CUP fever descended on Southampton to provide a brief lift from the gloom manifested by the continued reports of heavy fighting during the recent weeks of the war.

Exactly a century ago today, a confident Saints side, who were riding on the wave of a recent spell of success, faced Luton Town in the first round proper of the FA Cup at the Dell.

The fixture would require the Saints to reproduce their best form of the season to beat a determined Luton team that had turned out some excellent footballing displays to beat the likes of Plymouth, Northampton, and even Saints earlier in the season.

Owing to the war the usual price of admission for a Cup tie was reduced, with only sixpence being charged for the stand at the Dell, affectionately referred to as “Brighton Beach”, and a shilling for the terraces.

Attendances for the games across the country were down on the previous season’s gates but despite the issues involved in the war a total of 8,558 supporters streamed through the turnstiles to cheer on the Saints.

An item of note from the Daily Echo’s match build-up that weekend claimed that no fewer than eight of the Luton players had enlisted for military service – a fact that was sure to guarantee the away side a hearty welcome from Sotonians.

The Daily Echo’s edition that day also reported that the Hampshire Football Association had decided that week to abandon the fixtures in the Hampshire Cups and League for the present season. Repudiating the suggestion of lack of patriotism on the part of football players, the honorary secretary of the Hampshire FA, Mr W Pickford, declared that upwards of 6,500 players in Hampshire were now serving with the forces of the crown No sooner had the game kicked off than the Saints, who were facing the sun in the first half and defending the Archers Road goal, were tested.

The first bit of excitement came when Luton’s Hoar ‘tricked’ Saints’ wing-half George Hadley, taking the ball past him before sprinting towards the Saints’ goal. He shot low for the corner of the net but Saints’ keeper Arthur Wood made a good save at full stretch.

Saints immediately responded with an attack of their own as Gabriel Kimpton and Arthur Dominy tried to rush the goal only to be thwarted by Luton defender Mitchell who booted the ball into touch.

However the Saints were immediately in possession again, pinning the Luton players back in a cluster inside their area. The ensuing melee saw Luton’s Dunn handle the ball prompting the referee to point to the spot. Saints forward Leonard Andrews stepped up for the Saints and slotted home the penalty kick to a chorus of loud cheers.

From then on Saints continued in the ascendancy, as Luton defended wave after wave of attacks from the aggressive home side.

Saints continued to be the more decisive of the two sides in the second half as forward Andrews once again produced a fine finish to score his and Saints’ second goal.

The Saints made sure of the victory by netting a third time soon after when Charles Curtin centred, with all the other forwards in position, and Kimpton headed through with the ball ricocheting off the post before nestling in the Luton goal.

The goal prompted jubilant scenes from the stands.

The referee’s whistle eventually brought the dramatic game to a conclusion with the Saints running out 3-0 winners on the day.