When it is pointed out that there were seven absentees from the teams selected to do duty in the friendly game between Dulwich Hamlet and the Dons, at Champion Hill, on Saturday, it is easy to form an idea of the difficulties which confront the officials of football teams these days.

The Dons were without H.H. Bridge, C.W. Bacon and T. Laker, but a surprise was in store for the other members of the team when they found that L. Taylor and Jack Black, both of whom joined the Dons some time before the war from Tufnell Park, put in an unexpected appearance. Black has not played since the war, and I understand that Taylor has had but a few games.

Jack Fennell, home on leave from the Navy after a long trip at sea, was playing his first game since he helped the Dons against Walton-on-Thames last March, and Harry Stannard, who had his Army leave extended a few hours to enable him to take part in the match, were other pre-war members of the team, which included newcomers in E. Milles and A. Church, who have been assisting junior teams.

Dulwich had four of their selected men absent, but they were able to call on youngsters who have helped the club for the past two seasons. They also had A.B. Lake, who was with the Dons for some time before he returned to his old club Norsemen. This season he has been with Dulwich regularly.

In the first half the Dons did surprisingly well, considering some of the players were strangers to one another, and showed up to advantage for a long spell. They had a let-off, however, when one of the Hamlet forwards was tackled from behind in the penalty area. Dicks, who took the penalty-kick, shot with great power, but Gregory saved.

After some near misses at the other end, Stannard for through to trick Lake and beat Freeman with a low drive in half an hour. Soon after Dicks scored a similar goal with a shot which completely deceived Gregory. Thus, at half-time, the score was one each.

Three minutes after the interval Fennell hesitated in tackling Hollands a few yards from goal, and the inside-left had an easy task of putting the ball in the net. Phebey added a third ten minutes later when following a through pass by Thornton. The Dons' defenders stood still, appealing for off-side, but Phebey did the right thing in playing to the whistle, and the point counted.

HARD PRESSED

The Dons were hard pressed for some time, but eventually the forwards put more life into their play. Taylor tested Freeman with a cross-shot, and when the goalkeeper parried the ball to the opposite wing Clements failed to connect squarely, and Freeman managed to scramble the ball away. Hambley hit the cross-bar from long range, and Stannard met the rebound to reduce the lead.

Hamlet were quicker on the ball, and Phebey increased the lead. Close on time, Gillan scored after Gregory had punched out a centre from Dicks.

It was fortunate for the Dons that Black was at centre-half; he did the work of two men and was excellent in his tackling. Stannard was the pick of the forwards, while Gregory was smart in goal despite the fact that he was beaten five times.