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Vicarage Field
2-1 (Smillie, Fenn)
18th September 1958
Rhodes
Kirkup
Cooper
Moore
Nelson
Pyke
Newman
Smillie
Fenn
Cartwright
Scott
We had the pleasure of fielding a full Reserve Team against Barking F.C. at the Vicarage Field, in a match which inaugurated an excellent new floodlighting system which has been installed on the ground of our amateur neighbours. There was a splendid attendance of over 5,000 at the game, in which goals by Andy Smillie and George Fenn decided the issue in our favour by 2—1.
The Barking officials were naturally very pleased at the " drawing power " of floodlights, and look forward to benefiting in many ways from their use, and they are to be congratulated on their initiative in taking this step.
Our Colts played their First Round tie in the F.A. Youth Cup competition last Saturday morning, meeting Ley ton Orient Colts at the Brisbane Road Ground. Their XI consisted of: P. Reader ; Cripps, J. Burkitt; E. Bovington, R. Keetch, G. Hurst; D. Woodley, Smillie, M. Beesley, Cartwright, Scott.
The attendance was only about 300, and the rain which kept many potential spectators away had left pools of water on several parts of the pitch. However, the Hammers overcame the conditions, running the Young O's off their feet in the second half. The interval score was only 1—0 in our favour, Mick Beesley having scored after 20 minutes' play, but half-a-dozen goals in the closing period made it 7—0 at the finish. Beesley completed his hat-trick and Derek Woodley and Andy Smillie netted a couple apiece. Smillie was exceptionally good and was the best forward on view, but what really cracked the opposition was the three tallies the Hammers registered in the space of 60 seconds in the 57th and 58th minutes.
LEYTON ORIENT : London Challenge Cup (Second Round)
Upton Park
4-1 (Dick 2, Musgrove 2)
20th October 1958
Rhodes
Kirkup
Lyall
Moore
Pyke
Lansdowne
Wragg
Smillie
Keeble
Dick
Musgrove
There was a 5,500 attendance for Monday evening's L.F.A. Cup (Second Round) tie v Leyton Orient, weather conditions being ideal. The game they saw was one of spasms, for between a few bright spells there were periods of sporadic play that had little " bite." In midfield the O's were not far behind the Hammers in skill, but they faded at the edge of the penalty area on most occasions and could therefore only score one goal to our four.
We went into the lead after two minutes' play when John Dick netted from close in after an excellent downfield move, and the same player scored another very good goal ten minutes from time with a well-placed header. Foster equalised the first tally when he followed up a rebound from the bar, but this was nullified when Malcolm Musgrove twice cut in (63 and 72 mins.) to register with angled shots.
NORWICH CITY : Friendly
Carrow Road
4-2 (Keeble 2, Grice, Musgrove)
29th October 1958
Gregory (Rhodes)
Bond
Cantwell
Malcolm
Brown
Nelson
Grice
Cartwright
Keeble
Dick
Musgrove
At the request of Norwich City F.C. we sent our First XI to meet them at their Carrow Road Ground, this floodlight friendly drawing a gate of 11,189. The teams consisted of:
Norwich City: Greatrex ; McCrohan, Ashman ; Hunt, Butler, Crowe ; Crossan, Moran, Allcock, Lythgoe, Brennan.
West Ham United: Gregory; Bond, Cantwell ; Malcolm, Brown, Nelson ; Grice, Cartwright, Keeble, Dick, Musgrove.
The Canaries led 1—0 at the interval, Allcock netting from a through pass with a good left-foot drive. However, immediately after the resumption Vic Keeble put us on level terms and within ten minutes Malcolm Musgrove made it 2—-1 in our favour. The Hammers continued to hold the advantage in the exchanges and provided the crowd with a display of skilful soccer in the mist, and it was no surprise when Mike Grice and Keeble scored again. The City made a last-minute rally for Lythgoe to find the net, but we were comfortable winners by 4—2.
Unfortunately our pleasant evening was marred by an injury to Ernie Gregory, which necessitated Brian Rhodes coming on as a substitute before the finish.
ARSENAL : London Challenge Cup (Semi-Final)
Upton Park
4-3 (Obeney 4)
3rd November 1958
Having regard to the statements which appeared in previous issues of our Official Programme, we feel that in fairness to our own patrons an explanation is due regarding the teams which were fielded by Arsenal and ourselves for last Monday evening's Semi-Final tie of the London Challenge Cup at Upton Park.
