1947
Saturday, 17 January 1948
F.A. Amateur Cup - 1st Round
 
Bromley
?
3 - 4
Wimbledon
Frank Lemmer, Ken Lister, Harry Stannard, Jack Wallis

Adebut for CW Mason, replacing Green after a solitary game in the reserves, and Stannard resuming after his international trial vice Fuce was the committee’s next throw of the forward line dice, as the Dons visited took on Athenian League opponents for the second week running, this time in the shape of Bromley. Bromley were renowned cup fighters - they won the Amateur Cup in 1937/38 and would go on to win the first Wembley F.A. Amateur Cup final the following season, 1948/49.

Bromley had the good luck to win the toss and kicked off with a strong wind at their backs. Wimbledon were hard pressed and the clever home side’s forward quintet all displayed excellent control and an eye for goal, testing Haydock on several occasions. Only gallant and defending kept them at bay until ten minutes before the break, when Brown header home from a long Whittaker pass. Two minutes late and they doubled their lead, Hopper converting a centre from Reece. That remained the score until the break and the visitors were confident they had a reasonable chance of at least restoring the balance with the elements in the favour for the remaining forty-five minutes.

But eight minutes after half-time Bromley increased their lead, Brown scoring his second, and the same player almost completed his hat-trick a minute later, but Maggs cleared off the line with Haydock out of position and well beaten. There was no holding Bromley and they gave the Dons’ defence no rest, and with seventeen minutes left visiting fans could be seen leaving. They missed a spectacular comeback! Mason’s corner from the right was only half-cleared and when the ball came back in Barron caught the ball and fell with it under him. He was immediately surrounded by challenges from several Dons players, and despite another crowd of defenders coming to his aid the ball was scrambled into the net, Frank Lemmer getting the credit for the final touch. Wimbledon pressed forward continuously and the Bromley defence were visibly rattled. With five minutes left they gave away a free-kick twenty-five yards out, Head left the kick to Ken Lister and the ball flew into the net, hit the iron support and rebounded several yards back into play, but the referee was alert and the goal rightly given. Two minutes from time another Mason corner was headed home by Wallis to complete an extraordinary comeback, with the unusual statistic of a goal from each of the half-back line.

Bromley won the toss at the start of extra time and again elected to play with the wind, but their sails were deflated and they were not as prominent as they had been for most of normal time. Brown charged Haydock as he fielded a shot from Hopper, but the keeper had the presence of mind to throw the ball for a corner as he was challenged, then Harry Stannard completed the turn-around with the winner, running thirty yards and through three defenders before placing it well out of the reach of Barron.