ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 598, 28 August 1909, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

(Bt CENTnE-IlAtlr.)

The star item of last Saturday's fixtures was the contest between Swifts and Y.M.C.A. Swifts' were ,tWo points ahead of tllelt oppohfents, and headed the honours list, hut )f.M.C.A. had, and still hare, played one Inatch less than the leaders. Consequently & 'win to either side would have, given tho \vinner more or less flf a lien on the championship. However, a fast, woll-cdiitested game resulted in a draw, , each sido scoring tone goal. - This,. makes the • fourth', draw Y.M.C.A. ; have had; but no team iil th<) fcompetitioil has had tho satisfaction'of defeating them so far: Poor • old- Diamonds—the slender, rood to yhicli "Centre-Half 1 ' pinned his faith early I in the -first round—went down .before their bid foemen, Rovers, who were instrumental in inflicting ,the first, defeat on the All Black combination in. the first round. r The positions of the various teams to date aro as Under:—

b & 5 a' 2 - ■£ £ B'S Jo . " .Af £. >3 AOh Swifts ... 12 9 1 2 20 YiMiC.A ~11 7 , 0 . 4 18 Diamonds ... 13 7 ''4 2 16 Rovers ... ... U' 5: 3 3 13 St. John's ... ... ... 11 5 S I 11 Thistle . ... ... .... 11 4 8 1 9 Petor.e ... , ... 12 .3 9 0 8 Wanderers ... ... ... 12 2 8 2 ' B Ramblers ... 11 ,2 . 8 1 -5

; Those wib were not satisfied with the Swifts-YiH.C.A. contest are not likely to get ; iiny. ehjoymeiit out of watching "sOcce'r" as it is played in Wellington. The play was by no means perfect, but it was appve tho (average of Benior'gamea, in spite of a puzzling crbss-windy,;;wh'ich i was against . accurate shooting and placihg. Tliere wcre some esceilent flashes : of/combined' Work; and, some l)rilliant individual efforts, "the ; net . result beii^ : a, fast,; interesting- game, froni start to finish. ~ . ■-.' ■■.'.. .'■-. • , ■■

: The goaikeepers . on- tho' respective sides proved. .themselves sound . meni .. Hollis (Y;M.C.A'.) no mistakes, and woil hearty • applause when; he, ; kept out a stinging penalty by J. Pye-Smith. The. ball could have, been placed" much, better by Pyo-Smith, , but that is all ovfer now. , It was sent agaiiist Mollis, and he blocked its: passage into the net. M'Leah, ; Swifts' goal custodian, was ■called oil'' several times,, aild made ho inis : takes.; It was .not for want of battling on his; part; that Y.M.'s -got their gokl.' : The i .M. filll-backs both did a lot of use-' ful , work, Pettit playing ' his usual , solid' do-fensiv6;,gamo.-in: the' first half s When work was simply Bhowered on him. It is a puzzle hbW this, consistent back has .boen oveHooked by the representative selectors; Dyke waVed a ; hefty boot whenever >.the bill Him tiiar hinty and 6ffected-some tilhely "sives;" He niade a mistake several times in the second half,', by driviiig'tho. ball ilito totiCh, instead of-kfeeping: it.iti play, and feedihg 'his tohtrS ahd. left-wing, which .trio was full of play; 1 and spoiling for work.' It would hAVe paid <xiM,C.Av''.tor.tiik«'- '.liith a chanci of o Winning goal ahead. • ■; , ■.:,. , R- Gibson • was the outstanding member of the half-backs oil the Y.M.C.A.' side.' Ho had tho misfortune to -receive, . a';■ severe AVoUnd ovOr one of the eyes early in tho gaine, thVdUgh' a collision frith; Veskey. but he. played On with a roughly-bahdaged head; ahd did sottie really excellefit work PhiUips, Tiniperly, and W; Gibson fcero . forwards.' Gibliovrever,; appeared to haVo a' chronic ghevanCe,' and; Bpeht tob iinieh time en- . deferdttfifag to; Vfeet itho '.MWe it':- interest liiihself in tho inatter. .; r,: : " 'Was (the best of Swifts'; J.ujl-baol;s, his : taOkliiig distho opposing forwards on. several occasions. There is nothing of:ihe*dtawiii»p room, player , about this part of the Swifts' full-back line. Wilson ,did well,:- but has tltme, iluch better. - Some of tho, surplus i ,yito taken?:out;6f Pye-Smith's tkclcliiig, and lmused into his partners would improve the hill-back line. 1 Wilslflii carl tackle ; with, the best when, in' the mood, in proof 'of which .liis game.against;Diamoiids in the fitet round has only .to: be called to, inind. / ' ':., Kirscbborg was the 'neatest a'nd/cleverest M 3'? 6 /: 0 ?;- .-S W 8 clever footwork completely lionplussiilg the. opposition : time A- 11 W ?S' «aUy' pretty : to' seO' the slim Swifts man literally take the ball frdm . aii. Opponent s ihstcp, and pass it on quietly, as .-thbttgh. it was the' simplest thifltr• in:tbe; wofld. The lengthy ex-Soiith Afrfean was very effeotivej without making Ofle-third of the .splash of,: men who did not. do oner third of i tho work. . ,

