ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2193, 4 July 1914, Page 12

ASSOCIATION

[Bv Centre-Half.] WHEN CHAMPIONS MEET. • v Championship Table, The position of the various teams enfiaged in tho First Division championship nt the. conclusion of last Saturday's games is now:— , *? 5.£ m g « I".' I 2 1 i 3 Corinthians ... !) 8 ] 0 38 1 n Thistlo ....„.., 0 (i 2 1 28 14 It Hospital 8 fi 1 1 4-', f, 13 X: M - C -'V 8 4 2 2 M l;i in Diamonds 8 4 13 17 12 9 Shifts 8 2 2 4 If) 20 0 Hrooklyn ~....• 7 1 n G 7 o.i o Wanderers .... /> 1 0 I 322 "> Hovers • ' 8 1 0 7 940 •> I'otono 5 Oil G23 I Hint to tho W.F.A. i For sonin considerable time the sola topic of conversation in "soccer" circles in. Wellington has- been the deadlock iT h \°,^, , !" > 3fl ">aßanient Committee of fio W.l'.A. and the New Zealand Football Council. This estrangement has been brought about bv the defiant attitude adopted by tho"W.F.A. over the matter last year of, a certain disqualification. There is an ofd spying which says that if you give a mnn enough rono ho will hsnft himself. To . the thinkers and level-headed men connected with . the Association game,' it appears that th« W.F.A. has just about reached the end of tho proverbial rope. J hqsn. persons who havo the interests of- the "soccer" came nt heart are becoming tired of the attitude adopted by the subordinate body, especially after the conciliatory manner in which fhev were approached by the New Zealand Council over the matter a week or two aro Some of the officials connected with the game are in favour of tho council • suspending tho ' W.F.A. Hut the writer is of the opinion- that befjye the extjeme ston is taken the WT'.A. should nslc the New Zealand Council if they would be prepared to set tip an appeal board in pottle the dispute once and for nil. Failing that, the. members constituting tho council should take it upon themselves to annnint an appeal bowl. ■ If the W.F.A. is not satisfied with' the lenient treatment meted out to them by the parent body after that, <h«i they must be punished, and th.it severely. A Mighty Came. From tho spectator's viewpoint tho clash between Corinthians and Thistlo. was as full of incident aj it was of sustained interest. For Thistle to secure a goal within ono minute of tho kickoff was a deed that-aroused the excitement of all, and not till tho last call of tho whistle had trilled over tho field did it abate. The first half saw brilliant attacking and sound scientific defence. Spurred on by their initial coal, the Scotsmen mado'the going, and Corinthians appeared content to remain on tho defensive. An easily discorhiblo change, however, camo over tho combat in tho second half.'Tho elan of the men of tho thistle fllowly vanished, and tho lightness of their forwards in comparison with their opponents became- apparent. A penalty against them gavo the necessary touch, and the decllno rapidly set in. Greater .weight, superior forwards, and their own easily dispelled hopefulness were too much 'for them, and 60 Thistlo in tho crucial test were weighed odd found wanting. The Men of Corinth. A, combination of men, heftv, experienced, scientific, and refresliiiicly energetic is tho Corinthian team. Their lino , Of forwards is a lino that is unexcelled in Wellington. For attack thev aro superb; for defence- they aro almost impenetrable. Yet despite this undoubted superiority tlie.y taw fit in tho second spell to bring up into the forward lino llickaby, from tho half-backs. Tho recult was a sweeping victory. Itoborts was tho ono weak point, if even ho could bo called weak. His attempts to rid himself of tho ball whenever it camo his way was a tactical blunder. Wells is but a young player, yet his work was meritorious. Tho experience ho will gain from playing alongside Gibson will prove to bun invaluable. Gibson was tho star.

In tho second half it was Gibson who generally led tho attack, and it was Gibson who was alwavs handy to finish tho attack off. He together witli Bollard nlayed a grand game, and bis side's fourth goal was secured by him from a tricking run that ended in a 20-foot kick—and a goal, Ballard on the left ! wing was outstanding in his play, and tho jjoal which nave Corinthians tho lead was spectacular to a degree. Almost on the touch-line he wa3 attacked by fewer tli.in three of the Thistle- . ites, and yet ho stuck to the ball, eluded them, and scored. O'Shca mado a feature of working in with Ballard and Gibson, and tho result was good. Of the half-backs ltick.ibv was the most prominent. Many hold the opinion that ' this player is olio of the best halfbacks in the Empire City. This opinion was certainly justified on Saturday's form. Mooro nnd M'Mnhon, in the fullback lino, both played a forviceablo game, and Hodge, in-goal. was responsible for 6omo really excellent saves. Ths Men of tho Hoathßr. Thistle' played tho wrong frame for the men whom they opposed. Better for them if, they had <wung the ball about and endeavoured to run tho Corinthians off their feet. The Scot* were too light, and tho weight of I heir enemy hail full effect in the second half. The forwards were not weak, but- they lost heart and incidentally the game. ' Ferguson was brilliant. ' Plavunj centreforward, he startled nil by his first noil, and his second wai as beautiful. Coming down the field he trapped the lull to a nicety, shot for home when on tho run, and goaled. Kdwart's was fre<iuenlly in the limelight. The manner he centred to Ferguson was a "socc?r" I rent. So also was his placc-kickine. Droivnley was playing well until he receive-.! that bump in tho eye. Gibson is not small,' and n collision with him would fihggoy most men. Marshall was pe'ilmps th" speediest player on tho field, and if he were to combine with his ro-piayer.i more he would ho much valued. The thiee halvei were sound. Rcid was noticeable throughput th" gam... His Irickv footwork, his spred. and his vim nnickly brought him to Iltrs front, nnd he never leturned lo the background. His ankle was knocked early in the game, and the old injury was as painful as ever, fo his game was the more praiseworthy. This is to be his last game, as his medical ndvis»r Ins warned him that the constant knock.) his ankle is receiving will prnhahlv result in a life-long iniurv. Cunningham was little short of brilliant. On the full-hack line he was ever in action, nnd that action was nwav-, worth lit"' seeing. lie has evidently now shuck form, and his career will he watched . with inlcicst. lViteous was phinlv bp- ' wildei'ed. Aftei that penalty kick' that flew hv him ' : 'o a thing of life hi.-; nerve deserted him., and li's Mthtcqucnt { defence iii-goal wn.s poor. I