ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1770, 7 June 1913, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

(Bt Centre-Half.)

OF MATCHES GREAT AND SMALL. That "Walk-over." 1 Canterbury representatives came to ■Wellington on Tuesday morning, played Wellington representatives on Tuesday afternoon, and went home by the JUararoft on Tuesday evening a sadder, but wiser, team. They had been completely "walked: over" by a much superior team. What was wanted on Canterbury's side was a Fullarton or ft Bissott—a general to keep the team together, and to make them play tho game as it should have been played. As far as combination went the visitors were not in it with Wellington. With the exception of Scrivin and Norman the whole team appeared to be weak in kicking. When chances came their way they did not take advantage of them, Individually the team had scmo good players, but there did not seem to be the perfect understanding which was noticeable amongst the home team. Norman, tho visitors' centre forward, played a good, hard game, and is a dangerous man in front o£ the goal. Scrivin, the left half-back, was a tower of strength to his side. . He played an excellent game and was always on the, move. He had a knack of being just where lie was wanted at all times. Tupe, Canterbury's 'keeper, gave a poor ■exhibition in the first 'spell. This was mainly due tu his full-backs crowding down on top of him, and not giving him a chance to get clear. It will be remembered that Canterbury backs were responsible for two of Wellington's goals. Had those two shots been left to Tupn it is safe to say that no goal would have resulted. Durrng the second half Tupe was allowed more freedom, and gave a good exhibition of goal-saving. Brilliant V/infl Play. The outstanding feature of tho match was the wing play of Barnctt and Skinner, who were playing on tho left forward wing for Wellington. It is many a day since spectators have been given such a treat. Bavnett, in particular, was brilliant, and played tho game of his life. He did nothing wrong and it was mainly through his efforts that Wellington put up such a heavy score. The speedy outside-left was ably assisted by Skinner. In fact, all Wellington forwards played well and showed perfect combination. The half' line was good, both in attack and defonce, and the full-backs were a solid pair. Mollis, ill-goal for the local team, played well up to u point. He was good on high shots, but did not get down to {he "low stuff." He did not clear very well and would do better if he paid moro attention to this particular part of goal-keeping. Match Watched by 1500. The crowd was one of the biggest seen at a "soccer" match for some considerable time. It is estimated that 1500 people were on the ground, 1300 of whom paid for admission. It . must be remembered that boys under 15 years of age were allowed in free. The Team to Play Otano. I'rom what can be gathered, tho, team which represented Wellington last Tuesday will not undergo radical changes before our representatives meet Otago on Saturday, .lime 21. It is, however, quite possible that there will be two changes, or perhaps three. Saturday's Games—A Bird's-eye View. On the whole the senior fixtures Inst Saturday provided some interesting contests, although disappointments wero not lacking, in the caso of the Thistle-liovers,

