NORTHWOOD'S CUP FINALS OVER THE YEARS
Player profiles Team Report Photos
Harrow, Wembley & District League Senior Cup Final 1937
Northwood United 6 Wealdstone Corinthians 1
(at Wealdstone FC)
Monday 21st March 1937
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| Team line-up | |
| 1 | Alan Friend |
| 2 | E. Hill |
| 3 | S. Hughes |
| 4 | A. Weightman |
| 5 | H. Darvill |
| 6 | Joe Gill |
| 7 | S. Jones |
| 8 | Fred Taylor |
| 9 | Bob Bell |
| 10 | Tom Bell |
| 11 | H. Gutteridge |
Northwood United - who would drop the suffix in 1946 - would clinch their fifth successive Harrow & District League Premier Division title at the end of the 1936-37 season, and had become a real power in Middlesex Junior football in the 1930's.
The club were also the holders of the Harrow & District League Senior Cup, having beaten Neasden Association in the final twelve months earlier.
Club secretary Tom Bell led United's attack, alongside brother Bob, who would total 63 goals in the 1936-37 campaign - having scored 60 and 62 in the previous two seasons!
THE MATCH REPORT
The final of the Harrow and Wembley League Senior Challenge Cup was played at Lower Mead on Easter Monday, when a crowd numbering about 600 saw the United beat Wealdstone Corinthians 6-1.
The winners were undoubtedly the better side, their team work being excellent, while the Corinthians did not combine so well and their movements were haphazard. The United also had a decided advantage in weight.
The first half was even and exciting, both goals for a time surviving heavy bombardments. The Corinthians opened the scoring through Gaze, their forward line working very well. Gaze, Avery and Darvel all did good work, but the Northwood halves and backs were sound and difficult to pass.
The Corinthians’ defence also worked hard and effectively, but clever play by Northwood’s three inside-forwards, T. and R. Bell and F. Taylor, enabled them to lead 2-1 at the interval. Taylor scored the first and R. Bell the second, the latter heading in a nice goal from a centre from Gutteridge. The Corinthians tried hard for an equaliser, but were held by the United defence.
The second half began with Northwood attacking, and after about ten minutes T. Bell scored a surprise goal which proved the turning point of the match. The Corinthians appeared to lose heart and never looked like scoring after that. The United took advantage of the situation, and although the Corinthian defence worked hard they could not prevent their opponents from scoring three more goals through F. Taylor (2) and R. Bell.
For the winners, the outstanding players were R. and T. Bell and F. Taylor, with H. Darvill the soundest defender on the field. Friend, in goal, was very safe. For Corinthians, the backs Goulding and Edghill were conspicuous, and Greenaway and Knapp of the half-backs, also caught the eye. Only Gaze of the Corinthians forwards showed marked ability and considering that he did not receive a lot of support from the other forwards, he played remarkably well.
The cup was presented to the winners, who are the holders, by the president of the League, the Rev. E. Stogdon.
