Accepted by everyone at the time as the main event in the football season in Malta, the Cassar Cup never failed to strike a note of interest in local sporting circles.
A feature which contributed to the unfailing success of the tournament was the uncertainty governing the choice of the participants.
From the year of its institution, in 1921, up to 1930, no two draws were alike, except the successive clashes between Floriana and the Devonshire Regiment side in 1928 and 1929.
So, the question on everyone’s lips in 1930 was whether the Maltese would at last win back the charity cup from the Services.
One had to turn the pages of history back to 1925 to find a Maltese victory. That year Sliema Wanderers had won the cup for the second successive year.
That season, HM ships Courageous, Caledon and the First Flotilla won the First, Second and Third Division titles of the Mediterranean Football League respectively.
These three teams were then joined by teams from HM ships Revenge, Eagle, London and Calypso to play off the qualifying matches of the Cassar Cup.
Revenge and Eagle qualified as joint Division One runners-up, while London and Calypso were the Second Division runners-up.
Eagle beat London 4-1 while the First Flotilla had the better of Revenge 2-0 to qualify for the final which was played at the Empire Stadium on February 8.
The First Flotilla XI won the contest 4-1 so they were chosen as the Navy’s representatives in the Cassar Cup.
These matches showed the serious manner with which the Services prepared their teams in contrast to the Maltese who, by this time, had hardly played one competitive match.
In 1929-30, the Maltese representatives were Old St George’s and Sliema Wanderers. On the Services’ part, the Army were represented by the famous Queen’s Regiment and the Navy by the First Flotilla.
A resolute and vigorous resistance by the defenders of Old St George’s could not prevent the First Flotilla from entering their name for the first time in the list of Cassar Cup finalists.
Solidity in defence, speed in attack, and splendid teamwork gave the naval combination the victory in the semi-final which was played on February 15, 1930.
St George’s were all over their opponents during the first half, but a good display by Darlington, the Navy right-back, kept them out.
During the second half, the Saints tired out and the sailors struck through Roxin, Cox, and Charles to run out 3-0 winners.
Sliema Wanderers failed to withstand the challenge offered by the First Battalion Queens Regiment team in the second semi-final, but the Blues did not surrender before the referee’s whistle was sounded.
Aware of the strength of the army champions, the Wanderers realised that a special effort was needed but after a splendid first half, the civilians slowed down and allowed the servicemen to creep back into the game.
Without even approaching their real form, the Queen’s XI proved to be the better side.
Two quick goals by Jarvis and Herridge condemned the Maltese to act the part of spectators once again while others contested the coveted final.
If, to lose the services of a player when substitutes are not allowed is a stroke of misfortune, than to suffer the loss of your best player in a cup final must represent the darkest of fortune’s frowns.
This was to be the fate of the First Flotilla team in the final of the 1930 Cassar Cup.
At a stage of the game when the naval team was making a determined effort to equalise, after suffering an early goal, Roxin, the master-mind of the team, was carried off with a serious injury.
The Flotilla were forced to fight an uphill battle. The sailors stuck to their task tenaciously but goals by Thurlow and Caldicutt in-creased the Queen’s XI lead to three and the sailors were finally forced to throw in the towel.