ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 846, 18 June 1910, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

(By Centre-Haix) 1

The first division championship assumes a totally different complexion as a result of tho three matches played last Saturday, Swifts, Diamonds, and Eamblers now being- on level terms at tho head, of the list, with S points each. Tho great surprise of last week's contests was tho dgwjifall of Swifts at the hands of Hovers, but tho drubbing which Ramblers inflicted on Diamonds was hardly less, surprising.' Tho third gaiue would have been a surprise had fcho_ other two not been so surprising. T|iis was tho Y.M.C.A.-Thistle match, in wtich last year's runners-up went under to tho Scotsmen. As things stand now tho second round promises to be full of interest, and one of the most exciting games of tho season should resnlts from to-day's meeting of Swifts and Ramblers. Swifts are admittedly a good team, but they have already had their colours lowered by Ramblers once this season, and their defeat by Eovers last Saturday should give Eamblers further confidence. As to Eamblers, they are a much improved team since they met Swifts earlier in the season, and unless they aro over-eager td-day a feast of good football should be assured. Positions of the Teams. The positions of the various teams to date are as under:— Team. jj g ■$ 5 3.S Diamonds ' 0 12 0 8 Swifts 6' 1 2 0 8 Eamblers G 1 2 .0 8 Thistle ' 6 2 3 15 Rovers 6 13 2 4 Y.M.C.A. 6 .1. i 1 3 Ramblers v. Diamonds. _— Eamblers hrjve reason to be proud of their runaway victory over Diamonds, for it was sheer merit that triumphed in tho long run.. When it came to the business end Diamonds could not -hold their speedv opponents, who literally ran over the Blacks. A feature of the Eamblers' play was the clean aud clever work of their outside forwards, Sninllbone and Edwards. On Edwards's showing I think ho- can be claimed to havo justified the praise I gave him last wkok. His work was clean . and neat throughout, and showed intelligence always. Smallbono was at his very best in ; tho second spell, and time • and again he dribbled down the right wing in fine style, eluding the defence with. pretty footwork. Hart was another excellent man on the Eamblers' side, and tho two full-backs also shaped well. Webster in goal effected some capital .saves. On the Diamond sido Lowe, fieddy, and Black did some hard'work, but it was not always well' directed. Rovers v. Swifts. Penlington in goal for Eovers did not havo a great deal to do, though lie made a number of fair saves. Had the Swifts' shooting being more accurate, he might havo been tested more severely. Duignan was in splendid form at fullback, quite reproducing his play of a couplo of seasons ago. Timo and again he broke up tho Swifts' attack, and ho .relieved his sido on many occasions. B. Clark has turned out again for Eovors, after an absence of somo seasons, and ho played a very fair.game. Bradbury played about his best gamo of the season at centre-half, his placing to the forwards being much improved. Amongst tho forwards it, was. found necessary, to play.Astin at outside right, owing to an injury received against Eamblers tho previous week. Arthur Lowe reappeared ill tho forwards, and played a hard, serviceable game. Gibson does a lot of good, useful work, but ho' would bo doublo tho assistance to his side if ho would refrain from wandering from the. ceutro liko ho does. M'Lean- has hardly over been seen worse advantage in Swifts' goal. Ho should, under ordinary circumstances, havo saved all three goals, but two of tho attempts were very feeble. J. Pye'-Smith was off his usual game, and, to mako matters -worse, started wandering amongst tho forwards. This is quite unnecessary, and it only upsets the front rank. All tho halves wero off-colour. Kirschberg was playing forward owing to a soro foot, but it would havo been bettor to havo played him somewhere.in tho backs and avoided disjointing tho forward attack. P. Pye-Smith and Vossey wero the oniy forwards to show anything liko form at all; the latter, however, twico missed an open goal. Scott was fair in tho field, but was sadly lacking in shooting accuracy. Groifnds was poor oil the extreme loft. Laws of the Game. "Tho ignorance of somo players with regard to tho laws of the game ,is sometimes astounding," writes a correspondent, and, continues the writer, when one sees goals absolutely thrown away from this cause Saturday after Saturday, one comes to the conclusion that tho sooner all players, and -especially ■. seniors, nniKe themselves thoroughly conversant with the rules, tho better it will be for all concerned in the game here. Two glaring c'ases of such ignorance were brought under notice last week: First was tho ltovers lirst goal against Swifts from a free-kick for a foul throw, which M'Lean converted into a goal by just touching tho ball; had he left it alone an ordinary goal kick would havo resulted. Players do not soom to generally nknow that it is only for broaches of Law 9 that a goal can bo scored direct. Law 9 is, of course, tho law for broaches of whiclj( a penalty is awarded within the penalty area. Tho other case was that of Jackson in the Diamonds-Ramblers gamo appealing for off-aide when tho ball was put through the Eamblers' goal, the Diamonds forwards having received tho ball off Webster. Surely it is unnecessary to remind Jackson, or any other player, of the following words in Law 6: "A player is not out of play . . . when the ball has been last played by an opponent," etc. While on this subject it would not bo out of place to; again remind players that the Eeferees' Association holds fortnightly meetings in Mr. H. G. Mayer's otfico on alternate Tuesdays, when discussions and lectures on tho Laws of tho Gamo aro given, and all players are always cordially received. Another thing that needs attention is tho constant appealing that some players indulge in. This should be quite (innecessary. Tho referee is appointed to enforco tho laws and decide all disputed points, which ho should bo able to do without any appeals • from players. Nothing annoys a referee so much as continual appeals, and players should bear in mind that appeals aro not only unnecessary, but they aro very liable to call the referee's attention oft' the play for a moment, and during that moment something may occur which ho ought to havo seen. Representative Teams. "K. B. Kay" sends in tho following team which ho considers should represent Wellington in tho forthcoming Brown Shield gamo with Wanganui:—Goal, Rowan; full-backs, Cornish and PyeSmith; halves, Kircschberg, Graves, and Jackson; forwards, Smallbone, C. O'Shea, Vossey, Timperloy, and Edwards. This match is only a fortnight off, and the selectors will have to be getting busy and selecting their team. The absence of Oldnall in goal, and tho poor i form shown by soveral of last year's representative 'players, will no doubt cause some consideration, but thero is no reason at all why one or two of tho younger; playars should not be tried in tho opening game. Otago Bazaar. The takings at the Otago Football Association's bazaar, held recently, amounted to JMOO, that is, outside tho sale of art union tickets, which it is hoped will amount to a considerable sum. A determined effort is now being mado by the O.F.A. to sell a considerable number of theso tickets so that the gross proceeds of the bazaar may bo still further increased. Tho expenditure amounted to about JSOO. Complaint is mado by tho Otago authorities of tho luck of interest shown in the bazaar by nil the players, more especially -seniors.

