The Harry Newman Brentford Hospital Cup
Team: Allen, Powell (G), Jefferson, Powell (I), Smith (G), Smith (A), Hatton, Stewart, Durrant, Mills, Hartburn
Rangers had won promotion to the old Division Two and just two days after their final league game of the season, they travelled to Griffin Park on 3rd May 1948, to take on Brentford in a charity match.
The game kicked off at 6.30 and E. H. Gifford’s match report later appeared in the Marylebone Mercury:
‘No one at Griffin Park on Monday evening would begrudge the success of Queen’s Park Rangers who took away the Brentford Hospital Cup through a penalty goal by Hatton.
A large crowd, perhaps some 18,000 strong, saw both Bees and Rangers field powerful sides, and the keenness of the play brought about a league derby fervour, to which, as the game progressed, the players responded, asking no quarter.
It was from the Rangers wearing the laurels of promotion success, that the finer craft of football came.
Invariably the ball was kept on the carpet by Mills and Stewart, and Ivor Powell and George Smith kept pushing the ball through.
There lay the contrast – the form of the respective inside-forwards, for Dawson and Blakeman had need of telescopic sights for their passing.
Fair-haired Hatton, who has the stamp of Mortensen about him the way he tears into the ball and is ready to turn the slightest chance into a goal, led Gorman a merry dance and was the game’s outstanding forward.
The Rangers defence, near the interval was uncertain but the home forwards did not respond to a stream of Buchanan centres.
The only goal came after 32 minutes when Nelson handled and Hatton slammed the penalty home.
One final opportunity came when Gibbons sent a cross to Girling who then sent a rocket header goalwards.
A cat-like leap by Reg Allen however, saw the ball tipped over for a corner. A grand feat of anticipation and speed on the latter’s part.
After the game the Hospital Cup was presented to the captain of the Rangers by the Mayor, Councilor R. P. Sinclair.’
The cup had been supplied for the competition by the late Harry Newman.
The match programme also noted that the Brentford Market Fruit Merchants were the donors of the presents that were given to each player.
Later that month the R’s embarked on an extensive tour of Turkey.
Steve Russell.
(Thanks to Colin Woodley for sending me the match report)