ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 821, 21 May 1910, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

(Bt Centre-Hal;?.) LAST WEEK'S POSTPONEMENTS. The Postponement Committee is to be congratulated on its decision to' posipont all matches last Saturday. A'o un;ibfc if the order had gone forth that ii" «»iJ'.' : :i «'ore to bo played practically i-vfcij- it"Ver »vlio knew that ir.; ! fci'ies. «ero i-~i would havo turned out-. Un'l<>r the circumstances, however, thorc; would certainly havo been a number of wins by default and a general state of things which would not have been satisfactory either to. the players themselves or to the association.' No doubt tho fixtures will suffer by being thrown back another Saturday, but football is not a serious business which must no on each week at any cost—to avoid suggestions of tho men being Ilno-woathyr players. It is a sport out of which tho players should oxtract the Ml niotiauro of oa-

joymcnt. 'Here could have- been no enjoyment iindor such conditions as provailed last Saturday. In deciding at onco not to play and leaving it at that the. Postponement Committee allowed plavors to know Where thoy stood which is much hotter than deciding to play in fto first placo and then cancolling tlio order as was done by their Rugby brethren. Wellington is promised a surfeit of Brown Sliield matches this season, Wanganui, Taranalri, Otago, Anckland, and Canterbury having olmllonged in tho order named. Most local, enthusiasts will consider tho Otago match well worth waiting for as tho southerners word tho only team who did not challenge for tho shield last season.

Association football is gaining groom} in tho Wajltato district and it has been suggested that a sub-association should bo fonned and affiliated with tho Aucklaud Association.

Tho Poverty Bay F.A. (secretary A. H. Scroggio) is now making application .for affiliation to the N.Z.F.A. There aro four clubs affiliated:— Y.M.C.A., Athletic County, Taruheru, and Rangers. Tho district is rather too thinly populated to allow of more teams being formed. A Saturday competition is run on League principles. The game in Gisborno has been strengthened by the arrival of Mr. P. G. Androws from Auckland and Jlr. Gco. M'Millan from Otago, who will be two useful men of experience to help the game along. Wellington players will remember G. McMillan in more than one Otago team playing here, and he was always a source of trouble to the local teams' .backs. Three other M'Millan brothors have all taken an active part in eoccor in Dunedin.

The Came In Australia. Tho soccer code is gaining in popularity in the Australian States. The latest associations to bo formed are in Victoria and Tasmania. The secretary of the Tasmanian Association is Mr. J. J. B. Honey3ott, and in a letter to the Sydney "Referee," he statee: "We have-five clubs affiliated, and hope to have a couple more before tho season closes. Owing to the hilly formation of Hobartj.it is a difficult matter to obtain suitable grounds. We play our games as near the city as possible- so as to maintain public interest. We are doing pioneer work, and have to distribute our experienced players in tho various clubs for coaching' purposes. Wo have many, capable pluyors who will undoubtedly do well when they aro called upon for interState matches." A letter received by tho N.Z.P.A. from tho secretary, N.S.W.F.A., states that a big sea-son is expected in Sydney. In all grade 3 there are 47 teams playing each week, but unfortunately tho bugbear "grounds" is still with the association. There is no doubt tho soccer code is going ahead in New South Wales. The fortnightly meetings of tho Referees' Association aro being well attended this , seasonj and as the board system of ■ explaining points pf the laws is being used, tho younger generation of referees should profit. Tho meetings are held in Mr. Mydrs's office, where players and ..other enthusiasts aro always welcome. The Rofercos' Association is still in want of a few more referees, as at present most of the members havo to turn out regularly. There are of course sufficient referees for all games, but it sometimes happens that one or two want a Saturday off, and then the trouble begins. Tho membership is of course larger than ever, about 50 in all, but a few more members'nan easily be done with.. Tho Football Association of Chilo has been affiliated to tho headquarters, London.' ■ .

