West Ham United fully deserved their success over the Arsenal at Upton Park yesterday, by a goal to nil. A crowd estimated at over 40,000 assembled, and at one period in the game Referee Howcroft stopped play, owing to spectators encroaching on the playing arena.
West Ham won owing to the effectiveness of their forwards in the early stages. The Arsenal never snapped up their chances in the same way as the "Hammers." Their forward line, in fact, was disappointing.
The wing men, Clarke and Blyth (who deputised for Rutherford and Toner respectively) were poor. The inside forwards were clever at limes, hut they had a tendency to crowd Woods in the centre, with the result that when any scoring opportunities presented themselves they were invariably bungled.
They should have done better in ihe early stages, when Horler, the "Hammers" left-back, was weak in his kicking. Henderson was far more reliable, but the bulk of the defensive, work was borne by the intermediate line, in which Kuy was always a tower of strength, receiving able assistance from Carter and Cadwell.

SMART WING PLAY
The West Ham forwards were a fine combination. Yews, who appeared on the extreme right in place of Edwards, did many smart things; but probably the best men in the line were Watson and Ruffell. The latter invariably got his centre across, and Watson's dashes for goal deserved a better fate.
Earle got the all-important goal for his side after about 20 minutes' play in the first half. Kay initiated the movement, and skilfully sent Watson away. The " Hammers' " leader sent in a hard drive from close range, which Robson miraculously parried. The ball, however, rebounded to Earle, standing unmarked, and he had no difficulty in sending it into the net.

AN ARSENAL RALLY
Up to the interval the home side had much the better of matters, and more than once looked like increasing their lead. Robson saved luckily from Watson, while Yews, after breaking right through, kicked too far ahead to enable him to get in his final shot.
For a period after the interval the Arsenal were in the ascendant, and everyone was prepared for a goal when Milne, running half the length of the field, beating opponent after opponent, had the bad luck to see his effort shattered when Hampson picked the ball off his toe just us he was about to deliver the final shot.
Baker, the Arsenal right-back, played a heroic game. In fact, the Arsenal defence greatly outshone the attack.

J.T. Howcroft who controlled the First Division game was in his 28th year as a League referee, stopped the game and asisted a small boy suffering a damaged nose to climb over the fence and onto the track. He then held up the game while a number of others did likewise. He was critisized for doing this but explained afterwards that he had acted in the interests of safety. He said he had observed some dangerous swaying in a section of the crowd and had spotted the boy with a bleeding nose.