In their two earlier matches in this season's competition Arsenal used a considerable number of their recognised First Team players, while we introduced three of the current League side in the Second Round v Leyton Orient. Subsequently the Gunners' management expressed their intention of again using First Team players for the Semi-Final, bearing in mind that some would not be available owing to the Scotland - Ireland international last Wednesday ; in view of this we considered that our Semi-Final team should also be of comparable strength, and therefore publicised the fixture on those lines, expressing the view that spectators would see a virtual First XI fixture at Reserve Team prices.
Arsenal forwarded their team to our printers and this was received by the first post on Monday morning ; the line-up contained six of the team that played Newcastle United last Saturday. In reply we decided to use the same players that defeated Bolton Wanderers, except that Noel Cantwell was omitted in order that Johnny Lyall could play with a view to gaining further experience. The Official Programme then went to press at approximately 10 a.m.
Sometime after this we received a telephone call from Highbury, informing us that the team originally notified had been altered, and that the Gunners' line-up would be the same as that which played in the Combination game here last Saturday. We were therefore faced with the alternative of similarly amending our own XI or of fielding the original selection of First XI strength against a Reserve Team. We carefully weighed the pros and cons and decided that it was not reasonable to take the risks involved in the latter step, and revised our selection accordingly. It was, of course, too late to make the necessary alterations in the Programme, as inevitable confusion would have resulted from printing some with one set of teams and the remainder with the altered XI's ; this accounted for the multitude of changes that it was necessary to announce over the public-address system.
To those of the 10,500 who attended the fixture under a misapprehension we can only tender our sincerest apologies and the assurance that if Arsenal had kept to their original intentions we would have done the same ; we trust that our explanation will provide them with some solace if they were disappointed. Unfortunately the force of circumstances made our decision inevitable, and left us with insufficient time for full publicity coverage that would have enabled those who wished to do so to cancel their visit, although details of the final line-ups did appear in the evening press (these being much the same as for Saturday's Combination fixture).
Fortunately, however, the game itself provided the highest grade of " value for money," and there will be no complaints from any of the spectators here today if this afternoon's encounter contains as many thrills. It would, perhaps, be unfair to the other 21 players to describe it as "Harry Obeney's match," but it was undoubtedly the Hammers' youthful inside-left who received a very large portion of the applause for a quartet of wonderful goals that put us ahead by 4—3 at the finish. Two of these were conversions of crosses from the right wing by Doug Wragg, and the other couple were speedily-taken opportunities when he eluded opposing defenders in the penalty-area ; however, it will be the last one that will be most easily recalled—a diving header that went in as the referee was ticking off the seconds before the final whistle.
After being one down the Gunners missed a penalty (for hands) before equalising, but we led 3—1 after 29 minutes ; Arsenal again levelled the scores with 20 minutes to go and it was pulsating stuff that reached a crescendo with the goal that qualified us to meet Tottenham Hotspur in the Final on 1st December.
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EASTBOURNE UNITED : F.A. Youth Cup (Third Round
Princess Park
6-0 (Smillie, Moore (pen), Bovington, Scott, Beesley 2)
20th December 1958
Reader
Cripps
Burnett
Bovington
Moore
Hurst
Woodley
Cartwright
Beesley
Smillie
Scott
The Youth Cup tie took place at Princes Park, with the Hammers gaining a 6—0 victory over Eastbourne United Colts to bring their goal average to 17—0 in three matches of this season's competition. The much greater experience of our youngsters was the decisive factor, five professionals being among the following line-up: P. Reader ; Cripps, J. Burkett ; E. Bovington, Moore, G. Hurst ; D. Woodley, Cartwright, M. Beesley. Smillie, Scott.
The pitch was in a beautiful condition and gave both teams the opportunity to play first-rate soccer. Andy Smillie opened our account after a quarter-of-an-hour's play, but the Seasiders' goalkeeper then put in some sterling work to keep the interval score down to 1—0. However, the • second half was only five minutes old when Bobby Moore converted a penalty-kick awarded for hands, and from thence onwards we well gained the upper hand. Further goals came from Eddie Bovington (a 25-yard drive after Tony Scott had laid back a pass for the right-half to run on to), Smillie (a real " scorcher ") and two successes late in the game by Mick Beesley.
READING : Southern Junior Floodlit Cup (Semi-Final)
Elm Park
6-3 (Cartwright 3, Beesley 2, Smillie)
4th March 1959
Caskey
Cripps
Burkett
Moore
Keetch
Hurst
Woodley
Cartwright
Beesley
Smillie
Scott
For the fourth successive season our Colts have reached the Final of the Southern Junior Floodlit Cup, their latest success in the competition being a 6—3 Semi-Final victory over Reading Colts at the Elm Park Ground on Wednesday 4th March. We now meet Chelsea Colts in the Final.
