ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 859, 4 July 1910, Page 6

ASSOCIATION.

BROWN SHIELD TOURNAMENT. WELLINGTON WINS THE FIRST MATCH. Wellington 7 goals Wanganui 1 goal Under most unfavourable conditions as regards tho state of the ground, the Wanganui representative Association foot- . ball team attempted, at Newtown Park on Saturday, to carry off the Brown Challenge Shiold from tho present holders —Wellington—and were defeated by 7 goals to 1, after a contest which provided an interesting display of the finer points of tho Association game, and demonstrated the undoubted superiority of tha Wellington representatives. Wellington, therefore, holds the shield till the date of the next challenge match, on July IG, when the representatives of Taranaa will make a bid for the honours. The weather on Saturday was dull, with a light southerly breeze, and a slight drizzle, and the ground was soggy, and as slippery as ice, almost.

The Teams. The contesting teams were as followrWanganui — Goalkeeper, E. Beckett; full-backs, Sbowan (righri, Oliver (left); half-backs, Robson (risht), Webb (centre), Bannorman (left); forwards, Barrett (outside-right), Adams (insideright), Gillison (centre), Davis (insideleft)., Martin, (outside-left).,

f_ . \ Wellington.—Goalkeeper: C. Websber; Wl-backs, W. C. Roberts (right), A. Cornish (left); half-backs, M. KirschIberg (right), J. Bradbury (centre), Paget ((loft); forwards, C. Vessey (outside-S-ight), W. Mouat (inside-right), W. [Gibson (centre), E. Timperly (insideleft), C. CShea (outside-left). ' Mr. J, Davidson was tho reforee. First Spell. The.gamo opened with a brisk attack by the visitors, who gave promise of giving a good exhibition of combined play. The Wellington representatives were on the alert, however, and the half:baok line soon secured tho ball an'd sent it out to tho forwards who gave a pretty display of passing as they broko away to their opponents' goal where two or three sharp encounters took place, the Wanganui men vigorously defending. Tho Wellington forwards, keen for a jcore, played cleverly for an opening, and O'Shea, securing tho ball, sent in a hot low shot at point-blank range, and scored— Wellington 1 goal Wanganui nil The resulting kick-off was immediately followed by another attack on tho Wanganui goal, but excitement outran discretion, and several opportunities of scoring were spoilt by reckless shooting. The jrork _of the W T angauui goalkeeper watt conspicuously good at this stage of the game, one awkward shot in particular being brilliantly saved just as the ball, kioked by Vessey, ricocheted' from the cross-bar into tho goal-month. Tho Wanganui forwards, well supported by the halves, then made a lively attack on tho Wellington goal, and got to close quarters. An imminent score was averted by Kirschberg, who relieved the situation by manoeuvring the ball over his own lino —a corner kick against Wellington. The tick availed the visitors nothing; and they were again driven back upon their own defences, where O'Shea very nearly ecored number two, the ball just'toppling over the bar—bad -shooting again. Play niter this became more strenuous, tho Wanganui men playing with great energy and excellent combination, and for about a quarter of an hour the Wellington men had enough to do to defend their goal. Twice within this period Wanganui should have scored, but their attacks collapsed at the decisive moment. Then, quite unaccountably, the Wanganui onset spent itself. Wellington suddenly became aggressive, and before the visitors could rally their forces—they were too far up-field—Gibson (Wellington's centreforward) broke through and flew towards what was practically an open goal, his wings close up.. A quick pass at tho critical moment'got the ball through tho backs; it was again centred, and Gibson scored at short rangeWellington 2 goals i Wanganui _. nil Wanganui then ecored Oheir first, and last, goal. Breaking away with a fine piece of combined play, the forwards got well up the field before losing the ball. Their halves, supporting well, received ihe return shot, and sent it out again to the forwards before they had time to lose ground. Davis got the ball and sent hi a hard drive, which Webster, tho goalkeeper, who caught it, 6hould have eent flying down the field. .But he "foozled" the kick, and the ball trundled out again to Davis, who made no mistake with his second shot, his success be;ing the signal for a buret of applause "from the spectators. Wellington 2 goals. Wanganui - ,- lgoal. It was now close on time, and the Wanganui men sustained the vigour of their attack, but the Wellington men were on their mettle, and made an overwhelming attack on the Wanganui goal, Timperly scoring at olose quarters from a hot ekirmish. neai the goal. The spell ended— Wellington 3 goals. Waaganui. _ lgoal. . Tha Visitors Collapse. . The onstanding features of tho second gpell were the collapse of the visitors and the plucky goalkeeping of their, custodian (Beckett). The ground was rapidly becoming unplayable, and the Wanganui men, eccustomed to drier grounds,- foundthe pace of the Wellington men too hot. The result was a series iJ goals against /them, and long periods of uninteresting play. After'putting up a safe majority, the Wellington men slackened perceptibly, and contented themselves with keeping their opponents well in hand. Goal Jfo. 4 was scored soon after the commencement of the spell, Vessey scoring from a olever piece of play by the forwards, who easily outpaced their opponents'. Wellington 4 goals. Wanganui '.... 1 goal. The visitors retaliated and almost soorod, Gillison getting to dangerously closS quarters. But the ball was rescued just in time. After that the "rot" set in, and the Wellington men practically ran "all over" their opponentes, Vessey, Mouat, and Timperly scoring the last three, goals. The game ended:— Wellington 7 goals. Wanganui , 1 goal. On their play during the first spell Wanganui should have scored three goals, and acted strictly on the defonsivo for the remainder of the game. A palpable weakness in generalship was the neglect of the wings, particularly the left-wing, at a critical stage of the play. Owing to the state of the ground, it was decided, wisely, to cancel the "cur-tain-raiser"—a boys' match—which was to have been played at 1.15 p.m.

Dinner at the Y.M.C.A. After the battle, when the contestants had rid themselves of the mud of Newtown Park, and attired themselves in the habiliments of society, they were entertained at dinner at the Y.M.C.A. by the •Wellington Football Association. Mr. H. N. Holmes presided, and among the guests was Mr. C. H. Poole, M.P. The function was a very enjoyable one, and the ■ speeches—necessarily short, as the visitors were to be the guests of the association at tho Theatre Royal afterwards—were in,the happiest vein. The visitors expressed themselves . as being highly pleased with the .manner in which the Wellington team had played. "It was a clean game," they unanimously said. There were the usual exchanges of compliments to the various officials on either gide, and the Wanganui men were urged to strengthen their ranks from the foundation—boys' matches. The "soccer" player, it was remraked, must bo "caught young," and trained up the way ihe should go. The great strength of the Association game in Wellington lay in 'the fact that special encouragement was .given to the boys, who had responded in such number? as to have given tho Rugby Union cause for serious thought.