ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1551, 21 September 1912, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

fßi "Centre-Hau/'I THE RETURN OF THE VICTORS. After the Event. The defeat of Canterbury by tho Wellington representatives in tho Brown Shield Hatch at Christcburch last Saturday furnished tho biggest surprise of tho season in Wellington, at all events, anil it is now well known that even somo of tho prominent "soccer" officials of tho local Management Conunitteo flatly declined to believe tho news that Wellington had won the Brown Shield by 6 goals to 2 until they read tho fact with their own eyes in the paper. Tho Wellington team )3 to be heartily congratulated upon the fact that they returned to \Velliiigton with the Brown .Shield in their possession. The result of the match is regarded by many ns n complete vindication of that much-criticised body, the Selection Committee, but an examination \of the circumstances surrounding the battle for the Shield at Ohristchurch las 6 Saturday leads one to the conoluaion that had two unexpected developments not occurred to seriously weaken tho tactical strength of tho Canterbury men, the result might easily have been very different. It was stated by many eye-witnesses of the match that tho Wellington mon played at tho top of their club form, and excelled themselves. That'one readily believes. But when a team whioh has been hurriedly scratched together for a representative interprovincial match defeats by 6 goals to 2 a team which has successfully defended the Shield on previous occasions during the current season, the obvious guestion arises: What was the matter with the vanquished team ? It is all very well to exclaim, as one over-excited correspondent in another paper exclaimed in his special account of the match, that the contest was "a triumph of skill over rush methods." In the hour of victory a little generosity of criticism for a vanquished foe does not come amiss. When tho Wellington team left for Christchurch, I hinted that defeat was not improbable. This hint was not given at random, but followed from a careful cast-ing-up of all the known factors which could possibly weigh in a fair estimate of the probabilities. Instead of a defeat, the match was a 6 to 2 victory for Wellington. It was the unexpected that happened.

Canterbury's "Big Chief." ■~ Nobody knew, until the eleventh tour, practically speaking, that Canterbury's "Big Chief,".W. Fullerton, would be absent from his place. As everybody knows, Fullorton. is tho brains of the Canterbury team. He is one of the best. football generals in New Zealand, and his tactical resource, personality, and driving power was a tremendous factor- in_ the results of the previous Brown Shield matches. Now, not only was Fullerton's nb-' sence unexpected in Wellington, but not one single published press report of the match on Saturday mentioned this faot. It is pretty generally known that a good number of "sports" risked a small "something" on the npparent certainty of tho Canterbury men winning. In this connection, it is significant of Fullerton's influence in the team that one prominent "soccer" official in Wellington was' heard to say, after onr team returned on 'Sunday, that had he known of I'ullcrton's absence earlier, he would have advised his "sporting" friends to invest their "little somethings" rather differently. . Again, no mention appears to have been mnde of tho fact that the Canterbury right, wing-forward (Ward), sustained an injury after the match had been in progress for about fifteen minutes. This player was a valuable asset to his team, when in full fighting trim, but the quality of his play suffered a marked deterioration after his accident. The Ward-Bis-Bett combination was a hard nut for any opposing half-back line to ofack, and the set-back suffered by Ward took tho sting out of their attack.

These "Triumphs ;0f;8klll.'' •■ > ; The Canterbury men, according to tho southern papers, and competent eye-wit-nesses, were very inferior on the day's play. Only three men really played up to form—D. Fullerton (left-back), Scriven (centro-half), and Bissett (inside-loft). The others were weak. May, in goal, played very awkwardly. He ought at least to have saved two goals. The second goal of the day was a "punch" forward by Gilison. May had time almost to run round his goal before the ball came to him, and yet ho allowed it to trickle over the line. There was just enough force on it to take it over the line, and that was all—a very lucky goal. In the second half, Phillips made a long left-foot drive, well out. May put lm foot out to stop it, and the ball rolled over it into the net. These two goals should never have been scored. May could not be blamed for the other goals against him. One, in particular, went right outside, the post, struck Scriveri, and went into the 'net— another piece'of luck for Wellington. Such is the "triumph of skill, etc." l>. Fullerton, at left-back, played well, but was inclined to lift tho ball; Ho clears strongly, and has no respect for persons at all. Something must go when "Dave" comes on the Bcene. Scriven, at centrehalf, played a real good 'heady game. He broke up attacks and placed to his forwards in a manner which his Wellington ris-a-vis, Koots, might well heed in future. Hcriven early took tho eye with his polished display. Bissott is still tho same Bissett, but he was, of course, hindered in his movements owing to his' outside man being laipe. He can still shoot arid out-manoeuvro his opponents. On ono occasion he ran right through the defence,, but his eood wprk went for nought owing to his driving the ball against Cockburn. None of the other southern players did anything worthy of mention.

