SOCCER SIDELIGHTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 360, 22 May 1928, Page 11

SOCCER SIDELIGHTS

Passing Nates

— By

“PERSEUS”

An Open Championship.—Next Saturday should see the concluding games for the first round of the championship, and so far the competition is more open at this stage than it has been for several seasons. Last year Thistle carried all before it in the early stages, and won comfortably in the end, though not before striking a lean patch with no points in it. The previous season saw Tramways win through without a loss, but this winter the form has been so in-and-out that it would be a rash prophet who would try to tip the winning club. Thistle and Y.M.C.A. are niow level on the top rung with a loss each, and the meeting of the two next Saturday should provide a stirring struggle for the lead. Ponsonby, after losing the first two games, has piled up a sequence of four successive wins. Shore is only a point behind the Ponies and should give them, a good game for the third rung. Onehunga has fallen away in an inexplicable fashion, but may recover form at any time. First Representative Match. Mr. Phil Neesham was about on Saturday conning the leading teams in action at headquarters with a view to selecting the wearers of the blue and white for 1 the first rep. match of the season, on King’s Birthday, against South Auckland, with a B match also against the Royal Navy. All of last season’s elect are still in action, but some of the younger players are improving rapidly, while some of the older ones have passed their zenith, or are on the casualty list. Among some outstanding ones who have yet to secure their caps are Chesney (Belmont), Whowell, Bentley, Whimster and Gill (Onehunga), Zuill and Cummings (Thistle), Grant (Y.M.C.A.), Gilmour and Jay (Shore). The two games on Monday week should provide an opportunity of seeing all the “Probables” and “Possibles” in action as a preliminary canter to the big games for the English trophy, final arrangements for which are still “in the Q.ir.” “Over Carried.” The embarrassment of harassed goalies seems to be developing into an epidemic this season, although one cannot recall a single breaching of the “carrying rule” last season. The complaint became so rare that even referees have become rusty about the treatment of it. Reference was made here to the rule a fortnight

ago, when it was quoted in ful, and some humble advice tendered as to the standard tactics for averting the danger threatening the defending side; but on two out of three occasions when a breach occurred on Saturday there was some confusion among both players and referees. Law 8 is quite clear on the subject, although it is reported that a club asking for a simple explanation of the rule from the Referees’ Association is still awaiting the reply. The law lays down that if the goalkeeper takes more than two steps while holding the ball, or bouncing on his hands “after the second step he must be penalised.” He should be advised by his club to go and play Rugby. * * * The Penalty for Carrying.—Although the law lays down that the goalie must be “penalised” for carrying, that; does not mean a “penalty” kick, though some referees have erred by barring the defenders from lining their goal. Law 8 instructions distinctly say the penalty is a “free” kick, and Law 10 lays it down that “the kicker’s opponents shall not approach within 10 yards of the ball, until the kick is taken, unless they are standing on their own goal line,” and the “goal line” runs across the goal mouth. As mentioned here before, the professional practice is for all the defenders to pack the goal mouth with the tips of the toes to the line, and be ready to hop back if the kicker tries to “wick” the ball through by a direct drive off one of the defenders, or to jump out and charge down the kick if the bail is passed to an opponent for a scoring shot. On Saturday the Shore jumped back when the Thistle kicker blazed at the defenders, and although the ball struck a defender it was no goal, as he was behind the line and out of play, and the ball had crossed the line direct from the kicker. The referee gave the right first time; decision in a goal kick, but then appeared to allow himself to be talked into giving a goal, aftc;r consulting a linesman who had a very obscure view’, while the referee stood by the goal post and should Lave needed no advice from either the linesman—or players. Instead of giving players a goal on account of their insistent clamour, there are referees in other places who would give them * sharp reminder of the unlucky Law 13, re “ungentlemanly behaviour,” and see that the offence was not repeated. The Lost Art of Punching.—Returning ing to our worried goalkeepers who get caught in possession of the ball, and are between Scylla and Charybdis, with the option of taking a third step and risking the penalty, or being bundled into the net ball and all by the onrushing forwards for a certain goal. It is an unpleasant predicament, and ! throwing behind for a corner, or “going i to earth.” and chancing the melee, is about all there is to do. But the wise custodian should be on the alert to avert such disaster and get his punch in early. If there is no time to catch and kick or throw clear, the goalkeeper should not hesitate to go straight to it for fisting clear with one or both fists. Moving and “still” pictures of prpfessionaj “keepers” at Home lUtSt-

trate this in almost every game, and it adds a spectacular thrill to the game when a lively goalie springs to it, and fists, the ball sailing toward touch or clear up the centre, and it also instils a healthy frame of mind in the opposing forwards, who usually prefer the goalkeeper meeting the ball to anything else. Replacing Injured Players. The number of minor casualties this season, which have led to Injured players having to retire hurt, brings up afresh the question of allowing the replacement of a sufferer who is unable to continue. Many a fine match is easily spoiled by this happening, and there is much to be argued in favour of the reform continuously urged by Mr. Andrew Menzies, chairman of the A.F.A., to adopt a local rule allowing for substitutes in such cases. The laws allow of it now in friendly games, “but not in a match played under the rules of a competition.” There is a proposal now before the English Football Association to permit this in all games in the case of an injured goalkeeper, and the alteration is being strongly supported, although the ruling authority has always been very conservative on this point, and even Rugby has never allowed it in the United Kingdom although it is the. practice here. If the goalkeeper replacement is prmitted it may lead to substitution becoming general in time, as there is not much logic in permitting a substitute for a custodian who has been knocked out by a forward, and not allowing a substitute for an ! injured forward who has fracture*! his jaw by running it against the goal- ! keeper’s fist!