THE SOCCER GAME.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 158, 10 August 1914, Page 2

THE SOCCER GAME.

A. FINE, FAST CONTEST. j i The Brown Shield match at Rich- j mond Park on Saturday provided good entertainment for. a large crowd of enthusiasts. One could not help remarking on the number of ladies present, and the keen interest they took in the game augurs well for the future' of soccer. The C.F.A. would do well to pay a little more attention to these fair followers, and at the next Shield game provide them with some seating accommodation. This would serve a double purpose. Spectators could view the game in"comfort, and at the same time the seats would help to stop the nuisance of encroaching by over-excited patrons, for he would indeed be a churl who forgot himself so much as to obstruct the view of. the ladies. The first half of the game produced exceedingly strenuous, football, the Wanganui men playing with a determination which proved most disconcetting to the red and blacks. Although the play was by no means rough, I have rarely seen a game stopped 30 many times for accidents. It was a good "hurly-burly" game, and Canterbury's finessing received a rudo shock, the red and blacks' attacks in the first half being broken time and again by the vigorous onslaughts of their opponents. The shooting, which is such, a feature of Bissett and the Norman brothers, was most noticeable by its absence. Pretty, passing play can be carried too far, and it was certainly overdone by Canterbury. It was entirely owing to this that the first spell was goalless. Wanganui did not waste any time when it was' attacking, and in the first spell the visitors had exceedingly hard luck. Mitchell, their centre half, played magnificent football, and worried Canterbury's vanguard to such an extent that at times the home forwards seemed positively uncomfortable. The way/he'set'his "forwards moving was a treat/to/behold. With many others, I had/looked forward to a "capful" of goals in this match, for Canterbury's forwards, we know, could not be bettered here, and the Wanganui men were reputed very fast and tricky. So that it came as a great surprise to see the way both defences settled down to business. ~ Undoubtedly the first: spell was productive of the sternest and most determined fight.l have had the pleasure of. witnessing in New Zealand. Halftime came with honours even, and the general opinion of Canterbury • s supporters, was that if Wanganui could maintain the terrific pace in the second half there was a great iikelihood of the Shield taking a trip. THE SCORING STARTS. On resuming, the blues' took matters in hand, their centre half, Mitchell, being very much in evidence, his judgment and placings bordering on the •miraculous. In the first two minutes he set forward an attack which Tennant saved at the expense of a corner. The Canterbury*men; still playing the shortpassing ganie, and keeping the play overmuch in the centre, could not get going. Making almost superhuman efforts, the visotors simply would not be denied, and the brilliant movement which culminated in the first goal brought forth the unstinted applause of the spectators. This score woke up the Canterbury men, and also opened up their play. Abandoning their shortpassing to some extent, they set their wing men going, and for the first time in the match they became really dangerous. Ward one minute, Tanner the next, kept swinging in those beautiful centres for which they are noted, and a very few minutes saw the scores equalised. It was a brilliant effort of Mitchell's, Canterbury's new representative, and a magnificent low hard drive which Tanner helped along to the net. Now the Canterbury men found their feet, and thence the result of the game was not in doubt. Gradually the play became more and more confined to the Wanganui half. Clay, Baxter, ami Mitchell played delightful football, and when the blues did succeed in forcing their way past this redoubtable trio it was only to be met by Mac'farlane, who was never seen to better advantage. At times shots positively rained on the Wanganui custodian, and Ryder, who came down with a great reputation, has certainly gone away with a greater. Surely a better exposition of goalkeeping has never been seen in Canterbury. Some of his saves were brilliant, and it was with a sigh of genuine relief that the spectators saw Canterbury's second goal put up. The visitors did not seem to rally after this. The Canterbury forwards, backed up by their half-backs, gave them no rest. PRETTY, BUT NOT EFFECTIVE. Had Bissett and the brothers Norman been in a shooting humour, goals to Canterbury should have been fairly plentiful. Truly, they played pretty football —quite an exhibition game at times^ —but the dash and those deadly long low drives which one always looks for from these three players were not in evidence on Saturday. Tanner played a great game, and Ward, in the second half, but in his usual surprise centres. Canterbury could not better its half-back line. Macfarlane, at fullback, has not an equal in Canterbury. Cornish was sure, but he is not the Cornish of old. One cannot expect it. His lack of speed, but for the clever covering tactics of Macfarlane, would have probably spelt disaster for Canterbury. Tennant, in goal, was quite safe, and justified, his . selection. He had some difficult shots to negotiate, and acquitted himself in a masterly manner. Several times on Saturday I noticed the. Canterbury team not playing right "up to the whistle." Granted that several decisions, or non-decisions, of the referee were somewhat bothering, the merest tyro knows that the | play should continue until the whistle' sounds, and the Canterbury men would do well to play and appeal at the same time. It might be rather awkward if they stopped short in goal-mouth and: appealed for a point that the referee' did, not' grant, whilst their opponents walked through and scored. It has been done. . THE OTAGO MATCH. The selectors should not have much difficulty in publishing at once the team for the-supreme struggle against Otago in a fortnight's time. I have it.on good

