1947
1947-48

There were plenty of goals and good football to be enjoyed the next season, even though leading marksman Edelston had opted to sign for Sutton United. Wing half Norman Smith, too, was rarely available, as his Regiment, once based handily at Aldershot, had now moved to northern England.

Head was still among the goals, though, scoring twice in a 5-5 draw with Wycombe and again in a narrow 2-1 London Charity Cup quarter final defeat in front of a 7,000 Plough Lane gate against Dulwich. Dons came into the FA Cup at the first round proper stage and their biggest gate of the season, 9,823, witnessed a narrow only goal defeat at the hands of Mansfield Town, despite Haydock's penalty save. The Mansfield winner was a gem as skipper Davey beat three men in a mazey dribble before crossing for Cooling to tap home.

Harry Stannard's Christmas cracker in the December 20 friendly with Erith & Belvedere was even better. He dribbled the length of the field before calmly slotting the winner. That was the first of two Christmas friendlies and a Stannard hat-trick plus two from the on leave Norman Smith, duly dispatched Swindon Victoria 7-0 in the other.

There was to be no Christmas Cup to cheer, though. Woking pulled off a shock 1­-0 win in the Surrey Senior at Plough Lane and Sutton United repeated the dose seven days later in the London Senior. A treble disaster looked on the cards in the Amateur Cup competition when Bromley opened a three goal lead in their first round encounter.

There was just 17 minutes left when Lemmer began an astonishing recovery, scrambling the ball in after a corner. K. Lister added a belting 25 yard free kick following Head's clever dummy before Jack Wallis leveled the scores, heading home a C. Mason comer three minutes from time. Stannard was to produce his party piece again in extra time, beating three men to cap a tremendous comeback with the winner.

That attracted an 8,000 crowd for round two, but there was to be no repeat this time, Majoram scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win for Wealdstone. The highlight of the remaining League programme was surely the 11-3 win over Clapton. G. Brogdale, in only his fourth game for the club, added to his two goals the previous week with another four, while there were hat-tricks for Messrs. Stannard and Head, who else?

The Dons finished the season fifth, on 32 points from 26 games. The reserves, however, were runaway winners in their section, finishing six points clear of Dulwich Hamlet.