ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 148, 24 June 1901, Page 3

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

WINS FOR N'OKTH SHORE AND

UNITED.

SENIOKS

The first scries of m-a>tchos in the second round of the Association championships were played on Saturday, when United beat Grafton by 2 goals to one, and North Shore defeated V.M.C.A. by one goal to nil. V.M.C.A. V. NOIITH SHORE. This match was played on the North Shore lk>main and resulted in* a vvell©arned victory for the Shore trsun. Tho first half of the game was pretly evenly congested, both teams attacking vigoroualy. but neither effecting it score. V.M.C.A. should have scored on at least two occasions but for some very slack play of their forwards in front of goal. At half-time the game remained as at the beginning.

On resuming play the Shore forwards executed a g-ood bit of combination, and within three minutes of the kick-off had scored their first and only goal, the honour of which foil to Richards, he searing- from a swift low shot which fairly beat the V.M.C.A. goalkeeper. V.M.C.A. kicking off gave the Shore team a very hot time in front of their goal, and had it not been for the fine de-fence of the Shore backs and goalkeeper would no doubt have scored on several occasions. The game ended in favour of North Shore by 1 goal to nil. , NOTES. From a spectator's poin.t of view the V.M.C.A. team, who, althoug-h they generally play a good combination ( game, seemed ou Saturday to be ull at "sixes and sevens," which perhaps oan be excused from the fact that they had to play several substitutes in place of regular players, who were sick 1 and unable to roll up, the skipper of the team (F. Hayman) being amongst these. But still, even those regular players who dkl play did not do themselves credit. S. Clark, S. Yatee, and Len Clark were the only players worta mentioning. Hutchinson, on the right wiivg, played a very second rate game; Smith, the centre-forward, was also disappointing in his judgment in kicking- and passing:, and Moore, ou the left vrinff, although getting one or two shots at groal, did not seem to put enough strength iv his kicking; in fact, it is fully certain that if the V.M.C.A. team do not. tally a bit aiid get more training and practice their chancos of the Cup are not so brig-ht as they were at the beginning of the season.