authority that the Otago tram easy in strict training for .some and win use every effort to wm"!? Bliield. Otago wants it greatly, fe 7 Caledonian Ground is a bi«the Otago F.A. is seeking t J 3'f shield in the hope that it will 6as . I? heavy grounds expenditure. Cantsiii also wants the trophy, for the L2 of its private grotuid would b» all* more sure if the shield were re j,. ! until next season. So it is not a thing to a&k the players to d 0 ait? training before this great er»nt jj■ that there is so much at stake. does not call for any "rent cicrtand a trainer could easily h* Let these players place tbcsijcW* l his hands, and I venture to thinV J Otago men, with all their 1 preparation, will not prevail s-nnls Canterbury's 1914 eleven. • b^ ALTERATIONS TO RULE& The following extract from the "M letic News" should )•% digested by soccer players, official?, ami spectators "At a recent meeting of \> <B national Football Association Eoaij hyld in Paris, several alterations made in the laws of the £arce—laws fa immediately come into force. The coj trovcrsy concerning Law VII. is at ai i end, and for all place-hicks and | kicks opponents are not allowed \rißa ten yards of a ball until it is kicked o "By the insertion of the word 'strj ing' after 'kicking' in Law IX. t| offence of hitting a player with the haai clearly becomes a football crime puid able by a penalty-kick, and a Tg proper decision, too. ': '' The associations of all ' countrij have now arrogated to themselves i right to,review the conduct of inakhg by referees, although their decisions'd points of, facts and so far as the real of the game is concerned still stand final In other words, the referee may ali» a goal which is obviously a stupendis mistake. The defeated club will yj ho redress —except that the referee mj find his career at an end. The logic i such a position is not obvious. ,'i '' In future a player who is injimi during a match must be at once lenwitj from the field of play and the game is sumed, but \se do not see how a sentaa complete in itself is to be inserted a Eule 13 after the word 'cause'in i sixteen. '.'When the referee lias to re-start ft game owing to any temporary suspei sion he must not throw the ball don He must 'drop it.' "The proposal of the Scottish Pi.k alter tie offside law was not aecepS and so the game will continue mi! the old welbtried system." ■■■■■■■- JOTTINGS. A pleasing feature of Saturday'! ft tertainmeht at Richmond Park wasft afternoon tea, dispensed by the Ma of the Rangers F.C. It was a great* cess. The management of the Bangss is to be congratulated. It has beeni source of speculation all this seasons to-how-the Rangers Club has managd to get together such a splcudid lotel players in so short a time. But spec* tion ends now. Such charming and* thusias-tic supporters would ensured success of aay club. I passed through Ashburton a fei days, ago,.,an<i : an old Canterbury iep». sentatiye, W. Hettrick, handed me 12/j for the Alec. Taylor Fund, from a fa. Sbccerites in Ashburtou. There w many keen players in Ashburton, bij unfortunately, the Saturday half-hoik day not being in vogue, they are tt able to form a combination. Rumour has it that CbristchurchSoccerites are going to have a ball-nut a six-panelled one of leather, but area .fancy dress affair. j\\.w. what about suggestions? Here is one: Therearesa senior teams, and seveial junior tea* unattached. I suggest that each team,with its fair supporters dress ex*; ively in the colours of their teams,« whatever fancy style they like, aa the team scoring the nxv-r j.oiuts int» opinion of the judge — wl----, by theff'fi had better go armed—be ; resented w.tt boxes of sweets for its lady parties If anyone likes to forbid other aj gestio'us, I will sen.! ou to » officials of the ball. WANDERER