Association Football.

Free Lance, Volume VI, Issue 269, 26 August 1905, Page 20

Association Football.

Despite the attraction, of a big Rugby match being played on the Aithletic Park last Saturday, all soccer matches tvere continued. Only a few spectators were present, however, and I am informed that of the four matches played at Miramax only one referee turned' up. This should not have been so, anid the least they eoudd have done was to have informed the secretaries of clubs of their inability to attend and take the matches, especially as several referees who were not' down on the list were watching th© game on Newtown Park between Swift A and Diamonds. This was the principal match of the dlay, and a fine game was shown by the respective teams. Both sides were very evenly matched, and therefore the game was madie a very fast andi hard one. In fact, at times the players were inclined to play too rough, and tihe referee, I think, might ibaye pulled them up more often tha<n, he did. Another bad feature of the game, too, was that instead of playing the ball players morie often than, not went for the man instead, and this, of course, caused a certain amount of bad feeling to be shown. When will players learn, on appealing for a foul to the referee, to keep on playing the game? Several times I noticed! that as soon as a man appealed he would 1 stop playing as if he considered that the referee should allow siuoh an appeal, and this nearly always resulted in his sidle being placed in danger. This sort of thing might be tolerated in third or fourth class matches, but there is no excuse for senior players' doing likewise, and the sooner it is stopped the better fox their team. Beddy and Cunningham, of the Diamonds, were both knocked! out by a Swifts player during the progress of the game, but after a spell they were both able to continue playing. It is absurd to think that they were foully treated, and the remarks of_some of the spectators — Diamond "baiTaokers" as 1 usual, by the way — were quite unjustified wbem they called out for the player to be ordered off. Both knock-oute were perfectly accidental, and) were done from purely fair charges. Swifts had all the best of the first spell, and caused Diamonds many anxious moments, but just the reverse happened in the second spell, and Swifts Were kept very busily engaged in defending their goal. The game ended in favour of Diamonds by two goals to one. Fitzgerald, in goal for Diamonds, was in very good form, and did not speculate as much as he usually does. Swifts aver that on one occasion he carried the ball through his goal, but then this is one of the shots that a referee has to be very close up indeed to see to be able to give a satisfactory result. However, the referee, a very fair one by the way, informed me that he could not tell if a goal had been< scored!, so he had no option but to allow the play to go on. W. Roberts at times played! well, but skied the ball too much. He is developing a very bad habit of finding the line also, and. there was no excuse for him doing this on Saturday, as only a breeze was blowing. Overend wbs again, the better of the two, and when he gains more experience will become a very fine player. He kept the ball low most of the game, and a special feature of his play was Jus tackling. Taylor, at centre-half 3 was only fair, but he planed the ball well to his forwards. D. Roberts was more prominexift than I have yet noticed him, and did very well. The best half, however, was MoLell an, a promoted junior B player, who recently arrived from the Home Country. He did a lot of good work, and was specially tricky with has footwork, besides tackling well. He, however, knows nothing about throwing a ball in from the line, but this is probably accounted for by bis being a cerutrehalf. He took the place of Tom Thorley, who was unfortunate in ricking his ankle when playing against the Parks the previous week. Of the forwards, Reddy made several fine runs up the line, and centred well, and on one occasion shot a brilliant goal, in which the goal-keeper had no chance of saving the score. However, too much work is given him to do, and the halves would do better in, giving the right-wing the ball more often. Duffy also played well on the opposite wing, and made some nice dribbles. He is, however, rather slow in getting rid of the ball. One shot of his was a beauty, being a low, fast one, which Woodhams managed to stop, but was unable to get away, and, as a result, Hathaway, following up fast, put the finishing touch to it, giving^ the Diamonds a lead which they maintained! till the finish. This pjlayer, who was making his ne-appearance in the team, played a very fine game. Cunningham and Hodges both gave me the appearance of being natherslow.

