ASSOCIATION NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1144, 3 June 1911, Page 12

ASSOCIATION NOTES.

SWIFTS CATCH A TABTAB-. [Br Cestke'-Halt.] According to the results of the First Division matches last week, the position of tho competing teams now stands as follows:— ■a A ° w J t A '* • 3 a •§ a § «* m "3 '3 .S —' J? O O to 'o ft P O rf O < ft Thistle ... (i 5 (I 1 16 S 10 Switts ... B 5 U 1 21 0 10 Ramblers 0 4 ' I 1 19 11 SI Hospital...: U d 0 2 19 13 s Diamonds (i 3 1 2 11 11 7 Y.M.C.A. (I 3 0-3 10 11 G Wanderers li 2 0 1 13 14 4 Rovers ... 6 2 0 : i 11 15 4 St. John's B 1 0 5 10 18 2 Corinth'ns G 0 ' 0 6 2 28 0 Excelsior! Tho men of the Mental Hospital team arc to be congratulated upon tneir splendid performance on Saturday last, when they inflicted a decisive defeat upon Swifts, and incidentally furnished tho spectators with as fine an exhibition of the game as ono could wish to see. Tho Senior Selection Committee honoured tho gamo' by their presence, and doubtless camo away with much food for thought, which may result in several probables being transferred to tho possibles, and others .wiped off the slate to make room for now and worthier -representatives. Tho Swifts quito failed to play up to their great reputation, and it remained for their opponents to display tho finer arts of football with which they, as leaguo leaders, had been expected to delight tho onlookers. But where Swifts were a team composed of units, Hospital were units who composed a team, which fact was largely the causo of their astounding victory. Also they were in much better condition than their opponents, who tired very much as the game wore on. Swifts began with great dash, their plan of campaign being apparently to rush tho defence. They met a dour defence, however, in Shand, Roots and Morgan, whose pertinacious attentions gavo them no time to settle on tho ball, while Wallis and Routledgo behind intervened aud 'cleared their lines with quickness and dispatch, the loft-back kicking with great power and surohess, whilo behind, as tho last line of defence, was an agilo and resourceful keeper in Cockburn, whoso display impressed friend and foe aliko. Swifts' forwards received' little assistance from their halves, who wero too closely occupied in attending to tho lively Hospital forwards to render them much help, and well though Scott, Roberts, and Mathieson played, tho lack of backing-up from the men behind them nullified many of their efforts. Vessey Was ever ready to snap up an opening, paying particular attention to Cockburn, who, however, was not to bo bustled. Wilson kicked well when he bad plenty of spaeo, but was unreliable under pressure. His partner. J. Pyc-Smith, was the mainstay of the defence, and had it not been for his timely clearances the score ■ would havo assumed larger proportions. He met a clever wing in Elliott and Phillips, his duels with the latter elu-,

