SOCCER SIDELIGHTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1042, 5 August 1930, Page 13

SOCCER SIDELIGHTS

PASSING NOTES

(Bu

PERSEUS.)

An Unfortunate Muddle.—The final for the North Island knockouts in the Chatham Cup series, arranged originally for Saturday last between Thistle, of Auckland, and Petone. of Wellington, fizzled out in an absolute fiasco owing largely to muddling by the authorities in Wellington. Trouble start with a request from Petone. through the New Zealand Council, for a week's postponement, and it is believed that finance was a stumbling block which the “Pets” needed time to arrange. At first Thistle was disinclined to agree, but after a conference with the Boai l of Control, the adjournment to August 9 was agreed to. "When the council was notified to this eff< ct. a reply was received stating that the reply came too late, although the request was received on Monday and agreed to on Tuesday. The council's final decision on Wednesday was that Petone must travel up for the game on Saturdav last, and no postponement could sanctioned.

Thistle Declines to Change Back.—Having agreed to the week's delay notified its members. Thistle refused to chop back to the original date again, and in view of the council’s insistence on the game being played on Saturday intimated that it would withdraw from the contest. That means a walk over for Petone for the North Island final, and for the first time in the competition, Auckland has not been represented in the penultimate knockou* Had the original date been adhered to without any suggestion from Wellington for a change. Thistle would have inet its obligations, or been placed in a very undesirable light: but. as the position stands, the blame rests with the New Zealand Council because of »ts muddling intervention and indecision, and Thistle lias & grievance on account of the manner in which it was humbugged. Future Chatham Competitions. — Although the Chatham Cup scheme when first started promised to be a boon to Soccer, the trophy has always been more of a liability than an asset. The contest should be to New Zealand what the English and Scottish Cups are in Britain —the keenest contests in the world of football. Here, finance has always been the bugbear, as the “gates” have never been sufficient to cover the cost of the trips to Wellington from Auckland, Canterbury, or Otago: and the club “lucky” enough to strike the final, paid very dearly for its triumph. Some scheme might be devised to relieve the clubs of this nightmare, but while present conditions apply it should be made compulsory for every entrance to guarantee a substantial sum that it will carry out its engagements. In some former seasons the A.F.A. made a good profit out of the games here and at Huntly. but the unfortunate winning club had to pay its way unaided to Wellington, and afterward was quite satisfied to give Chatham Cup commitments a miss in baulk.

Championship Almost Settled.—The results of last Saturday’s game make the senior championship almost a certainty for Young Men. although they still have three tough games with Thistle. Ponies and Trams. But to

miss the .honours Y.M. will need t> lose all three games, while Tr ms must win their next four matches outright. So far Y.M has not tasted defeat in the series, and must be accounted unlucky to have been caught napping in the Chatham Cup tie by Thistle. Had it survived that, it had a great chance of joining the select company of triple trophy winners. Most interest now will be among the “bottom docs." where Thistle. Onehurgn. Corinthians, and Manurewa are hiving a neck-and-neck race to avoid relegation. Shore is still unbeaten in the B section, and barring accidents will return to the elect, but Philoi »el. which is shaping like runner-up. may again decline promotion if it wins the right. The Control Board’s Retort.—Th< New Zealand Council was very dilatory in conveying to the authorities here its condemnation of the manner in which local offenders had been disciplined after having been reported by referees, and which was broadcast by Pres* Association about 10 days before the official communique came to light. Tliis conveyed nothing like what was given in the Press, but contained sufficient for the local control bo >rd to make the retort courteous, and demonstrate clearly that there was not the slightest call for the strictures passed by the governing authority, and the council will now have .in uncomfortable time trying to put itself on sido again. Perhaps the council would be wise to let the matter drop, and devote any time it has to *p.i:e to doing something to steer the gam 3 out of the doldrums it has reached. « Future cf the Season.—With th championship in its closing staue-; there remains some interesting knockout contests which should brighten things up between now and the find curtain. The semi-finals of the Falcon Cup have still to be staged, and the Senior Gup will then come up for decision. There is unfortunately n » further word of another provincial match, and the season looks like being a lean one at the end.

Senior B Table.—The senior B pl.<cings up to and including Saturday. August 2, are as follow:

Xorth Shore .. .. P. W. 11 L. I> PT? Philomel 31 Lynn-B. Accord 12 s Belmont 32 Rangers 11 5 4 ramaki 12 4 6 Metro-College 3 2 3 s* Newmarket 11 1 *1 1 3 Xorth. and Birk. . . 12 1 10 1 3 Tech. Old Boys .. 12 1 30 1 9