Sattnd.CTfl'bir-.the outside left, and tester J n the J 6en . t " ; fere the pick of : the Swifts 1 forward .brigade, both doing, an.iinmenso -amount .of, work. Scott 'showed ■ clever footwokhX 1 his sho , otin S was . According to a private letter:; received 51 Auckland, tho team to represent the northern,, proymccagainst, Wellington will bo as under:— ""■ , ; .

lk! . nnelt (North Shore): who is making his first appearance 'as a representative goalkeerar. Ho is said to bo very safe w ~ ,£ 1 snots and. defends well. _ Pull-baclis.—Right, J. .'Borthwick '(dale-* donians): A very strong kick,'biit does not /V ir n 1 ? P lao i n e efficiently.- Sherfolt (left) (Y.M.C.A.): A recent ah-kil from Home whore ho played for Leyton Athletic.. ' A Sa § .3% great tackier, jand judicious' kick, 1 fllS-i L (Poiiiofiby).at Home for, Dorset County, Ghat--6 K « nt . in tie East , -Feeds Hk fbfw&rda well," and /£S n §' °- n ? efcii "' Very. faSt.J.<, feath S ?*?»''• both.W attack' - Home played - for a \ Northern ■"^ e *, ; .Marshall (Ponsoriby): ltebreAuckhiid in 1907, arid is the Lt i a A grdat worked good jieaaeh and a sdfe flian. flayed, in Brigand for A. Davies (Oonhthknf • Itepl'esented Atekliftd 1907: Has a bertat knowledge; Of fyi besition. > A Solid tackier/ ??? -feHf? & Played for Wes- % Guild; at Hoffic, and Was . iii ■ the team wlien It W<« : .the, LiVerfioOl diis. , : ForW&rdS.-iE V. SalT(o(iHiithiail): Ht. prosgnted Auckland in 1904-5-6-7' also , fc-' P£fntM. North Island aild NcSw iealhfid iii )tK\ : sv J. .Webster (Pdn&oriby): A fast, find diiriIK e° al . Aa - attfadtlvo playOTj &ti{l■ ill nis first year (is tMijc. T. MMlfesSij T#y good wing man, but Mined td-'defitid 4<50 lace. Represented Auckland 1906. J. Gardiner; (Ponsonby): A dangerous man in tront or goaL'_ JTifSb ydar as a representative. player.' H. . Whittle (Caledonian) i A great wdrker, and iii. liis first representative year, but will improve with a v little trttiti". :"<£■ W- Fotshaw (Corinthian): A heady playef . who /-fyorkS ,"well, aiid is dangerous "Soal; ReiirCflCfited Aiicklniif in 1905-6-7, also New Zealand at Sydney 1506 He alsS played for Auckland, North Islahd, N«w Zealahd against New .Soiith Wales frt? Welshmen visited New. Zealand. ; iii team'is .looked upon as a''strong one. apd the men are very keen, and hope to be able to take the shield batik toAucklatid.