ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 61

ASSOCIATION.

By Left Wing

The following table shows the positions of the respective teams encragtd in the First Grade contest: —

T Won by 2 goals to nil. ljv.t forfeited to Southern owing to breach of rules. Kaitangala won by default against RoslynWakari and Maori Hill.

One of the keenest, cleverest, most evenly-oontested Cup matches ever seen here — so the niartoh between City and Northern may justly be summed up. The flame was worthy of the very large gathering assembled to witness it, and the exhibition should do something useful in the direction of popularising the game. Tho gods of the weather department smiled upon the O.F.A.'s arrangements. The field — 100 yds by 65yds — was equal in condition to those excellently preserved -areas upon which the bast Snatches are played at Home. This is upon tho authority of a City player. The whole circumstances were a prophecy of the place Association football is to occupy amongst sports when, as the outcome of the strenuous combined efforts of legislators, players, and supporters, the present ground difficulties have be-ejn relegated to the limibo of unihappy dreams. It is satisfactory to note the progress the game has made in popular favour. The " gate " for the Cup final last year (totalled about £38. Tho "takings on Saturday were over £53.

It is doubtful whether two better trained soccer teams ever took the field together in Dumedin. Cjty men were probably the bsitt>3r practised, icx the reason that many of the players, being out of employment, were able to practise together at -Culling Park or elsewhere during the daytime. As many as eight member of the team were on the field one day.

The " Home or colonial superiority " question oat? scarcely be regarded as settled as tße result of -"Saturday's match. One feature was quite "evident, and that was %'hait i>l» Home- -article was neater and more clever than tibe local product. The" way the Home forward could d<ra.w hia opponent and tap prettily past him was pleasantly attractive. That is tlhe sort of play which is going to interest the spectator. That it is the style of play which gets #oaJs and) wins matches waf not, however, convincing on Saturday, and this is iihe aspect of the controversy that will still ©nga^pe the attention of such as may be interested •'« measuring up Home v. Colon-ial. As far as goatagobting opportunities are- concerned there was little to ohoose on Saturday betwean the- vehement -rapidity of the Northern forward movements and the graceful, snake-like, sconetimes tortuous, advances of the City vanguard.

I Last week it was suggested in this 1 column that the City rearguard was goinj* 1 to prove a very important factor, in detex-mining-^the result of t<he mS'tch. It proved to be so. The understanding between Mavhew and Elliott was excellent, and their kicking was delightfully sound. Ratley's play — and I have seen muA of it — never falls below a high standard, and ha had with him in Sims and Hairrison * pair of tireless workers — indeed, at critical moments City's backs seemed to be countless, and the sudden raids characteristic of this Timlins seemed always to have been provided a.gainst. City forwards, whilst superior to Northern in close- footwork, were not, as a whole, a perfect combination. The.Tisky experiment of entrusting 1 t9ie important office- 'of centre forward with Wyness, who, ail though indubitably a sotrnd holt back an-d a good shot, had never *>retr»oiisly played in the position assigned wais not « success, for although Wyness made some neat openings he did not fill the- bill as a centre forward. The left wing combination was very nice, Raeburn, indeed, in my judgment, proving 1 himself the best forward on the day. The right wing was, however, less useful. Russell made some very clever openings, and was entitled to all the credit attaching to the score. Lawson, although shooting best for his side, was less successful in a .general way than usual. City's sbootinig had v&ry little sting. Northern's Attempts had c trifle more finger, notably Chadwick's short bang which shook th^ whkan.g off the upright. On the whole, 'however, •there <*ras not a- great deal of shooting. Northern 'backs excelled their forwards. The latter shone in large sweeping movements, but individually did not fce«p the ball clcse enough to elude the City baoks. Ohadwick did practically all the shooting of any consequence, and in addition fed Simpson nicely.- He did not make the most of the physical advantages with which Na.turs has^ endowed him. A smaller man of sufficient determination, will often head a .ball in competition with Northern's bug forward. •Simpson did better on his wing than did Evans on his. The latter was not wsll fed on a ground where his speed should have been put to profitable use. Harrison watched' him carefully, with im result that Evans did not get in one of thosd drives of which he has shown such fin* samples. Tho Timliia battled hard, but found the City wall of defence hard to penetrate. ■Northern defence was undouV^edly sound. Porter was the beet individnaJ, both his defence and attack being marked with exceptional judgment. R. Shepherd was one of the best full backs on the field. He took his work beriously, and time, and a^ain f»aved his eide. His mata, C. Irvine, al<o earned .praise. f or his steady, solid exhibition. «*spee-ia4ly in the first half. Leekie was doing nicely until the time oC his enforced retirement, and the club w indebted to a loyal supporter in the perH&iof Cameron for carrying on the duties of the position at the same standard. D. Simpsca has beer sesn to better adva-n-taiT?. The difference of one goal really represented tiho difference in years of ex'perie!nc3 between the two goalkeepers — m this way. that rhe ball which Shepherd kicked into the crowd before goal would, insiead, have been thrown out of the way— over tht> l : o& or the ba<r if necessary— by a *e'a=*>rwcl, knowir^pf goalkeeper like Jack. J. PhephaH deserves gtea/ crcdii* for his f>Deailv display, which showed what he is capable of whe,n he is not worried by his civn back*. Jack was alert and ready for all possibilities. The minuteness of his iudjrment \ras apparent wh?m he aJlowerl a J bouncing ball to elc^oly clear the bar rather , than ri'k punching it out or jumpimr for it in the faco of advancing forward-.

The following Wednesday nole- are suppl'^xl :— Culliug Paik was in good condition and tli? weather fine for th? Wednei<la> A-,-oei«'tion's fiva-a-side tournament. In the first round SoufHern A cmitod a b-.np>-i--e by lip;-t ; ng Laidlaw and Gray A, and Pet ar.4 Telegraph C gave Southern M a tough go. although beaten by 6 points to nil. In the second round the meeting o' Pot and T^locyraph A and Souhhern B iva.- a o 'reat go. Telegraph eventually winning by 3£ points to 3. Ir this same round Post and Telegraph B, wibo drew a bye in the first round, gave Southern A all they wanted, and had hard luck in being put down by £ point to ail. The semj-final

J saw Post and Telegraph A and Southern A have a great tussle, honours again rest- ' inig- with the Irds of the "Lagfttmnsc Brigade." Now came tine struggle. Laidlaw and Gray B, whe were fortunate in drawkisr byes in the second roiind and semi-final, and were comparatively speaking a fresh t-eam, had to play Post ?<nd Telegraiph A, who had already come through a strenuous afternoon's work. Upon Laidlaw's rested the honour of champions from Telegraph after an excitimg go. I hear that a representative Saturday tea.ll is anxious to Ihave a match against the Wednesday reps. This is good news. It shows that the Senior men, take an interest in the Wednesday people. At the "Oale." to-day the final for the Charity Cup takes place between" Lsidlaw andGray- A and Post and Telegraph A.

:uy .. .. Northern [Caitangala Roslyn-Wakari lloruington .. southern Maori" Hill t5 sx a cv 11 12 11 12 11 12 11 o t; 9 9 4 3 2 1 C 1* o 4 5 0 8 1 1 3 2 o 3 o "5 o 49 23 23 26 11 In tr _m o G 23 19 4i 07 5 o i» 19 32 11 8 C 5