ASSOCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 166, 14 July 1914, Page 8

ASSOCIATION.

NORTH SHORE'S HARD LUCK. North Shore certainly had a run of bad luck on .Saturday, when they ln.st to Adtult School by the narrow margin of one goal to nil. i\\"ha! made the retsuilt the more nnforttitra te (for the lc*eiis) was the fact thai Shore had apparently the better of the game, except, perhaps, in the early stages of th-3 lir.st bal*'. The rain made the ground so extremely muddy, with puddles all over the Arid, that it was all the players could do to keep their feet. Both sides, of course, had lo contend witli the same difficulties, but it must .be remembered that when two trains are playing on a niiiddT fleldi ihe ckill of one side is entirely lest through adverse conditions, while the weaker side on the play niay by sheer luck git the advantage in points.

iWoolley is recognised as a go-nil corner kick, but when- it' fell to his lot to take the sevoraJ corners' that his team secured on Saturday he was all at sea. I'ndc-r better conditions he would probably have been more effective. The g-re.iter part of the iseen-nd half was all to the ered-iMpf .Shore, the 'ball being constantly at their opponents' goal. Skilful play was out of l hv question, and that was probably one of Shore's mistakes. To attempt a combination rush, -or even a skilful pass, in from of the goal is not the best course to pursue on a floppy'ground, when a straight shot for goal anight resniit in a score. Shore. however, were unwilling to take chances, and contented' themselves witli kicking the bal! amongst themselves. Tlie goal Bennett 1-. ;• through miint alwo be attributed! to the weather.

CARLTON'S <;O!JD FIGHT. Carlton's fine showing again--.!- Brotherhood on Saturday was sill the more proimur.-ed. seeing that they had to play on such a bad' cround. TH* ga.me reetilteil' in a win for Brotherhood by three goals to nil. The pitch was under regulation size, audi tlie marked' slope from one goal to the other made scientific play tb-e more difficult. Carlton put up a good' defence, and also adopted smart offensive tactics, audi there were occasions when they came very near scoring. Brotherhood, of eoure-e. were the better team, as was only to be expected from the runncrs-up for ehani'pmnsliip honours.

Brotherhood' were compelled to force the game, while Carlton's halves were their chief stumbling block. Orroek's run dlown the field from centre-half was a line piece-of-work. He had. .the iball to himself all tlie while, and: la-ndted it home. The victor's final goal was a peculiar one. Brotherhood secured a corner and placed it well. Pearson, at outside-left, trapp-ed it neatly and shot wilh excellent judgment, tlie -ball gliding between the legs, of .several players. T'lio. game wast a good' one throughout, in tspite of the ground.

TiHB PROMISING JUNIORS. An intel-eKting gimp in the second division. played at North Shore, between the Ta.t>ern-acle audi Xorth .Shore A tesvnis, resulted in a victor}- for the latter .by two goals to nil, although there was very little difference ibetween tilic two teams on the day's play. North Shore were equally sound in attack and tleiencc, and; made full use of their opportunities. Tabernacles defence was good, -but their forwards, while combining well, could! not nranag-e to <xid the finishing touches required; for scoring, l'romiivent in Shore* d'eience were C'oleman (who cleared consistently) andSmith and Stewart (who played the "spoiling" game very effectively). Of Shores forwards, tlie two wing men (Clark and Owen) were perhaps the besi of a good lot. l-'or Tabernacle Girling and Winks -were equally safe at full-back, while "Booth gave-a fine exhibition' at centre-naif. Fletcher led their attack very well. Tnit did not seem to make the best use of bis shooting capacities. AVhat was probably one of the fastest games which has .boon witnessed this season wan played; (in Saturday afternoon between St. .lohn's and Evertoli second team'-. The result avus a diraw, in spite, of tlie fact that St. John's were awarded' two penally kicks. The first half was very even, (both goalies being called on to save several time.*. iEverton. by the way. was compelled to try Davies. a new man, in goal. On the occasion of the first penalty the (ball was saved by Davies, -who limed it over tLangridgc's head, ami* .Mutton securing, pawed forward! to Laiigridge. who put it thTough, but was ruled -off-side. The second shot wii-i taken' by -Matthews, who -bit tlie outer eri'ge of the upright, the 'ball going behind. There -was* not much to pick and choose between the players on either side, with the exception -of Evert on 6 goalkeeper. (Tie. without dlou'bt, 'was. .brilliant, and- all his saves were faultlvs.3. Qt mus-t be some conwolafcion to Matthews, of St. John's, to know that the Evert-ou iboys had Him specially watched, for it is not tihe firei time that St. John's and Everton have met with Matthews at centre-half. iHv was well marked by both Carradus and Wigg.

tit. John's were apparently weak in tlie back division, the full-backs failing on more than one occasion "io clear sue-ce->T.ullv. Of thvir forwards. 'McCowan and Jtolly -Mutton were the pick, these two making some bright play on tlie right- wing. Of the Evertmv players, the position at. inside-Tight wan exceptionally- -weak, owing to Col. .Brown 'being absent. 'Ijangridgc no lUuht didi his In -t. lmt was* certainly not u;> to the form required for the position. The great fault oi the forward's appears to l»e an inclination 'to pass to the wings when ill front of goal, instead of attempting t-Jiote at goal from Talbot, the centre forward. Of the back division t-here was nothing to choose .between the various players, but Carradu-* and Wild certainly a. -word of commendation for their good "work at lefilual.f and right-back, respect jrely. On the whole, it -wa« a fair result of a, good game, and (both teams, "were, unlucky not to srore. Mr. Wright dwerves a (word of thanks for his- a-ble and' efficient handling of the .whistle. {