar, they were unable to equalise. After about half-an-hour, Pidgeon was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area, and Hayes thus scored their third. The visiting half-back line, before Button's injury, were excellent. Robson was first-rate, while Lambert, a newcomer at left-half, played a magnificent game. Willmott, at inside-left, has improved well. Duenas, at centre-forward, tried hard, but hardly had a single good pass. Parker, at outside-right, was rather slow, but McMahon and Marcantonio showed good form. Golders Green Reserves : W.E. Barnes; W. Noot, W. Pidgeon; H.W. Robson, R. Button, W. Lambert; A. Parker, R.B. McMahon, N. Duenas, E. Willmott, L.J. Marcantonio. (Hendon Times, 07/10/1938, p. 4)

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Friday 30 September - Reserves' fast game

GOLDERS GREEN RESERVES 1, WEALDSTONE RESERVES 1. Golders Green Reserves' match on Saturday, at Claremont Road, when they entertained Wealdstone Reserves, was a well-played game on the whole, but the forwards of both teams lacked the necessary finishing power which would have brought the game to a decisive end. Both teams had chance after chance to score and failed to make use of them. Part of this was due to faulty passing, for two out of every three passes went to a member of the opposing team, but the lack of co-ordination between the Golders Green forwards accounted for the fact that they only scored once. Right at the commencemwnt of the game the visitors made a good attacking move, which was quickly countered by the Greens. Nicholson and Marshall, the Wealdstone right wing, took the ball down to the Golders Green area, but Marshall lost it to Pidgeon, who punted it up to mid-field, where Marcantonio and Willmott were ready to take an opportunity as soon as it presented itself. They were quickly off the mark and, using good passing tactics, they almost broke through the defence. A slightly faster turn of speed would have brought them through. As it was, the backs were able to catch them, and harried Marcantonio so much as to spoil his shot at goal. Plenty of action carried the game forward with excitement and interest, although neither side seemed able to take the initial advantage. Parker and Russell made several attempts to score, but they were unable to get near enough to do any good. On one occasion Parker made a very fine attempt, but his shot was punched over the crossbar by Walker, giving a corner. It was only after a hard tussle that Wealdstone were able to get the ball away. If Willmott had been able to control his passes a little better, he could have fed Marcantonio well, but he was inclined to kick too hard. Parker, on the other wing, was playing a fair game, but in the early part of the match he tried to be too tricky, and on a number of occasions lost the ball through this habit. It appeared that there would be no score at half-time, but when there were only a few minutes to go Golders Green took a turn for the better in their play and forced home an attack. They had brought the ball well up towards the Wealdstone goal when it was kicked into touch. Bucci took the throw-in, and Button received the ball. He passed to Coppola, who carried it a short distance before sending the ball to RUSSELL, who was near and to one side of the goal. A beautiful first-time shot beat Walker. In the second half Golders Green were showing signs of weariness, and there was not so much punch behind their efforts. The equalising shot came ab out midway through the second half.. Pamphlin, the Wealdstone left-half, sent a beautiful pass to BASSETT, who was quick to seize his chance and, with a clever display of dribbling, made his way through the defence of Robson, Button and Noot, to find only Lines to beat. The goalkeeper had no chance to save the shot. The remaining play was fast but unavailing. Golders Green Reserves : A. Lines; W. Noot, W. Pidgeon; H.W. Robson, R. Button, G. Bucci; W. Parker, L. Russell, R.F. Coppola, E. Willmott, L.J. Marcantonio. Wealdstone Reserves: E. Walker; C. Barker, W. Howe; L. Green, R. Bidewell, S. Pamphlin; H. Marshall, R. Nicholson, F. Hayden, E. Bassett, K. Porter. (Hendon Times, 30/09/1938, p. 4)

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Friday 23 September - Reserves well beaten

