Association Football.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 102, 14 June 1902, Page 6

Association Football.

The biese.st «,uipuso on Satin da\ was pci haps the Rcnors-Old Boys heat Old Bo\s had a vei\ stiong combination on the hold but cnen Hitli tliat advantage their chance* \. ore not considcied \on vck\ agajjist a team that is so much fancied for the championship. It was a hard-fought game, and MaiIst Old Boys deserve congratulations foi then uell-desei\ed win Their piospeetfe at the commencement of the hvi<on weie considered \er "oo; and I behe\e even some of the team themsehctbought the team a jumor-iate ome Still, merit is beginnina: to avssert itself^ and bv consistency of play Old Boys' position may bo a pioud one at the season's end.

Ro'vo'i 's defeat is queried in many ouaiteis>, and their downfall is best told by the team themselves. Hepworth, in goal, was not at all reliable. On previous occasions he exhibited a certain amount of skill in has profession as a goal-keeper, but the goal-notchers got the better of him on Saturday. Not that the shots were too stiff for him, but there was mulling in one mr stance, and faulty judgment in another. The first shot he saved, but he dropped it again and it went between his legs. Another time, Hepworth came out of goal a considerable distance to take the baJl w lather his full-back was also going, with the result of a diastrous failure to both, and an inevitable score by Smith for Old Boys Todd a full-back player from Glasgow, from whoMi much was expected, never came up to expectations. 'Tis tiue his style- of play, despite his unsteady gait, was admirable in parts, but on the whole, it was costly to his team, and helped considerably to weaken their chance of preventing the Old Boys' attack A lather serious mishap befel Fraser in the first spell. He was iust within an ace of scoring w hen a timely save bv TCarle cleared the goal, and resulted m a heavy faJl to Fraser, which caused a temporary suspension of the game. Ferkins in the centre, crippled the team He passed to the wrong wings lepeia.tedlv, and mulled the hi" frequently when °;rand opportunities presented themselves. Old Boys' position during t! < - -^o-ress of the garnet appeared very safe, but Rovers made a determined fight about the middle of the second half, and Williams and Moore were working hard to attain success for their side, but Earle, at full-back, was confidently safe and so nullified their repeated attempts The Queen's Park team, who have made some good stands durmf the season, had to face the mu^ic against Peboiie with nine men on Saturday. K. Johns, one of their best forw ards, was incapacitated owing to an accident duimg the week Another player was absent and as no emergencies accompanied the team, it had to play two men short They made a plucky stand nevertheless. Singularly enough, no score occurred on either side. A considerable amount of play took place in mid-field Beit Martin was fully occupied in the rear division stemming attacks, etc. St John's, a<s was expected, won easily from Diamond, but the scoie 4—o, indicates an easy victoiy. The team a.ie m food some; older now and will take a lot of beating Kober the ex-Auckland representative, played in goal for St. John's and did cieditablv what he was called unon to do His custody of the uprights is a welcome repair to the oiilv apparent w oaknesis in the team Amies, the 1 right full-back foi St John's- is a typical pla.ver of the position which he occupies He defends well, a,nd is a poweiful kick An excellent game between St John's and Manst Old Boys ought to be witnessed this week Both teams am rapidly improving in the tactics of the game St John's, nudging bv past neifOlf 01 mances, should win, but, in view of the well-known vagaries of football ono cannot be positive till the numbers go The editoi has handed me a letter ficm Old Bo\ " comnlaimng of the statement in mv notes of a foitnight aero that I was mfoimed bad language wa-- used m the Old Bovs-Petone match Old ~Bn\ " says he was one of the plaveis a,nd lieaid no .such language He adds that as it was not stated on which «ide the language was used, he presumes both sides are accused, and he thinks the charge is incon sclent with m\ remark in the same notes that 'the leferee deserves cons;i atulations for the manner in which he handled the game Mv reph is that I am assuied, on good authoiitv that bad language was used But Old 80-s " is cnute riaht m s<)\iii£ r his team w^ie not the offoiideis I am sorn if am imputation has lcsted on them by reason of mv remark 1 - not home sufficiently particularised The Old Bo\s weie not the culputs As to the manner m which the leferee. handled the same it i efer.s to the check of that daneeioush uicieasing habit — foul pla\