eive customer affording keen enjoyment to tho spectators. M'Lean could not bo lilamed for the defeat, as ho kept out many scoring shots. He had no chance with thoso that beat him. Ho might have saved tho third goal had ho displayed better judgment in running out to meet Phillips. I'erks must bo written down as a failure in this game, Davis completely eclipsing him, and he, with his wing-halves, was quite overwhelmed by tho line combination of the Hospital forwards, each man of the lino being at tho top of his form, passing and repassing with head or foot with line precision. In fact, the headwork of the whole team was a noticeable feature of tho game. The man who took the eyo of tho onlookers was the centre-half, Roots, who covered an immense amount of ground, at times being a third back or a sixth forward, while his shooting was something to remember. His judgment in opening out tho play was very noticeable, his passes invariably finding' tho unmarked forward, and without the least doubt he is worthy of the highest honours. Charging an Opponent, Tho Otago Football Association Executive, at its meeting last week, had to deal with the caso of a player named Connor, who had been ordered oft tho field by the referee in the match Roslyn-Wakari v. Christian Brothers (relates "Left Wing" in tho "Otago Witness"). In reporting the circumstances to the secretary the- referee (Mr. T. M'Gillivray)' had designated the particular offence as "dangerous play." On being called uptsv by the chairman to define this term, Mr. M'Gillivray stated tho caso in some detail. Ho said that both Connor and an opposing player were running towards the ball at an angle and when they met, Connor, in an attempt to get in his kick, threw his leg across in front of his opponent. This, as he understood the game as it was played at Home, constituted a breach of tho rules, and he thereupon ordered Connor to leave the field. In his judgment the offence seemed to have been committed through ignorance, and was not done deliberately. He added that a number of the players hero did not seem to understand that they were not justified in charging a man whether he has the ball or not. Connor' was then called upon, and he stated that in the circumstances a collision between himself and his opponent was inevitable, but ho would strongly deny any accusation of trying to kick or trip him. Connor then retired, and the Christian Brothers' delegate proceeded to relate a largo number of incidents in the gamo with a view to proving that the referee had been partial—to the disadvantage of his team. Connor's name was placed on the list of cautioned players. A special meeting of tho Executive is to be held on .Tune C to consider tho charges laid by Brother Brady against the referee, and also similar charges by him against ono of the line-umpires. It is a coincidence that in Wellington Brother Frederick, of the Marist Bros.' School Club, has adversely criticised the work of the referees in tho Boys' League matches, and tho Boys' Sub-Committee has been instructed to investigate tho merits of his allegations. The Ramblers and Diamonds. Bamblers played hard football against Diamonds on tho Basin Reserve. Control of the' ball by both teams was good, considering the state of the ground. Kirschberg, with his partners at half, played a solid game in tho first spell, and it is questionable if Ramblers benefited by changing the centre-half in the second spell. Edwardsj Ramblers' leftwing, showed 'his paco throughout tho game, but frequently spoiled. his , hard work by taking tho ball too far down the lino before centring. Consequently his "centres" were- too narrow for the other forwards to get there, or elso he found himself; racing to catch up to tho ball to prevent its going over tho back line. However, Edwards is a good attacking forward, and probably the day was not suitable for his style. t Hart, who scored Ramblers' first goal, played a sound game, and was always on tne watch for a shot, which shot had plenty of "boot" behind it. Webster, in goal, as usual- played soundly. Tho faults of tho tcaui on Saturday were off-side, and a disposition to handle the ball. . Diamonds in the early part of the encounter, seemed unablo to get under way, and had an anxious time during the first spell. Roberts, at back, timo and again had to kick his hardest to keep out tho continued attack from Ramblers. Lowe, on the left, showed out with a fine dash, but no one supported his well-judged centre kick. Lowe and his opposing half, Kirschberg, watched each other clesely, and both put in clever work. Diamonds' halves were not very resourceful at times, and heavy were tho hearts of their supporters over their failures. They improved in the second spell and, at the finish, found their bearings. What a difference it made to the forwards ,when' the halves fed them properly! Ramblers were in danger for a long time during the last riart of the game, mostly owing to tho efforts of Diamonds' halves. Patrick was careful in goal, and one "save/' when ho fell in tho effort, was a worthy piece' of work. On the play Diamonds need a left-back, the player in that position on Saturday tailing lamentably. Diamonds were brought to account far too frequently for foul charging, and it would pay them to have a closer regard to the rule in future. General Notes. Swifts have had the good fortune to securo the services of Rickerby, late of the Auckland Football Association, who figured prominently in the Auckland rcn presentativc team which defeated Wellington in the Brown Shield tournament last year. According to the showing inado by tho Swifts in their disastrous encounter with the Hospital team last Saturday, tho club's senior team could do with two or three more Rickerbys. Tho Referees' Association has now completed arrangenionts tor an efficient examination system to test tho qualifications of referees. This test is to ue rigidly enforced, and failure .'to quality will render ineligible tho claims 01 a refereo to appointments tor important fixtures. It is not generally known that any player interested in tno laws of tiie game, ami desiring to nave any ol tne points elucidated lor him, is ac liberty to attend tne meetings of tho Reicrecs' Association (held every fortnight), follow the proceedings, and ask questions. Ho lias, nowever, no status at tho meeting so far as the voting is concerned. Discipline must be maintained! During tho progress of a recent match between Roslyn-Wakari and tho (Jnristian Brothers' teams at Culling Park, Dunedin (reports "Lett Wing") one man was ordered off the field for illegal play, a spectator who had been conspicuous for his persistent public advico to one team was cautioned for haranguing a player, and another spectator was cautioned by an official for inciting players to uhgentlomanly play. Apropos of a recent instruction by the" N.Z.F.A. that an injured player must not bo replaced after the commencement of a match—an instruction which has evoked considerable cdniment—it is interesting to note that Mr. Pickford, a recognised authority among sports writers, has been fighting this rule iu tho "Athletic News." In a recent issuo of that journal, he says:—"Following up ray opinion of a few weeks ago as- to the desirability of an injured player being replaced by a substitute, tho captain of a Leeds club writes to say that in a local gamo his team had two players hurt by colliding. This was early in the match, and with.nine men tho gamo was simply hopeless. This mishap has cost the club its chanco of a cup, and tho writer considers that football under such conditions is a farco. So do I."