SPECTATORS DISGUSTED.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 72, 24 March 1908, Page 5

SPECTATORS DISGUSTED.

3SQ GAIN TO PKOFESSIONAIi FCOTBAIi. (Eeceived 5.6 ajn.) :SyD2TEY, this day. The "Daily Express" says the -idea of instructing Westerners in the delights of Northern football -was a failure. Many left the ground heartily disgusted at the foul and tjrataT tactics employed towards the ciose, -when the game developed into a ""scrapping" match. j Tha views of the unbiassed "Daily i Chronicle" of the game are worth quotI ing in full. They are: "The tackling de- ' veloped from -fierceness into brutality I and ruffianism. First Cross was ordered, off for.; deliberately kicking an opponent, then Thomas, of Oldham, was guilty of the same foul tactics.. The sufferer in this case was Gilchrist, who tvas not disposed to take it lying down. He arose and administered such a fistic chastisement to-fche Oldham player as •will soot soon be forgotten. Everyone anticipated that "both men would receive marching orders, but the referee evidently rrcas .of opinion that justice had already been meted ont."

The "Daily Mail" and the "Morning Leader" confirm the complaints of roughness, while the "Daily {Jrapnic' says the : .cause of professional Rogby has not been advanced much by the third contest.