19 MAY 1950, Page 20

The Cup Final

SIR,—I always look forward with great pleasure to Mr. Mallalieu's delight- ful accounts of cricket and football matches in the Spectator, but what was.the matter with him at life Cup Final at Wembley ? Having watched the match with the utmost enjoyment and admired the Arsenal's beautiful football and team work, I must confess that I was amazed to read Mr. Mallalieu's remarks about " dirty play," which were completely at variance with the admirable accounts of the match in The Times, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Times and Observer, all of which I read with much enjoyment.