ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 174, 24 July 1923, Page 7

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES. POSITION OF THE TEAMS. REVIEWS OF PLAT.

NORTHCOTE S IMPRESSIVE WIN

Nortlicotc had nothing on Philomel In a the matter cf team skill, but their ad van- i, tage was. If anything, in front line pace, a Corrin and Burford were good, the former s being in his best form. Burford could r well afford to curb hie tendency to evince a some over-keen feeling. The same remark v applies to Baker, who with Kiiott, played 1 In good style. However, the latter wae 1 not impressive at close quarters. Tremaln n wae tlie trump card scoring man. He has I improved ouL of sight in the laet four i weeks. A characteristic of his Iβ conels- s tent dash. Whenever there is a chance to t do something Tremain never loses It. a Ivorthcote's-last goal was entirely due to r the centre forward's initiative. He received a a nasty knock when he crashed into the a upright. His prcviouH goal was equally * meritorious. Catlow, in the tirst half, was c the more enterprising of the halves, but J Thompson (centre) and Abcrnethy (left r half) showed up better later. Alp as left t fullback was very safe, and Metz was often out of poeitlon. The former put in • numerous long kicks, which dispatched the c fleety wingers on attack. It was North- * cote's best team this season. 8 Credit must be given Tucker for his good J defence for Philomel. He was pilloried ' with shots at times, but did hie full duty. * Hopkins was not at all as effective as ! usual, but McElligott was the beet full- ' back on the ground, and was applauded IJ several times for clever work. A fine player all the way. Corbett was the star exponent. Ills gentle art—fur he eschews unworthy tactics—of stopping a rush and placing the ball accurately to hie men is refreshing to Bee, whilst his cool smile is a most confounding asset. Mcltae was centre-hair until half-time, when he was substituted for Young at outside right, Young going to centre. The exchange was a revelation in effect. Although Young did justice to the new job, Corbett must have missed Merritf, who was indisposed. Or what price a Hooper for the day to storm that Craxtou fortress? However, it was a pleasure to behold the play of the reconstructed line, Levitt (right half) and Harvey (left) feeding Lewis (outside left) and Malbery (Inside), or McKa* and Uodge on the opposite "ring. Working in pair fashion, and switching the leather across or to centre, showed combination Just lacking in the final topping off. There was just too much fiddling about with the ball when the business should have been to got rid of it, and shoot, especially on such a heavy ground with uncertain foothold. So, when the opposition nipped in, tholr racing forwards were difficult to hold. Fur tlio ground and greasy ball the pane set was gruelling, and the second half was brimful of exciting variations, during which six of the seven goals of the match were notched. AN INTERESTING POSITION. Although Xorthcate has the load In a literal sense so far, Philomel has yet a match with Thistle. It should be a great semi-final game, too. If Philomel win it will mean another conflict with Northcote. Lovers of good football have something to look forward to indeed. Next Saturday's games, with the reservation of the fixture tbove alluded to, will conclude the contest for the League's competition. PONSONBY PULLING UP. Tonsonby turned out at full strength in their match with Thistle, In which they ran out winners by three goals to nil. Ponsonby showed superiority all round. Norman, In goal, played his usual safe game. He stopped a penalty in good style. Xn the writer's opinion »-c Is. next, to Craxton, our best custodian. Uruithwaite was very safe, but was inclined to pay a little too much attention to the man. Kane gave one of his best displays and he and Braithwaite make an ideal combination. His footwork is good. Neesham, Meager and Mitchell played well, after Meager had taken his usual place, letting Rlmmer into the forwards. Why these changes are continually being made, beats "Blackwell." He considers Neesham, Meager and Mitchell, one of the best halfback lines In the competition. Innes played a fine game, and he and Ahem showed promise of making a good pair. Ahem lacks confidence. He should not be afraid to go ahead when opportunity offers. Ilia two goals were well earned. Rlmmer and Dickson did not make use of the centres sent In. Rlmmer scored a fine ,?oal while playing In the halves. Slmm was starved most of the game. He la too good to watch the game. Slmm is the best shot in the comjctltion. Though he failed tn score he made some particularly fine efforts. Thistle failed to produce their best form. Anderson, in goal, could not be hianW for the played a better game. The halves played willingly, but the forwards failed to make use of the chances offered. There was no outstanding player in tbla line. though Dodds shows a good knowledge, but Iβ Inclined to be erratic. The Thistle team wn« often at fault io appealing for supposed '.nfringments. Both teams did too much talking. The spectators also did a lot of criticising of the referee's decisions. The writer disagreed with many of them. This did not prevent him giving the referee credit for penalising where he saw It was necessary. I have a deep rearard for the game, but they muet remember that they do not possess a monopoly of "soccer" knowledge. Give the referee every assistance. His job is hard enough without having to keep the spectators in order. The close proximity of other whistles often caused inconvenience on Saturday. The players should remember that. If In doubt as to whether the whistle has gone or not, they should play on. SHORE AND HARBOUR BOARD. North Shore, with Dacre again in the front line, seemed to take Harbour 3oard cheaply. Buchanan, at half-back, gave a Rood display, adapting his game to the ground conditions. Allison, at outside righl. was in sparkling form, but would be better to vary his methods occasionally, as beating his opponent in the same manner every time is very apt to bring its own reward. Woolley, on the extreme left, though not so much in the limelight, played a more profitable game. The display of the Harbour Board defence could not have been improved on. Coveney. in goal, was first-class, but should have stopped the second goal, and would likely have done so back, played a strong game, and was not on better footing. Wallwork, at right stuck to their work, but got no assistance from the forwards. The referee handled surpassed on the lipid. The half-backs the game well and gave his decisions smartly, but one point that is being overlooked here is the amount of handling In tackling GETTING THE GOALS. Several g<">'l chances of goals were' missed on £ - rday by inside men sending the leather c to the wingers when close np in th» ~•■ ' area. Any defending team will anpr-f this method of attempting to score. "I. only time the outside right aid left rea. - want the leather Iβ when launching an attack, and for putting In a. lone shot when the defence Iβ drawn. Inside men who Ued their wings in front of the goal are only waiting time, because, whilst the leather has to be centred again, the advantage oi attacking position Is invariably lost, in addition to which the defence 'has time to think and to act. Only on the rarest, occasion, for instance whe"n the defence is too close up to the ball to allow sure shooting, is It necessary ro give the leather a tap out, really to consolidate a concentration on the goal. Tbia exception but prove* the rale.

