Billy Laws was back from his honeymoon, and Jock Woods was thought to have recovered from his injury, but he wasn’t ready and Vic Bird was also a last minute withdrawal, so Doug Munday dropped to full-back and Len Raishbrook, formerly a forward at Sutton United, came in for his debut at right-half and Jim Smith continued his run in the side, albeit inside Laws.

Ron Head should have opened the scoring almost from the start, but with only the keeper to beat he put the ball high. Several corners then fell to the home side, and Sullivan in the City goal was forced to dive full-length to keep Frank Lemmer out from one of them. Playing with a strong wind the home side put their opponents under considerable pressure, but their backs and halves offered stout resistance. When the forwards did get through they found a keeper in fine form, a one-handed save from a Freddie Gauntlett shot, finally cleared by Rowling, worthy of particular note. At the other end Handscombe let loose a shot that looked to be going in, but Saunders, trying to make sure, diverted the ball wide. Gauntlett finally made the breakthrough, capitalising on a mix-up in defence, and soon after the same player headed the ball over the keeper and Jim Smith ran in to tap the ball over the line. The referee awarded the goal, but after a protest by the St. Albans’ players he consulted the linesman and changed his decision to offside.

Soon after the break Head again cleared the bar when one on one with City’s last line of defence, and the visitors pressed hard to bring the game level but their inside-forwards were unsteady and the main danger came from well directed shots from their halves. During this spell Jim Haydock showed off his agility, scooping the ball over the bar from Chisholm before completing a full somersault while catching a high shot from Wilkinson. As the defence held firm City tired and in the last fifteen minutes the Dons returned to the offensive. Gauntlett fired home from Stannard’s pass, but again the score was deemed offside and Stannard himself then shot wide after shaking loose of Wilkinson and Laws tried an audacious shot from the touchline that bounced back off a defender. It was all Wimbledon in the final minutes and Head deserved a goal when his header beat the keeper, but it hit the foot of the post and Rowling cleared.