Association Football.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 201, 7 May 1904, Page 19

Association Football.

It is interesting to read that Lord Roberts kicked ott at the annual match between Cambridge and the Army team. An English paper btateb —"This shows that 'Bobs' is no* a crank m the matter of sport, as so many people would have us believe." What about MajorGeneral Babingtoa, or King Dick_himself, kicking off in the New South Wales versus New Zealand tussle? Are you hsening, Secretary Courtney? I hear the visitors will include some of the cream of the New South Wales Navy team. The dates suggested' by the N.Z.F.A. foi the New South Wales tour have been accepted by the latter body. A very waim team will make the journey Given fine weather, the witnessing oi eithei of the matches to be played' in Wellington— the first against the province, and the other against the pick of Maoiiland— will be well worth a week's toothache. To be forewarned is to be forearmed the weather left nothing to be desired. But, the gathering was most f sappoantine the clashing with the Association attendance. It did not number 3000, a third being Welsh excursionists. — Lloyd's newspaper. Up with the 1904 cvi tain ! Turn on the limelight l Enter Ring Socker and 2? two Wred and forty-two followed The opening day of the season was ushered in with a blaze, of sunshine. The play was on a par with the elements. It was crisp, bright and at intervals, dazzling. Throughout the 'ninety minutes' performance' there was hardly a dull moment, . and the crowd who witnessed the principal fix-ture-St. John's y. Rovers— were amply lewarded for their journey. That the "Blues weie unlucky in tasting defeat no one can gainsay. On the day, in all departments of the game save one, they were equal, if not superior to their successful opponents. But p^mts in socker football are only secured by penetrating your opponents SSddL This the Rovers failed to do. Time after time the losers' vanguard Liwghtthe ball the full length of the Sd with a combined movement, which the whole quintette had a finger m But at the critical moment the imal touch requisite was not forthcoming. The Blues' -'bantam" excelled himself. I do not recollect ever seeing ham so effective Even though McWhaninell wS no too mild m his efforts to frus ; ■ trate his fellow Scot, the Rovers diminutive foiward was never beaten. His centres were magnificent btiii, nearly every one was left to go a-beg-ffing by the inside forwards. " Williams, Wingfield, and O'Shea, I warrant, will never— well, hardly ever— with such chances as came their way, go through such another game without at least securing one inner. Murch was also a culprit when awd marksmanship was a necessity. Had h<piloted one through— even one or the many chances Fraser gave during the second half— he would have covered c multitude of former sins. Of the losers' intermediate line, I prefened Bovd. His final touch to his forward hue was superior to that shown bv either of the other two. Paton, to mv mind, even after beating his opponent, lost considerable ground by hard kicking. A timely pass to his attacking line would have been more advantageous. Godbeu was the best back on the field. I don't care for Smith. He was hardly nimble enough for the brothers Mowat. Craig (who hails from Belfast) can hardly be blamed for the lost two goals. He ought to have saved the first. A weak clearing on his nart of a shot by A. Mowat enabled Brodie to make it a certainty. The victory of the Yellows was pui ely the outcome of the superior shooting powers shown by their forwards. True, at times their combination was as eflective, if not as pretty, as that of their opponents. St'll, whenever the "WasTis" got within buzzing distance of the "Bluebottles' " goal, they could not be brushed aside. Them; superiority m this point was very manifest. Of the two recruits, I prefer J. Nagle. But, he is not as competent as his predecessoi, G. Williams. McKendTick, though he scored the second goal, was a conspicuous failure. When Andy Mowat scored number three, the enthusiasm shown by the Saints' fair ban-ackers was too much for the Rover centre. But the Bustolite had no cause to worry. No one admired his play more keenly than the St. John's supporters. One fair maiden, in particular, was fairly captivated by the "terra cotta curly boy of the Blues, for she was heard to' murmur to another ardent supporter "If he was only one of ours, what a lot of tickets- I would have on him!" Now, Wingfield, don't blush'

Diamonds' merxtou ions victoiy over the subui bain eleven conclusively proves that then attacking line as no small fry. Hathaway (outside right) had a day outt. Four goals in one afternoon is no mean performance. Petone weie no match for their heavier opponents, and when the final whistle was sounded the losers war© beaten to the last stud in thear boot®. The Parks chalked up two points -o their credit, at the expense of Swifts. It was anybody's game right up to the end. Bert would never have forgiven himself had the niLssmg of that penalty made any material difference to the ultimate lesu'lt. The Maroons lost a certain point, o Jam told. All on account of Mayer mistaking the diaphragm of a certain Parks suppoiter for the goal. Harry meant to do or die, foi his final effort had considerable powder behind it. It was nearly the means of causing a \ acaucy on the Refei ee-s' Examination Committee. V.M.C.A. 5, Pearls 1. So ended the first' meeting between the two latest, aspirants for senior League honouis. On last season's record, there would be no accounting for the margin. But, the winning team is almost composed of entirely new blood, while the loseis chiefly lely on the eleven who crowned the name of Pearls with junior glory last season. Aiiey, the V.M.C.A. centre, was im gieat scoring fonm. Millar, outside right, was aJso a thorn in the side of the Peails' defence Modesty is evidently a thing unknown in the North-east of England, for the Westmoreland "rep." maintains that if D. Wilson only makes up his mmd 1 quick, andl gives 1 the V.M.C.A. the preference, the St. John's won't be in it. Turn the limelight on V.M.C.A. ! The present attitude of a recent home ariival is something after the following "I canna make up my mind, mon. No, I leally oanna. I'd like to be a white Y.M., but ye ken my clan, the Park." In junior circles, some very close contests took place. St. John's were thie only ones to come out above an average maigin. Evidently, "King Dick's" blackboard essay will beai fruit, for the Saints' goal average in both competitions bloomed to some extent on Saturday last.

You all have seen, I have no doubt, How many people go about With puffed up eyes and noses red, A heavy feeling in the head. 'Tis wondrous strange to me that these Should not endeavour to appease These ills, which they so oft endure By using Woods' Great Peppermint Cube.