match . the expectations of .the spectators wero not fulfilled; After their defeat of the redoubtablo Hospitallers on the previous Saturday the Scotchmen were regarded to inflict rather a disastrous defeat upon Rovers. But they didn't. They had much to do, in fact, to score a winning goal from a team whose strength they had greatly underestimated, thereby proving the wisdom of tho military axiom which teaches generals never to undervahai the enemy's resources. Rovers are to lie complimented upon their exceedingly plucky stand against a manifestly bettor team. St. John's had an interesting tussle with the Brooklyn men, emerging from tho contest with honours even. Both teams have Improved considerably upon their,form shown at tho beginning of the season. Hospital's long run of "easy" victories seems to have come to an end, for they had a difficult task to beat Brooklyn United on Saturday—or rather, to beat tho United hillmeu's goal-keeper, who played an excellent game, and was, in fact, tho rock of the Brooklyn United de- . fence. Hospital were unmistakably superior to their opponents, but they could not break down. tho goal-keeper's defence. To come away from the Porirua ground with a score of ono to nil against them was something for the hillmen to be proud of, for better team 9 than they have gone out and fared very much worse. Of the game between Corinthians and Swifts the least said the better. The match furnished an example of a strong, well-set team playing a careless game against a team which from tho kick-off played spiritlessly. Tho result—six to one—affords a fair indication of what the spectators had to endure at Kelburne Park on Saturday. Diamonds,, in their drawn game against Y.M.C.A., discovered that close combination is a successful foil to the dashing individual wing tactics which have gained for the Blacks so many victories in the past. Tho lesson of tho match was that the strength of a team lies in a happy co-ordination of combined tactics ana fast play. Separated, these attributes are a distinct weakness. Co-ordinated, they are irresistible. Championship Positions. ; The following tabta shows tho positions of the various teams in tho First Division Championship at the conclusion of last Saturday's games. It will be no-' ticed that some teams have played one match more than others, this being on account of a bye having to be allotted each Saturday:— • ■ V • a ■*2 "» ® ■ at* -p .2 -2-9 ■ n <3 o t/j ci dcJ mi. ~ Prl p P H O O Thistle 6 G 0 0 18 5 12 Corinthians ... 5 4 1 0 18 5 9 Hospital .... 5. 4 0 1 17 4 8 Y.M.C.A. ... 5 3 1 1 20 C 7 Diamonds ... 5 3 1 1 17 11 7 Swifts 5 2 0 3 7 12 4 Wanderers ...5 12 2 9 15 4 Brooklyn United 6 2 0 4 7 15 4 St. John's 5 0 2 3 5 13 2 Brooklyn .... G 0 1 5 6 23 1 Rovers 5 0 0 5 1 16 0 Points for Legal Minds. Peculiar and interesting is a point which has cropped up in Association football circles. It deals with the question of a player being eligible to sit on tin New Zealand Council, although'ho is not allowed to sit on the Management Committee of the Wellington Association. Briefly, the facts of the case are as follow:—Tlie Wellington Football Association has a rule which states that no player shall be electcd to a seat on tho Management Committee. For some time past it has been the custom for 6ome players to bo delegates, representing other affiliated associations on the Now Zealand Council. _ At tho annual general meeting of tho New Zealand Football Association in 1912 a letter was received from the W.F.A. protesting against this. There was no discussion on the subject, and the letter was merely received. This year, however, the Wellington Committee again made strong protest through their delegates, and after a little discussion it was decided that tho New Zealand Counoil would not bo governed by any one affiliated Association. Hence it was that a prominent Wellington player was elected to a position on the.parent body. 1 It has since transpired that this same player has resigned his position, and it is considered very regrettable that he has done so. H© is an energetic, worker and an enthusiast, and will be a loss to the management of football in New Zealand. But that is not the point at present. Tho whole question come 3 down to this: —(a) Is it right that because a local association has a rule prohibiting players from holding seats on their oommittee, they should therefore dictate to the parent body on this matter? (b) Has not the New Zealand Football Association power to overrule any affiliated association? (c) Why should a player not bo eligible to sit on the New Zealand Council? (d) What has beoomo of the suggestion which was made at a recent meeting of the New Zealand Council in regard to all affiliated associations sending their rules to tho governing body for adoption?

Questions Answered. In regard to question (a): It will be plainly soen that the Wellington Association is afraid that it may ioso players, and therefore, to save its face, it is protesting strenuously against the New Zealand Council's actions. Besides, tho W.F.A. must realise that the player who sits on the council can bo picked to play for New Zealand, even if its rule prohibits him playing for tho local association 1 . Coming to question (b): On looking up the N.Z.F.A.'s by-laws, otc., it will bo found in Eule 2, Section (b), that tho council is there "to make, adopt, vary, and publish rules, regulations, by-laws, and conditions for the regulation of the said game or otherwise in New Zealand, and to tako all such steps as shall be deemed necessary or advisable for enforcing such rules," etc. This, is plain enough argument that tho parent body has tho power to overrule.

In answer to question (o), it can bo said at once that there is no valid reason why a playor is ineligible to eit on the council. It must be remembered that members of tho Now Zealand Council' are there to represent New Zealand as a whole, and not one particular body or association. Tile idea of Wellington evenmaking the suggestion seems to indicate that they are of the opinion that members of the Now Zealand Council are likely to be biased. It is agreed that it. is perfectly right that players should not sit on local committees, but, ivhen it comes to preventing them from sitting on tho New Zealand Council—well, it is a littlo far-fetchcd.

Quostion (d) hits the nail on the head, and should have been attended to long ago. Until the New Zealand Council'enforces that condition on affiliated associations there will always be trouble. The suggestion was a good one, and flie sooner the N.Z.F.A. get to work on it the better it will be for tho game.