ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 544, 26 June 1909, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

(By CENTBB-HiLr.)

The end of the first round of the senior league first division competition was reached last Saturday,- and leaves Y.M.C.A. and Swifts level ai tho top of tho poll, with Diamonds a good second, two points behind the leaders. ,'Jlio initial louncf bait been a close struggle between tho three teams mentioned above ever sine© tlio competition took dehmte shane. At the outset Diamonds appeared to nave a little in hand, but they wont back two points when they raa against their old-time rival* Hovers. Y.M.C.A. drow with the "All Bhuks," and, finally, tho lattor were oustoo mum the lend on Saturday, when Swifts clJeated them. Swifts have not been Bien *i their best in every game, but tliev have luvarubly responded when anything duncult taiuu ulonjt. On Saturday tboy p>i. »* bno u dj->/iUy as their most onthus.n-i.ic supporters 0011 M wish, and won a Wj-iiiij_;hi gume in hno stylo, even though l< (•vi-hm.rL «>,.] Spir row abbontti-a I)i.huhn !• wu« minus the services of Overt- .>, «U- ib mill aside OWing to a kick r<!c ii til. pr«.iri„„ k u^k and they 'mad! o nutiilinr uf *lu>i»(jiink n tho placing of tboH Uvun Khun aluMvl'titib might have' bewr .iII.hmJ tu >un u'.til a softer gamo calm- hi-miu Tho-pace at tho <jui.w>t M the Diamond Siufts contest was alun «,id ptay n a3 oi, tho ragged side, but, uft.i Dimiinmli h».i scored their first goal, jbwifii, refused rt«<h and spirit into tboir norlt, ami f,-ur!» nm played Diamonds at their <ovni -huntlim! gamo At the beginning of tlio »c<,iii<l h iIJ th'c outlook for Diamonds dm n. t cheerful, but tho Blacks havo a nam* fur disperate finishing, and Saturday's 6niHli whh no exception. Swifts, were also full of plav right through tho "croud Bpcll. ' and gave their opponents many nnxious moments in front of goal. > K Although tbo writer was wnvinced bcforo the gamo that Diomonds were too good a combination for Swifts, hi- in now pieparcd to admit that the winner* wore the better team on the day's p'ay. and thoroughly deserved their victory, A few such "games as Y.M.C.A.-Diamonds and SwiftsDiamonds (and thcro is every prospect of them in tho second round) is what tho public wants. Fitzgerald guarded tbo Diamonds •goal again, and gave a fair exhibition, but bo has plaved many better games, * Barnett was P. Roberts's associate fullback, and • these with Taylor were the best of the'Diambnds books. D. Roberta dad, not have b great deal to do, end did not do it too well. Thorley was a weak link in the Diamonds combination. Ho lacked dash and his passing was 'weak and purposeless throughout. Tho Roddy*) and tho Lowes did some very good work, S. Roddy being one of tho best forwards on tho field. Hathaway threatened to do .many good things, but the Swifts. defence generally interrupted him mid-way. Swifts' new goalkcopcr, M'Lcan, formerly a forward, was put through a stiff trial, and camo out of it with flying colours. t A number of difficult calls wero made on him, and a less expert man in the position would havo cost Swifts tho camo in the last, quarter. I

Poor games, medium games, and good famoa have been played by Wdson, the wifts left full-back, but he has nover beforo played such a game as ho played on Saturday. Work foil on him thick and fast, and he dispatched it all without a mistake His kicking was clean, powerful, and always well judged. In fact, Wilson oxcollod himsolf, and was the best full-back in the paddock Pyo-Smith also played well, hutho was not worked liko his comrade Korschborg was another Swifts man who is deserving of all praiso for a clevor and somcr times brilliant exhibition in which there were no mistakes, and many triumphs Tho other half-backs, Graves and Guise, were up to tborr.'bcst form. Scott, Vossey, Marshall, and Sanders bpro the brunt of tho forward work, the two firstmentioned players doing some very, clover work. Tho interest that tho proposed tour of a South African team in these waters is causing was exemplified at Tuesday night's meeting of tho New Zealand Football Council, when a letter was received from tho Queensland: Football Association asking what terms would be-.nakcti'fora visit of the South African team to Queensland Tho matter really permitted of little discussion, because no arrangements have yet been' arrived at by tho other Australian associations, and tho secrotary was simply instructed to send a similar lottcr to tho Queensland authorities, as had boon sent to the other centres. It 19 gratifying to note that the Canterbury F.A.'has appointed Mr. W. Wood as its second delegate to tho N.Z F,A. Mr. Wood is an enthusiast, ind a worker of tho right kind, and a few moro men of his stamp in local football work would bo for. tho betterment'of the game. A proposal is on foot to entertain all 1 junior second and third division players at tbe I ond of the season, as has been done once or twice beforo What a fine gathering can be held, if a goodly proportion of tho 400 odd boys registered in! theep grades would attend. The local association has a representative banner of some effective design. It has apparently boon hidden in oblivion for some time, until Wednesday evening's meeting, whon Mr. B L Salmon brought up tho question, and asked that the banner should be brought out into tho light, and have all the wins of recent years inscribed on it. It is pleasm" to recall that ono or two old "has boons are coming to light in the roforeeing lino Mr. A. Wells, an old Diamonds and representative plajer of note, appeals now amongst the list of referees His brother, "Will, who used to referee regularly a few jears ago, has also taken up the whistle again Tho Referees' Association is still in need of roforces, and it is to bo hoped that moro old players will send m thoir namos as officials beforo tho season 15 over. Tho association has now to prondo officials for some 31 games each Saturday, and if the "Soccer" code progresses next year as it has dono tho last year or so, the question of supplying referees for all matches will becomo a :sonous ,ono. Sparrow, of tho Swifts Club, has almost recovered from a twisted knee, received whilst playing against Palmerston, 1 but it will bo somo weeks yot before he is ahlo to play regularly