How Wellington Played. When we come to discuss the players on tho winning side, it may be said in a few words that they all played very well. There was nothing to stop them. Canterbury seemed to lose heart after the second .goal was scored against them, and Wellington had a walk-over. They simply toyed with the opposition. But there were two or three blemishes that showed up prominently. Cockbura had little to do, and what ho did do was not done too well. For a man of his experience, lie hns a bad habit of leaving his goal; this was how Canterbury scored their second goal. The two backs were both converging on Taylor and they would have forced him to part with the ball. But Cockburn ran right out to tackle him an well, with the result that Tjiylo" drove tho ball into an empty goal. ' Parsons and Cross ployed vory well at back. They were' given plenty of time to clear, and usually did so in a manner that inspired confidence. The half-backs had a pleasant afternoon's enjoyment. They were all looking for "wind after twenty minutes' play, but the attack fizzled out 'afterwards, aiid the halves' work was therefore not so strenuous. The wing men gave a good exhibition. It wag their "day out," and no mistnko. Kirschberg and Ricknby placed and fed their forwards splendidly, and towards the end of the game, when Canterbury wns demoralised, they formed triangles and squares, etc.. with' the others, and amused them?plvos to their heart's desire. Root*, ;\t centre-half, while ploying hard, wns not so effective as lie might hnvo been. He.was too fond of skying Hie bull in the air, and it would invariably lnnil near tho spot wiwre he ■ kinked it fi-mn. With that ('xmplion ho wns little removed from thn others.

The forwards combined well, llie.v passed and ran .inil shot in excelU-nl style. Tim wing men, NoLctls and Mnrneit, were 100 (food for the halves- opposed to iliem. Tinrnelt wasted r.n (imp vrimn lir received liis puss, and centred beautifully. Roberts had n tendency to wait for his man fo come to him. nnd then try and l>eat him, instead of malrinx nff I'm , Ron] at euro when lie not llio liall. I'nlierfs's contrrs were usually very rand, just dropped nicely in front of iron]. I'hillins nnd f!ib=nn came out of their shells with .1 vensennce, Resides scorin , ,' two gonl= ench, tli<<y fed their wings 'most unselfishly, nnd romhined lx>niillfiill.r with tlitiir halves. Phillips's passing In his wine:, however, was a little too square for Bnrnett's lilting. ITiißhes. in centre, came up to expectations. He scniail the best. ?oal of the day i—a splendid header placed rjglit in (he corner out of May's reach. To sum the game up. then. Wellington found Canterbury at a disnilvanta-.-e in being without I lib linlp of W. 1/nllerlon, and in li,ivin<r In play with Word as a "pnssniiffei , "—a fairly hie handicap. On the, other hnnri, the Wellincrton players surpassed themselves, and took full ad-

vantage of the weakness of their opponents. The control of the gamo was in the bauds of Mr. Preston, of Dunedin. His reading of the off-sido rulo was very lax. Ho allowed many "hands" to pass. It was, however, not a difficult game to handle. A Letter from Taranaki. The Eev. W. 1\ Stent, chairman of the Taranaki F.A., writes from Manaia as follows:"it has come to niy knowledge that a certain Wellington paper, 1 know not which, lately alluded to tho Taranaki Association as being involved in squabbles, etc. it is true tliat a letter was written from tho secretary of this association to the council's secretory, but I hardly think (ho news could have emanated from that official, because he knew the letter was not an authorised one, but only the rash invectives nf an impetuous man. However, n one person cau be said to mako a squnbblo by himself, we will concede the point. "What, however, I am writing for, is to draw attention to one or two important facts in regard to this association. First, tho teams are spread all over the province. Hiiwero, New Plymouth, Stratford, Eltham, Knponga, Amoa, Manaia, and Okaia>va have clubs. Such a state of things exist in no other province. To manage such a scattered quota of clubs—without conveniences as to travelling, and with many inconveniences, dwarfs into insignificance the City Associations of Wellington, Auckland, or Wanganui, for in those provinces, outside the city, 'soccer' hardly exists, and to manage the centralised Associations is comparatively simple. i "My second point is that we are supposed to be affiliated to the N.Z.F.A. As' chairman of the Taranaki Association, and as one who has been present at every meeting held this year, and 'most last year, let me say that no information as to delegates has ever been before us. We havo never elected, or nominated, any body, nor is any Record ■on the minutes that a letter or. letters have been received from the council or its secretary. So far as we are concerned, we are unrepresented, and, in my opinion, so far as we are concerned,- all tho council says, does, or thinks is ultra vires. The able and kindly gentlemen who pre generally supposed to represent Taranaki are in an anomalous position. Their names were never before us for this or any other office. Whether our secretary received notice of tho annual general meeting I know not, or whether he took upon himself to nominate and elect delegates I am alike ignorant. It certainly is possible. "So that this is the apparent conclusion. Taranaki is progressing remarkably well all over the province in tho general popularisation of 'soccer,' and despite little difficulties are pushing things along and undoing the mistakes of the past, and would do more but they are unrepresented on the council; they liave no part or lot in its conclusions, and aro none the worso for that, I trow. But the doinge of someone want looking into."