Association Football.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 64, 21 September 1901, Page 21

Association Football.

[By GoALKEIPBB.]

The question of who is to hold the Senior Chanty Cup and the Junior Challenge Cup for the 1901 season is to be decided on Saturday next, at the Athletic Park Diamonds and Rovers try conclusions for the former, and Swifts A and Diamond for the latter. The Charity competition was started in 1899, and in that year was won by Diamonds. In the following year the Diamonds were also successful, and for the third consecutive year they are in the final, and. naturally, expect to repeat last year's performance. The competition amongst the seniors has been very keen, and the two* teams who are left in the final have deservedly won their place — Swifts A defeated Petone by 3to 1 , Swifts B won from Red Cross by 3to 1 , Sw if ts A were defeated by Diamonds to the tune of 5 to nil , and Swifts B were defeated by Rovers, after a second game, by 2 goals to one. Diamonds, on past seasons' performances, simply out-lass Rovers, but it is unsafe to prejudge the result of Saturday's game. Both teams have been indulging in hard training of late, and, as far as fitness is concerned, there will be no lack of it, and an enjoyable game may be anticipated. Diamond have a "double" on on Saturday, owing to their juniors playing off also, and the junior game may even supersede the senior one in general interest, as the Swifts, who are the winners of the Junior Championship, will have to meet Diamonds with an additionally strengthened team. Rumour hath it that "Freddy" Roberts, Sampson, and Burbush will don the colours for Diamonds and, as all are old players of no mean degree, especially Roberts, the interest in the result should be enhanced thereby. It is to be hoped the game will be patronised by all and sundry, and fel-low-players will muster in strong numbers to encourage and promote the game as well as to recoup the Association's purse, which suffered slightly over the meagre attendance at the AucklandWellington match. ■ The popularity of the game is becoming more apparent each season in the Dunedin district. The attendance at the Otago-Auckland match played there recently is. an indication to that effect. Three thousand people at a "socker" match in New Zealand is> a record, and I mu&t congratulate the Otago Association on their efforts being so handsomely rewarded, and the financial result, no doubt, will be most gladly welcomed by them to wipe off a deficit of £110 on last season's trip to Auckland.