1947
Saturday, 18 October 1947
Isthmian League
 
Leytonstone
?
3 - 2
Wimbledon
Jimmy Green (2)

Picton and Head returned immediately to the starting line-up but Bill Magill was on the injured list with a septic graze on his thigh and Don Rhodes was awaiting the outcome of an x-ray on a suspected fractured ankle. With Len Cannon still out JS Woods was drafted in for a debut in the half-back line and and AW Green took over at centre-forward. Debutant Harry Bull was promoted from the reserves in preference to Freddie Gauntlett.

Wimbledon took the lead in their first attack of the afternoon, after nine minutes, Green and Stannard passing back and forth to each other until the latter found a gap and passed for the former to run through and beat Jarvis with a low shot. They should have increased their lead when a terrific shot from Smith hit the bar and bounced back to Green, but Jarivs was able to smother his shot and the defence cleared. Leytonstone then asserted themselves and, for the second time in a week, the Dons conceded a goal they claimed did not cross the line; Morris crossed and Noble’s effort hit the underside of the bar and rebounded into play, but the referee awarded the score. There was no doubt three minutes later when Haydock was unable to stop Noble’s first time shot from Smith’s cross, despite Cousins’ challenge. The game evened out for a while, but Leytonstone went further ahead eight minutes before the interval, Noble setting up Groves. Stannard and Head both had chances at the other end, but both shot high.

The second half continued in the same vein, but the Dons’ forwards were increasingly caught offside and Haydock brilliantly turned three shots from Noble, Bunce and Morris for corners and was forced to rush out and clear his lines on several occasions. With ten minutes left the tide turned as Wimbledon fed Bull more than previously, he was able to beat the experienced Nicholls on several occasions and put in good centres. From one of these Smith shot inches wide with the keeper well beaten. With three minutes left Green played a swift one-two with Bull and beat the advancing Jover to set up a frantic end to the match, during which Green almost stole an unlikely equaliser, shooting inches past the post after running at top speed onto a cross from Smith.