For Swifts, Woodhams dad well, but should have stopped the second goal that was scored v against him. Both White and Duff played well at fullback, there being little to choose beeween either of them, Waddpll was again the best oi the halves, especially in the first spell. He stopped the rushes well, and' sent in. some fine shotait goal. One was a very brilliant effort, 'and it was this which Swifts aver was carried through the goal. He wa^ mot so prominent during the second spell, and seemed to* tire away. Hawkins and J. Pye-Smith also played well, the latter playing a far cleaner game than- usual. Cotes was the best of the forwards, and played! very well indeed. He. scored on one occasion, but was given off-sa.de. lam sorry to hear that he shortly intends to leave for England, as he is now playing better than he ever has. Muir also did well, and combined especially well with Cotes. Home gave me the impression of being the weakest of the forwards. The result of tMs mat oh practically gives Diamonds the Shield for this season. * ♦ ♦ St. John's and V.M.C.A. met at Mdramar, and a draw resulted, no goals beinlg scored. Both teams drew on their juniors, V.M.C.A. playing six, and St. John's three. St. John's are mot having the best of luck at present, a® Irons, their goal-keeper, has had to undergo an operation. Bissett, the New Zealand rep. player, has gone to Chnetohuaioh, and G. Williams has been transferred to Gieborne. St. John's had all the best of the first spell, but matters were more equal in the second. The Mouat brothers and Nagle went very close to soaring on several occasions, but the defence of Burns, the goal custodian, and the fullbacks, was too good. Burns, in goal, was again in brilliant form far V.M.C.A., and stopped a* penalty in brilliant style which was taken by Diok Nagle, who does not usually moss them. Edwards, of whom V.M.C.A. have always spoken well, played his^best gam© so far this season. He .shoulkC however, pass the ball more to his forwards, instead of kicking co hard as he does. lam imeflined to think that he would make a good ful lback. instead of a centre-half. Carrad and ! Dawson were the pick of tih© forwards, although the otfoers all worked hard. Ftfr St. John's, McNair played well at full, and Burns, the goal-keep, also did well. Sparrow was tibe best of the ibalvee by a long way, although J. Nagle also "grafted" hard!. He was especdally good! in stopping Burns' goal kicks from finding the line. Of the forwards, Andy Mouat was the best, but could not get any shots past Burns. W. Mouat, Millar, and Grey also worked bard. A wordi of praise is due to a Mr. Josephs for taking charge of tibe game at the last minute. The remaining senior gamie played was that between Queen's Park and Rovers. The latter team, by losing the game by two goals to one, lost what-

ever chance they may have !had for the championship. Mawsan played 1 a fine game for the Parks, and! was prominent all tihrough the matoh. F. Williams, for Rovers, was also equally prominent. # • • • By beating Toa, the Diamonds A junior team have won the junior cup for the season. They did' not sustain a loss during the season, but on one occasion drew witih Swift®. The latter team also did well by not losing a match, throughout the season, buib were unfortunate in playing a draw with Ramblers A, which thus gavei Diamonds tlhe championship by a point. The position of the teams in the various matches will, no doubt, be interesting, so I append them below : —

If he who grows two blades of grass Where only one had place Deseives the thanks of every class And benefits the race. Then worthier still of honouied name, While coughs and colds endure, Emblazoned on the scroll of fame Is Woods' Grevt Peppebmint Cure.

Matches Points ies Played Won Lost Drwn For Agsfc Pt. Hamonds .. 11 10 0 1 78 9 21 iwifts .. 11 9 0 2 44 4 20 •orirua, . . 11 7 3 1 27 19 15 lamblers (a) 10 6 3 I 34 10 13 it. John's (a) 11 6 5 0 33 21 12 :.M.C A. (a) 10 5 4 1 20 19 11 lovers . . 1L 5 5 1 14 18 11 ?oa .. 10 3 4 3 & 25 9 Hamonds (b) 11 3 7 1 13 35 7 it. John's (b) 11 1 7 3 632 5 :.M.CA. (b) 10 0 8 2 447 2 tamblers (b) 11 0 9 2 143 2

Junior Championship