ELIMINATE FOUL PLAT.

There was far too much "'fooling" of opponents in the Victoria Park match, and Referee Bowie was not unmindful of this. A full-back's offence against an outside right, on one occasion, was unpardonable. The player was nursing the leather for a shot past Craxton, in the goal area, when the full-back in question tackled in such c way from the side as to produce no other result than a "trip." Some Auckland players carry out this alleged "blocking th« hall" stunt to an extreme that is altogether inexcusable. Running in from the side at a man with the ball at feet and shooting a leg swiftly full length in front of him and his track is straightout tripping— nothing else. In such a case the only visible object of the tackier is to put his opponent out of action. It stopped a sure [o&I, fair piny is bonny pley, and "Blackwell" will not hesitate to denouuee this sort of thing. Several similar offences were equally unnecessary, and one actually cost Philomel an equalising goal. The rule prescribes that tripping, kicking, striking or jumping at a player Is not permissible, and an offender, apart from being ordered off, may be suspended. A player who retaliates when fouled is also liable to be punished. Another bad habit which seems to be creeping into the game is "hands. -. The essence of eoccer is football, and the using of hands on the ball or on an opponent Is a serious braech. Obstructing or shoving a player with the hands leads to elbowing, and this is a dangerous practice and even in slight form must not be tolerated at any cost. Feferees will do well to watch this because the improving standard of play here must not be injured for players or public by such insidious infringements. BACK FROM THE "OTHER SIDE." Ad element of additional interest was infused In several of Saturday's games by reason of the reappearance of some of the Aucklanders who did so well in the New Zealand team, which retained the "rubber" in Australia. The masterly exhibition of Craxton playing in goal for Northcote delighted Victoria Park spectators. Tall and thin, but very athletic, this custodian Iβ a real live-wire, but most surprising anticipatory powers and judgment. Hesaved the blues from several shots, which required skilful obstruction to stop. Probabablv one of the sensations of the match was just before Philomel's third goal. The Navy players, taking the cue from Young, with Hodge, stormed the citadel, and ('raxton dived repeatedly to kick away, lie had little time to recover from one sent in by Malbery when Lewis, outside left, smashed another quick shot in. Craxton threw himself desperately across the goal, and blocked the ball, but Hodge, Inside right, received It from five yards out. He manoeuvred the ball for position, and was about to kick when he slipped. Craxton was etUl sprawling in the mud, but he swerved his right arm and cleared for McKae, Philomel's outside right, to centre nicely to Corbett, the centre-half lifting a beauty just over his forwards' heads. It was a deliberate accurate shot, an achievement of no mean order considering the closeness of the attack. Craxton was unable u> get a glimpse of Corbett's attempt as he hud just risen to his feet and bad his full-backs in front of him. Innes and Braithwaite must have been welcome acquisitions in the I'onsonby ranks, mid the former showed Hint he has profited by his Australian experience. Cis Dacre, inside right for North Shore, was another towor of strength against the improving Harbour Board team.

(By "BLACKWBLIi.") SENIOR TABLE. Points. Ch. P. W. I*. D. For. Aβ. Pte. Northcote ... 13 9 4 0 39 26 18 Ponsonby 13 8 4 1 37 20 17 Philomel .... 12 8 4 0 37 21 Iβ North Shore .. 13 8 5 0 25 22 Iβ Thistle 12 5 5 2 26 22 12 Harbour Board 13 S 8 0 20 29 10 Y.M.C.A 13 4 8 1 Iβ 28 8 Brotherhood .. 13 2 11 O 16 52 11

. CHATHAM COP. Points. Ch. P. W. L. D. For. Ag. Pte. Northcote o 6 0 0 20 10 12 Philomel 5 4 1 0 16 8 8 Ponaonby .... 633016 9 6 Thistle 5221 » 6 5 JT.M.CA 6 2 3 1 6 9 5 North Shore . . 6 2 4 0 8 13 4 Harbour Board 6 2 4 0 9 15 4 Brotherhood .. 6 15 0 8 21 2 SECOND DIVISION. Points. Ch. P. W. L. D. For. Ag. Pte. Watersiders .. 10 8 1 1 36 IS 17 North Shore .. 9 7 0 2 32 9 16 Metropolitan .. 10 7 1 2 19 7 Iβ Ponsonby 11 6 3 2 29 22 1* Y.M.C.A. B ... 10 5 3 2 20 20 12 Y.M.C.A. A .. 10 5 3 2 20 11 12 Watersiders have yet to play North Shore. The main fixtures tor Saturday will be: Philomel v. Ponsonby, North Shore v. Y.M.C.A., Northcoto v. Harbour Board, and Brotherhood v. Thistle.