but is this anything new? Wo had the samo experience in Wellington in l'.lOt, while Auckland hns had a more recent taste of tho enthusiasm (?) shown by players in bazaars. Wellington endeavoured to run a bazaar a couple of seasons ngo, but so little interest was shown by tho clubs that tho idea had to bo abandoned. While on this subject I may mention that at tho commencement of this season a sub-committee was increasing tho ground fund. I• do not know whether this committee has over met, but certainly no report has been received from it. The Question of Substitutes. Tho matter of allowing substitutes (for injured players, etc.) to come on tho field was discussed at this week's meeting of the Referees' Association, and it was finally decided to request all referees not to allow substitutes on tho field after the commencement of play. The question of allowing substitutes to join after play has started has always been a vexed one, and the Referees' Association wero no doubt influenced in their decision by one or two happenings I of the present season. It can hardly bo said that: tho decision is a hr-i\ or an unwiso one when it is com. red that accidents havo occurred in tin- big international games, and no substitutes were allowed. Nearer to home, in tho tour of the New Zealand team in New South Wales in 1905, tho New Zealand team was several times playing with only ten men as tho result of accidents. The decision of tho W.E.A. will no doubt bo communicated to the New Zealand Eeferees' Association, with tho view of having unanimity on the question throughout the Dominion. Fifth and Sixth Divisions. Mr. C. K. Dick, of tho Boys' Institute, is inviting all Fifth and Sixth Division teams up to the Boys' Instituto for a "football evening" on Tuesday next. Some of the leading football legislators havo promised to attend and givo some interesting- remarks on tho game, while a couple of "topical" songs will add to the evening's amusement. Mr. Dick's idea, which is to keep all tho members of tho boys' teams together, is a capital one, and if attended with success is likely to be repeated at intervals. General. According to tho. Auckland "Herald," an ex-player of the local Swifts Club, named 'S. Diamond, has joined an Auckland club. Tho writer has no knowledge of such a player ever having belonged to (the Swifts Club, or to any local "soccer" club.. The. N.Z.1 ,, .A., at last week's meeting, decided that five per cent, be deducted from the "gate" tin Brown Shield matches in order to allow for any losses that may occur in auj° of the matches. "Under last season's rules tho home association would, of course, have had to stand the loss. Tho Christchurch "Star" says thero is a possibility of a North y. South Island game eventuating this season. I do not know whether tho Canterbury Association is looking for such a match, but it is very doubtful if Wellington could run it this season. However, it is a matter for tho New Zealand Council, and they will decide whether or not tho timo is ripe to arrange a ■ niatch of this description. , Tho question was raised at tho conference in Dunedin in 1908, and is the one subject that has not yet been finally dealt with.