GOLDERS GREEN RESERVES 2, ENFIELD RESERVES 4. Golders Green Reserves were soundly beaten at Claremont Road on Saturday, when they entertained Enfield Reservers in an Athenian League match. From the commencement of the game the visitors showed a superior turn of speed, and although the Golders Green defence did their utmost to keep the attackers at bay, four well-earned goals were scored against them, while the home forwards were only able to obtain two. Golders Green, kicking off against the wind, made a determined rush towards the Enfield goal, evidently with the object of scoring by shock tactics in the first few minutes, but they did not succeed. Hockaday and Symons, working well together, cleared the ball to the centre-forward, who passed it out to DALLY on the left wing. In company with Wade, he made a good run down-field, passing and re-passing, and finally gained a position to shoot. He placed the ball well out of the reach of Lines. This had the effect of spurring the Greens on, and for a few minutes it seemed that they would draw level, especially when Marcantonio found himself close in front of goal and the ball at his feet, but he failed to take the opportunity which Morgan's pass had given him. Enfield increased the lead with a goal from Abel. This came after Lines had taken a goal-kick, and the ball was sent forward by the centre-half, H. Ward. ABEL threaded his way through a throng of players and was able to score. A period of mid-field play followed, and it was not until ten minutes before half-time that Golders Green made their first score. For a short time the home team seemed to wake up and return to ther form they had displayed the previous week. Their passing became straight and sure, and they were able to force a corner. This came as the result of a try for goal b y Marrable, and was taken by Morgan. The ball landed in the midst of a group of players, and was passed out to PINKHAM. He returned it quickly, and Bulling jumped for it. Failing to reach it he overbalanced and fell. This success was an added incentive to Golders Green, but they could not press home an attack. On a number of occasions they were in a position to score comfortably, but failed because of the lack of that " first-time " mentality which makes a footballer shoot as soon as he has an opportunity instead of risking the loss of a chance by trying to improve the opening. A demonstration of this was given when Willmott lost the ball before trying to score for the Greens, and the back who took it from him passed it to Wade. With a display of clever football, WADE took a run down-field to the Golders Green goal, evading the defence all the way and, instead of waiting, shot and beat Lines with a beautiful kick. This brought the score to 1-3, and so it remained until the interval. The play of the Golders Green men did not show the improvement that might have been expected of them after the change of ends, although they then had the wind in their favour. They made several attacks on the Enfield goal, all of which ought to have succeeded, but which failed because of a lack of co-operation and of punch. Once they were right in front of the goal, and three forwards each had a shot at scoring, but none of them was accurate enough to beat Bulling. Enfield's fourth goal was scored by Dally. A very fine forward line movement was instituted, and they carried the ball right through the Golders Green defence, finally passing to DALLY, who was close in front of the goalmouth. A further attempt to reduce Enfield's lead was made by the Greens, and when they were showing a really determined front the spectators, although few in number, raised a commendable round of cheering. This came to a climax when MARRABLE added a second to Pinkham's hitherto lone goal. After such a passing success, however, the Greens were unable to make any further impression, and the game came to a close without any further incident. One slight accident occurred during the second half, which resulted in a spectator going home with a cut lip and a headache. The ball was kicked into touch by a player, and it struck Mrs. M. Rayner, an ardent supporter of the club, full in the face. She was attended by a member of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and stayed to the end of the game. Golders Green Reserves : A. Lines; W. Noot, W. Pidgeon; F. Poynting, R. Button, G. Bucci; G. Morgan, G. Marrable, A.I. Pinkham, E. Willmott, L.J. Marcantonio. Enfield Reserves : J. Bulling; J. Symons, L. Wood; C.R. Hockaday, H. Ward, S. Daniels; H. Brooks, C. Morgan, A. Abel, C. Wade, L. Dally. (Hendon Times, 23/09/1938, p. 4)

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Friday 16 September - Reserves show good form

