1948
Saturday, 02 April 1949
Isthmian League
 
St. Albans City
?
1 - 1
Wimbledon
Freddie Gauntlett

Again unchanged, the Dons made their second journey to St. Albans, having failed to reach their destination earlier in the season due to a thick fog.

City were anxious for points, being in danger of having to seek re-election alongside Tufnell Park, and the Dons changes were severely hampered in the fourth minute when Frank Lemmer sustained a bad ankle injury. He was forced to play the remainder of the first half hobbling in pain at outside-left, and pluckily set up the goal, but his ankle was so badly swollen that he was unable to continue after the break and a doctor was summoned over the loudspeaker to attend to him. In a surprise tactical move St. Albans played full-back Collins at centre-forward, hoping his height, weight and bustle would cause the visiting defence problems, but Ken Lister’s tackling and judgement was sound against the bull in a china shop approach. Both defences were on top for most of a scrappy half of football. Freddie Gauntlett had a chance to earn an early lead, but although his shot beat Rivers it just went past the far post. Gauntlett was on target after nineteen minutes, touching home a brave cross from Lemmer after a long pass from Vic Bird. The home side equalised on the stroke of half-time when Adams shot low across the goal during a melee and Jim Haydock, unsighted, could only watch the ball sail into the opposite corner.

Down to ten men for the entire second period, resolute defending from Ron Head and Arthur Maggs and determined tackling from Jack Wallis, who had dropped back to fill in the void left by Lemmer, and Doug Munday, was enough for the Dons to see out a goal-free second half.