As showing tho strides made by tho "Soccer" gamo of lato, it may be mentioned that, there, are at present 62 Association teams playing each Saturday, as against 64 Rugby teams,

The official roturnß of the "gate" at the English Cup final, contested at the London Crystal Palaco by Manchester tinted and Bristol City, set down the attendance at about 71,000 "Soccor" is supremo in England Writing of tho match, tho special reporter of the London "Daily Mail" Baid.— For the first time in thoir history Manchester United won tho English Cup at tho Ciystal Palace on Saturday after ono of tbe poorest games seen for many a long year. Tho onlv coal of tho game was floored by A. Turnhull, somo twenty-two minutes from the start. The game was a peculiarly uninteresting ono, fo much so, in fact, that tho enthusiasts who had journeyed up from the west and from the north found littlo to rouse them to that pitch of frenzy usually tho predominant feature at tho final Cup tie Neither side plajed well as a team, and thoro was far too much of that unpleasant typo of football usually conspicuous by its absenco at the Crystal Palaco on thoso occasions Moreover, tho roferee seemed unable to differentiate between fair shouldor charges and illegal tackling. Doubtless tho importance of the occasion and the fact that all the loading characters with but two exceptions wore new to the cup final, accounted for this, for all the "principals" seemed full of "nerves " Bristol City wero undoubtedly unlucky to lose Had Rippon been able to tako his place in the team Hardj would have boon playing at. outside left, and * would most certainly Lavo scored off tho two easy chances which camo to Hilton in tho second half, chances which appeared to be absolutely "gifts." Tho previous winners wore:— 1872.—Wanderers, 1; Royal Engineers, 0. 1873.—Wanderers, 2; Oxford University, 1874.—Oxford University, 2; Royal Engineers, 0. I 1876.—(a) Royal Engineers, 2; Old Etonians, 0. 1570.-r<a) Wanderers, 3; Old Etonians, 0. 1877.—Ki) Wanderers, 3; Oxford University, 0. ' 1878.—(b) Wanderers, 3; Royal Engineers, 1879. —Old Etonians, 1; Clapham Rovers. 0 1880.—Clapham Rovers, 1; Oxford University 0. 1881.—Old Carthusians, 3: Old Etonians, 0. 1882.—01 d Etonians, 1; Blackburn Rovers; 10. IBBo*.—<f) Blackburn 01., 2; Old' Etonians, 1884.—Blackburn Rovers, 2; Queen's Part, Glasgow, 1, , 1885. —Blackburn Rovers, 2; Queen's Park, Glabgow. 0. I 1886.—\a) (c) Blackburn Rovers, 2j West 1 Bromwich Alb., 0. I 1887.—Aston Villa, 2: West Bromwich I Alb., 0. 1 1888.—West Bromwich A, 2; Preston North End, 1. 1889.—Preston North End, 3; Wolverhampton W., 0. 18a0.—Blackburn Rovers, G: Sheffield Wed.; 1. 1891.—Blackburn: Rovers, 3; Notts, 1. l&yi.—West Bromwich A, 3: Aston Villa, 0. ' • 1893.—(d) Wolverhampton W., 1; Ejorton. 0. 1891.—(d) Notts County, 4; Bblton ,Wanderurs, 1. ' lb«j.—Aston Villa, 1: West Bromwich Alb., 0 , 1896.-(o) Sheffield Wed., 2; Wolverhampton W., 1. ' 18S7.—Aston Villa, 3; Everton, 2. 1898.—Notts-Forest, 3; Derby County, 1. 1899.—Sheffield United, 4; Derby County, 1900.—Bury, 4; Southampton, 0. 1901.—(a) Tottenham H., 3; Sheffield U., 1. 1002—(a) Sheffield United, 2; Southamp. ,ton, 1. 1 1903.—Bury, 6;. Derby County, 0 1904.—Manchostcr City, 1, Bolton Wan. dorors, Oi 1905.—Aston Villa, 2j Nowcastlo United 0. , 1906.—Everton, 1: Newcastle United, 0. 1907.Shefiield Wed'., 2; Evorton, 1. 1908.—Wolverhamjiton W., 3; Newcastle United, 1. (a) After drawn game, (b) Cup won outright, but restored.to the association as porpetual chnlloijßo trophy, (c) Special trophy awarded for third consecutive win. (d) Final played in provinces. (0) Original trophy stolen, and now cup provided, (f) After extra time