GOLDERS GREEN RESERVES 3, TOOTING & MITCHAM UNITED RESERVES 2. Golders Green Reserves and Tooting & Mitcham United Reserves had a ding-dong struggle at Claremont Road on Saturday, when they met for the second time in the Athenian League Reserve Section. The result was a reversal of their previous encounter, the Greens winning by three goals to two. There was a strong wind blowing along the pitch towards the pavilion, and during the first half Tooting and Mitcham had the advantage of it in their backs. Even with this, however, they could not succeed in forcing a serious breach in the defence. Right at the start of the game there was a thrill when the visitors made a concerted attack on the Golders Green goal and nearly succeeded in scoring. Noot and Pidgeon were on the spot and, helped by the half-backs, they were able to clear. The pass went to Marcantonio, on the left wing, and he took the ball away neatly. Working well in combination with Long, he passed the opposing halves, Rooney and Jarrett, and centred to Pinkham, who just failed to score. Much of the play after this was inconsequential, first one and then the other team having the advantage, but failing to press it home. Golders Green were the first to score, after about half-an-hour's play. They were able to force a corner, and it was taken by Marcantonio. As the ball came across it was cleared, but not successfully, and it went to PINKHAM, who placed a beautiful shot right in the back of the net. This had the effect of spurring Tooting on to greater efforts, and they pressed hard. This time they were able to break through, and CHAPPELL, the centre-forward, played a dropping shot which deceived Lines, the goalkeeper. He tried to fist it out, but misjudged the fall of the ball, and it slid over his hand into goal. With the score level, Golders Green renewed their attack with vigour and kept the play near the visitors' goal. Eventually they made a fast attack from the left wing, and Marcantonio made a lovely pass right across the goalmouth. This was not intercepted by an other forward, and would have passed harmlessly away, but RUSSELL. the Tooting left-back, came sprinting in towards the goal at top speed, and, before he could avoid it, he had caught the ball and sent a well-nigh perfect shot into the net. This accident left Golders Green leading at half-time, and play proceeded without much incident until about a quarter-of-an-hour from time, when the Greens increased their lead to 3-1. MORGAN, the right winger, was well placed, just outside a crowd of players in front of the Tooting goal, and the ball passed backwards to him. He was quick to take advantage of the position he found with the keeper leaving the goalmouth unattended, and placed a beautiful shot clean in the net. This left little doubt as to where the victory would lie, but Tooting did not relax their efforts, bringing the play back to the Golders Green end of the field. They pressed hard and finally they were rewarded with a goal similar to the second scored for Golders Green. A pass came across the front of goal, and PIDGEON, in trying to clear, miskicked and sent the ball past Lines. On the whole Golders Green Reserves put up a good display of football, and certain of the new men are deserving of congratulation, notably Morgan, Pinkham and Willmott. Marcantonio persisted in holding on too long. Pidgeon and Noot were sound as a defence, and Lines played well when called upon. In the Tooting team the close co-operation between the forwards and the halves was a noticeable point, and Jones made a number of good individual efforts as the centre-forward. Golders Green Reserves : A. Lines; W. Noot, W. Pidgeon; G. Marrable, R. Button, G.Bucci; G. Morgan, F. Long, A.I. Pinkham, E. Willmott, L.J. Marcantonio. (Hendon Times, 16/09/1938, p. 4)

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Friday 09 September - Ten man Reserves draw

MOLESEY 2, GOLDERS GREEN RESERVES 2. Without a League fixture on Saturday, Golders Green Reserves arranged a friendly match with Molesey. Unfortunately, the visitors fielded a depleted side, and played with ten men, but in spite of this handicap managed to draw 2-2. The Green took the lead in about 10 minutes, a movement on the right wing giving Ponting, at right-half, an opportunity of putting Pinkham through. He gave the ball to Morgan, a new young outside-right, and the winger put over a glorious pass across to MARCANTONIO, who screwed the ball into the right hand corner of the net. Molesey equalised just before the interval, which arrived with the score 1-1. In the second half Golders Green pressed strongly, and within a quarter-of-an-hour they went ahead again. Marcantonio gave to Pinkham, who put the ball back to the wing. ROWE ran into an open space close in and the ball came back to him to tap into the net. Molesey pressed hard for the equaliser, which came with about a quarter-of-an-hour to go. It was a good game, well contested, in spite of the visitors' disadvantage. Lines might have saved the home side's second goal by coming out, but on the whole he played a satisfactory game as custodian. Noot and Pidgeon performed well, while Ponting, a new player from the 'Spurs Juniors, gave a splendid display at right-half. Another 'Spurs Junior, at centre-half, Button, showed a very fine conception of the game and gace a good exhibition. Pinkham worked hard and well at centre-forward, and the two wingers, Marcantonio and Morgan, did all that was asked of them. (Hendon Times, 09/09/1938, p. 4)

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Friday 02 September - Reserves' heavy loss

TOOTING & MITCHAM UNITED RESERVES 4, GOLDERS GREEN RESERVES 1. In their opening League game with Tooting & Mitcham United Res., Golders Green Res. played well in the first half of the game, but Scott, at outside-right, was the weak link, and they were unlucky to be 2 down at half-time. Early on Pidgeon handled in the area and Tooting opened their scoring. They went further ahead when Noot was drawn out of position. In the second half the Greens were outplayed, and it was only the sterling display of the defence which saved them from a heavier adverse score. Lines, in goal, and Ward, at right-half, were outstanding in their play. BUSTARD scored the Greens' only goal from a penalty. (Hendon Times, 02/09/1938, p.4)

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