ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1381, 6 March 1912, Page 7

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

SWIFTS', ANNUAL BEPOET. The eighteenth annual report of the Swifts Association Football Club contains the following:— The I'irst Eleven did remarkably well, only being defeated on two occasions out of a total of twenty matches played. In the Charity Cup the Senior Eleven met and defeated Thistle by .1 goals lo 1; Corinthians, 7 goals to nil; Rovers, 2 goals to 1. Their goal average for the season shows goals fer 72; goals against 26; which must be considered a very satisfactory record. At the close of the season the committee' eiuleaypiiretl to arrange a match wi'ttftlfe Ponsohby Club, Auckland (winners of the Auckland Championship), but owing to- a suitable ground .riot. ... .being .available negotiations fell.. through. It is still a matter of regret that no Second' Division team could be entered. The Third Division team played through the season with a fair amount of success, and the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Divisions acquitted themselves creditably. • The following table shows the record in all club contests:— Played. Won. Lost. Drawn. Pts. Senior ... 17 15 2 0 30 Third ... 13 7 i 2 . 1G Fourth ... 10 G 3 1 13 Fifth ... 12 U i 2 H Sixth ... 17 a 7 1 19 The positions occupied were as follow:— Senior: .Won First Division League and W.F.A.' Charity Clip. Third: Fourth position. Fourth: Third position. Fifth: Third position and runners-lip for nudnls. Sixth: Fifth position. During the season the committee called a special meeting of all players, parents, and supporters of the club to further the ground purchase scheme of the W.P.A. Members louk upon this proposal as a progressive one, and all have subscribed towards the share list.

During the sea-on, Messrs. A. C. Barrv D. Scott, and' C. E. Yesn-y joined tlie ranks of the benedicts, and presentations .were made with the club's good wishes. Thanks we due to Mo'ssrs. [!. Hutehesoii, B. L. Salmon, and L. White for looking after the various boys' teams.

The club's usual Easter trip wis made last year, under the managership of Mr. B. L. Salmond, to Pictou, Blenheim, Havelock, and Pelorus Sounds. An enjoyable time was spent, and the following matches were played:—Blenheim, won 710 2; narclock, won -I to 1; Marlborongh, lost 2to :!. At the end of ,Hie season the club offered a cup to the Marlkorough Bovs' League. The offer was accepted, and will be played for by bovs undsr the age of 18. The following members represented tho club in various repiesentative games—• Senior: J. j'ye-Smith, AV. Matheson, and C. A r essey. Third: H. Guise and C. Guise (v. Second Division representative). Fourth: J. Coleiiian, A. Jlacintyre, (two occasions), E. Guise (two occasions'). FifthAV. L. Burrows, E. Flaws. Sixth: Mills. During the mil season wo regret having to record the loss of a valued senior member in Mr. AV. F/Sparrow, who died at Hawera.

YM.C.A. CLUB'S REPORT. The following is a summary of the I.M.C.A. Clubs annual report":— The club has with deep regret to record the lois of Vernon Richardson, a junior department lad and a member of the senior team, who was accidentally killed while training with D Battery. W*e also have to record the departure of one of our most prominent nnd popular members, Mr. 11. Gibson, who lias left for California. The club entered three teams—senior, junior, ami third-clai*. The senior team, under the captaincy of Mr. C. Coate, came seventh in the competition, nnd third in the Charity Cup. They played 22 matches, winning 9, drawing 5, and losing 8; goals for, .%'.; against, 31); championship points 25. Phillips easily heads the list ot goals (.cored, no fewer than 12 coining off his boot, C. Murphy nnd G. Smith being next with a scoro of four goals each.

The junior team, under llr. J. Lennox, did not do so well as in the previous year owing to several of tho old , players leaving the e.lub. This tonni played 10 nmtehes, winning G, drawing 2, and losing 8; goals for, 211; against, 41); championship points, M. In the third-class, 14 games were played, 1 being won and 13 lost; goals for, -0; ai'iiinst, all; championship ijoints, L\ The committee wish to draw attention (o the miinbcM- of ex-junior department boys playing in the senior team, no fewer than nine players having eonie through tin- department, (mil, as showing the calibre of these lads, some of Ihe leading tenuis were fortunate iu winning their games against us, bulb the second and third teams having drawn their games agninst us. In regard to the ".Soccer" "round <il Kilbirnie, secured by llio As-iicialion, the ciimmittce an.-of opinion that oil memhurs should endeavour to scenic a share or two in I lie concern, tlius hiki'ii? a practical interest iu their game, and showing the association that their ell'orts to improve the facilities for the playing of fjoccur iu Wellington are mcpliu? with the approval of Y.M.C.A. players. The shares arc .£1 each, 'Js. being paid on apnlicution, Is. on acceptance, nnd the balance in instalments of not more than Is. per month.

The club wish to thank Messrs. n ow«ird, W. C. Williams, and li. H. lirown, who hive dono all iu their power to help the teams to success