ASSOCIATION NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 30 July 1910, Page 12

ASSOCIATION NOTES.

(By CENTIiIi-HALIf.) The fates were against footballers last Saturday, wind, rain and spongy grounds combining to create conditions impossible for any of the fixtures to bo carried out. The Wednesday players were more fortunate, fine weather favouring'their fixtures, though the ground underfoot was sloppy. Artillery v. Hearts, On Newtown I'ark the unexpected happened with a vengeance, Hearts A inflicting a defeat upon the leading team in the Wednesday League competition (Artillery A;, by four goals to two. The game was a spirited contest throughout, and some really good football was indulged in by both teams. Toe style of p.ay adopted by.the Artillery team is of the long-kicking, bustling type, and this was completely upset by the short, passing combination method adopted by Hearts A. Bradbury, at cent'.e-hulf for Hearts, played a Splendid ganiu, the best, in fuel, he has played in Wednesday football this season. He was very well watched in ihu second half by two or three opponents. C. O'Shea used his feet to guoil advantage, the way he outmanoeuvred his opnonents for the ball being praiseworthy". Jlaub}, ttie lUtle right-winger, who is very fleet of foot, made a good showing against the big Artillerymen, his tackling uf men almost twice bis size ueing very funny to watch. Alger, Hearts' left full-back, is only a young player, but with practise will develop into a first-class man in the position. Jn the Artillery side, to say that they deserved thuir defeat would be rather hard, but the fact remains that hey did nut give an exhibition of the Kind of football they can play. Hunter, at fuil-oack, played his usual good game, -eing very safe in defence.. Gillespie, mside-lefl, was responsible for one or two good individual runs, but he would do better if ho used his head more. Du'ev was not so prominent as usual, in fact the whole team seemed somewhat stale, and did not make the best of opportunities given them. Stray Notes. The first match under the nowly-forra-ed Waikuto League competition was played last Saturday, when Huntly m«l _amilton Wanderers at iluntly, the game ending in a draw, two goals each. Dunn* a muteJi recently (states a Dunedin writer), a penalty kick was given, and one of the spectators was Heard to remark that ho had a rule for the penally kick as follows;—" Don't look at the goal-keeper even if he be your best girl's brother. Smile, and keep on smiliig. i''u yoti eyes on the ball, run to it coolly, and kick the thing tlnough tho goal. There you have satisfaction." The Wednesday Cup competition is still at'a very interesting stage. Olympia, through Artillery's dcleat at the bauds of Hearts on Wednesday last, are again leading for tho championship by one poini. At the annual conference of Hie Intcrnationar Football Association Board held recently at Brighton, England, the following footnote to Law I was carried unanimously:—"Clubs may during the season 1!I10-19U mutually agree to use a ball other than one with an outer casing of leather, provided this law is otherwise complied with." Law 12 was adopted upon tho proposal of tho Scottish b.A., the following words being added at the end of the law, "or during the interval."

This saith "Tityrus," ot the "Athletic News," in a philosophio moment:—"We want to see more ol the sport of football and less of subtle argument for secret purposes, less of chicanery in the committor room, less ot cheating with tho (eet, less of cunning artifices to hoodwink tho referee. Football has developed wilfi all the rapidity of a boy who has suddenly shot up to the stature of a man There is plenty of time ior iootbail to grow to its frame, to shed its abuses, and to become a healthier sport ih>w it *» to-day." Swifts Seniors have boasted that th" Charity Cup competition is a "sum thiug" for the Maroons. Their team has been reorganised, so their redoubtable a<t veriuries had better look to their laurel* Nous verrons. If they do win, Mr. Bert Salmon.will have a dinner to pay lor. W. Swiit, the clever forward of t\vMaroons, is still suffering Irom the Affects of an unfortunate strain in th'i knee, sustained in a recent match. :

Mr. Duncan, the Wednesday Leagn« representative on the W.F.A. Manageruent Committee, is proving a valuable member, and is doing'good service iu the cause ol "soccer."

"Jimmy" Paton, one of the bf-sfc referees we have here iu Wellington, hat been discovered to bo a vocalist of considerable parts, aud was heard to advantage at a recent concert given at the Boys' Institute. Harry Mayer can ako "warble some," as the- Americans would say. For future functions held under the auspices of the W.F.A. the Entertainment Committee should look to it that th<:-e gentlemen are lured from their modest retirement: ( Ramblers are still in the lead for senior division championship honours, and likely to remain so—which is perhaps the reason why Mr. "Bob" Mackay is looking remarkably well pleased with himself of late.

Notwithstanding tho fact that- the Pioneer, of His Britannic Majesty's Navy, has been in port for some considerable time, and that there is a first-rate Association football team on the lower deck, no match has been got off between the bluejackets and the local representatives. Why is this thus?