Reading's goalkeeper—Arthur Wilkie—gave a great display in their match against our youngsters, and but for that our success could have been more marked. We were 4—2 up at half-time (John Cartwright—2, Mick Beesley and Andy Smillie being our scorers) and after the interval Cartwright completed his hat-trick and Beesley netted again to underline our superiority.
1958-59 Final will be deferred to next season:
CHELSEA v. WEST HAM UNITED: Stamford Bridge 14th October 1959
ASTON VILLA : F.A. Youth Cup (Fifth Round)
Villa Park
1-1 (Smillie)
18th March 1959
Our Colts had a very hard struggle against a strong Aston Villa Colts team when they visited Villa Park in the Fifth Round of the F.A. Youth C up on Wednesday 18th March.
A 6,500 attendance saw our lads get away to a flying start when Andy Smillie scored within 90 seconds of the kick-oft'. The Hammers maintained this pressure and for the first quarter-of-an-hour were rarely out of the Villa half. However, the Mid-landers gradually came into the game, and asserted themselves by equalising through Tindall three minutes before the interval.
The second half found the Villa again in the ascendancy and our defence was hard-pressed to keep them at bay. Hero of the Hammers was Bobby Moore, whose performance at centre-half had all the hall-marks of greatness upon it ; he certainly " earned his salt " and the remainder of the team accorded him the fullest praise.
Nevertheless the rest of the boys in the XI must not be forgotten, and although one or two had an " off night " they are to be congratulated on holding a team which contained seven professionals.
It was originally hoped that in the event of a draw the replay would take place last Monday. However, this was not practicable as three of our players would not have been available due to their selection to travel with the England Youth party to Bulgaria. Consequently the replay will not now take place until sometime next month.
The winners of the tie will enter the Semi-Final, which is played on a " two leg " basis. The other teams already in the Semi-Final are Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United.
Caskey
Cripps
Burkett
Bovington
Moore
Hurst
Woodley
Cartwright
Beesley
Smillie
Scott
COLCHESTER UNITED : Essex Professional Cup (Semi-Final)
Upton Park
4-3 (Bond, Grice, Hills, o.g.)
8th April 1959
Rhodes
Bond
Smith
Pyke
Brown
Lansdowne
Wragg
Obeney
Dare
Hills
Grice
We took a long while to make up an XI to meet Colchester United in the Semi-Final of the Essex Professional Cup at the Boleyn Ground last Wednesday evening, but finally decided upon this team:
Rhodes ; Bond, Smith ; Pyke, Brown, Lansdowne ; Wragg, Obeney, Dare, Hills. Grice.
The match was played before a 2,200 attendance on another wet evening, but there were seven goals to brighten up the conditions. The Hammers actually netted three of them (through John Bond, Mike Grice and David Hills), but as another was an " own goal " by Colchester's left-back we gained a 4—3 victory in a game of swaying fortune.
We now meet Leyton Orient in the Final, the O's having won by 3—1 at Clacton on the same day.
ARSENAL : F.A. Youth Cup (Semi-Final 1st leg)
Upton Park
1-1 (Beesley)
14th April 1959
Caskey
Cripps
Burkett
Bovington
Moore
Hurst
Woodley
Cartwright
Beesley
Smillie
Scott
There was a 5,500 attendance at Upton Park to see the First Leg of the Semi-Final of the F.A. Youth Cup. Heavy rain an hour or so before the kick-off damped down the pitch, but the ball was still very lively at times. There was much good football but some generally poor finishing, and it would be right to say that wjth more final punch the Hammers could have gained a decisive advantage. However, opportunities were frittered away and the Young Gunners succeeded in earning a 1—1 draw.
The best move of the match produced our goal, the ball travelling across and down the field with half-a-dozen playing their part before Mick Beesley headed home. That was at the end of 32 minutes of Hammers' ascendancy, and it seemed likely to precede further tallies. However these never materialised, and with 13 minutes to go Everett evened the score.
It was regrettable that a number of decisions awarded by the referee made playing conditions difficult in the early stages, for these obviously had an unsettling effect on players and spectators. Fortunately the tension eased off somewhat after the interval, but by then much of the " fire " had gone out of an encounter which should have produced a more entertaining duel.
Perhaps the second " leg " (at Highbury next Thursday) will produce a more interesting evening.
The winners of our Semi-Final will meet Blackburn Rovers Colts in the " two leg " Final. The United and Rovers drew 1—1 in their first meeting at Ewood Park, but in the second clash the Rovers were victors by 3—2 at Old Trafford before a 36,000 " gate."
