Enforced changes further depleted the Dons as they took on Walthamstow Avenue in the regular first week of the season midweek fixture, played in front of an “exceptionally large crowd for an evening fixture”. Len Cannon was unable to get away from work in time for kick-off, his place taken by Hudson, Norman Smith was sitting an army exam at Netley, Finch stepped into the centre-forward role and Harry Stannard was selected for the Isthmian League representative side to play (the presumably Vietnamese team) Sang Tao (which translates as “Creative Team”) the following evening, Jim Wallis switching sides to allow the return of Ron Head and Ken Meredith playing wide in place of Dell.

Head, playing his first game of the season, was the spear of the home attack who was in delightful form, with able assistance from Finch and newcomer Wallis, playing his first season at senior level. As the game progressed the later two named swopped placed and caused the Avenue defence several problems. But it was Birkbeck who got the opening goal after 16 minutes, receiving a pass from Finch and running to the goal-line before blasting the goal between the keeper and the post from a seemingly impossible angle. The visitors pulled level after 30 minutes following a scramble in the area, McCayna shooting past the on-rushing Haydock.

Wimbledon should have won, but Birkbeck decided to try and repeat his earlier shot from wide when a centre would have almost certainly lead to a goal and Head found himself clean through with only the keeper to beat, but was unable to convert the chance.