The N.S.W.F.A. has a scale of penalties for offences committed by nil players or. members of clubs, whether on or off 'the field. They aro as follow: —"Twelve months' suspension for. deliberately kicking an opponent, etc., or striking or inciting a player to strike, or striking a referee, or players leaving field without permission of referee during progress of game. Four matches for using abueivo, threatening, or . insulting languago to referee, players, or association officials. Two matches for interfering with the progress, of any match. One match for dictating to tho referee." These are minimum penalties • for first offences only. This scale may be all very well for the worst class of offences recorded in the game, but I should think a committee is better off " and players more fairly treated, when each case is fully threshed out and a penalty imposed according to the gravity of the breach.

Mr. W. Wood has resigned from the Management Committee of the Wellington F.A. The vacancy will bo filled at next meeting.

The Management Committee of the Ancklancl Football Association will be the selectors of tbis season's Brown Shield team. As far as possible, each match will be watched by members of tho committee.

Outside of schools there are 35 teams playing Association football in the various grades at Dunedin this year. In tho first grade there aro six, in the second grado nine, in the third grade 10, and in the fourth grade 10. England Defeated by Scotland. Referring to the England v. Scotland international match played at Hampton. Park on April 2 and won by Scotland by 2 to nil, an English paper says: Scotland's superiority was undoubted, and on tho run of the play the wondofl was that tho English defence was not beaten on. more than two occasions. A. romarkablo crowd, estimated at 100,000, saw the match, and the gate receipts amounted to £4417. The game opened in a singularly bright and interesting fashion, and for nearly twenty minutes' neither side could claim any marked advantage Everything up to that point suggested a close and eyen fight, but then Scotland scored, and a striking ' change came over the character of tho struggle. Encouraged by their success, tho Scotsmen played with fine dash and confidence, whereas tho limitations of the English defence—suggested even in the early stages of tho match —became more and more pronounced. A eecond goal for Scotland followed rather more than half an hour from the start, and thenceforward there was never any doubt about tho issue. Tho Englishmen found thomselves quite outclassed. There was neither combination nor confidence about their work. Their backs, admitting some improvement after change of ends, were uncertain, the halves not only tackled indifferently, but lost accuracy' in placing .the ball to their forwards, and the front rank, so far from improving as the gamo progressed, became almost third-rate. Lnlleed, on tho afternoon's play tho English cloven must bo pronounced ono of the poorest which has represented England for quite a number of seasons. The failure was tho nioro remarkablo, as, while most peoplo recognised tho possibilities of the Scottish forwards, it was generally expected that England would hold the advantage in <.tlior departments. Fcutlnnd's triumph—for it was nothing less —arousoil tremendous enthusiasm, and well it might, for tho contrast in the football nf the two elevens directly the homo side had secured tho lead was as great as it was surprising. England certainly became demoralised, and'thus perhaps made the Scottish side nppcar stronger than it really was; yet there could be nothing but praise for the ri'solulc and determined game played by the winning side. Now and then, of' course, one or other of tho English forwards would get away, but when he did so ho appeared to have liUly t'eliof i" tli" ability of his colleagues to support him or in hie own

powers to break through, and, as a rule, tuiishod with a shot taken at such long rango that oven had it been well directed it would scarcely have caused the Soottish goalkeeper much trouble. Indeed, all through the second half there scarcely came on tho part of England an attack of real excellence.

On tho other hand, tho Scottish forwards, in addition to playing well together, put into their endeavours an amount of life and dash that repeatedly threatened danger, the football of the homo side all round being of tho most inspiriting description. Luck, perhaps, did not come England's way, but the times that the • forwards allowed themselves to be robbed of the ball, the moderate nature of the halves' support, and the uncertainty created by tho books stamped tho Bide aa far below the average. Tho game was contested at a capital pace, and but for tho feeling that Scotland, directly they had shown some superiority, wero certain of victory, might have been thoroughly enjoyable, while it is gratifying to be able to state that the methods employed on both sides, though vigorous, wore admirably clean.