"If you don't get to Upton Park early, you miss the early goals." Latecomers to the Football Combination game here were greeted by such remarks when they asked the score on arrival, for our second-string were two up in little over ten minutes against the Saints Reserves, Joe Gibson opening our account and a visiting defender adding to it with an 'own goal.' However, there were still plenty to come, and it was not surprising when a solo effort by Ken Tucker and a 20-yarder from Jimmy Barrett made it 4-0 at the interval. In the second-half Aimer Hall, who had had little luck so far, made It a nap hand with a worthy effort, followed by a typical Terry Woodgate successful spot-kick.
In brief, it wasn't Southampton's day. Their persistence was finally rewarded when their left-half scored three minutes from time, although previously they had thoroughly tested George Taylor on several occasions. But against a side displaying superlative soccer for sustained spells the visiting XI was powerless in preventing a score that might have been greater but for over-eagerness at times. There was not the semblance of a weak link in our side, and it was a fitting sign of team-work that each forward scored one goal.