ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 260, 3 November 1925, Page 14

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

CLOSE OF EXTENDED SEASON. THISTLE UNDOUBTED CIIA'XiriOXS. Thouch they hare been beaten twice or three times this season. Thistle must be proclaimed as the premier team in the Auckland senior {Trade for the season-1925. In addition to winning the Falcon Cup. they, on Saturday, terminated the season by adding the League championship to their list of honours. Altogether they have had a most successful season iv every way. which will be fittingly celebrated by the club at their social evening on November 11. The dosing same on Saturday was remarkable in several ways. From the kickoff the feature was the vigour ami ability shown by Northcoie. Ii is no exaggeration to state that the bines outplayed their doughty opponents for the first twenty minutes. The six second grade players introduced into the team excelled themselves, and by their hustling taciies (luifc upset Thistle for a time. The Thistle halfbacks certainly missed the steadying effect of Bell, wilii was absent owing to having wrenched his shoulder the previous Saturday, and the backs were obviously no: enamoured (if the rushing play of the Northcote youthful forwards. The first goal scored wen! to Northcote. and was not undeserved on play. Gradually, but none the le>-s surely, however, the experience and understanding which has characterised the success of Thistle throughout the season, asserted itself, and the season's champions soon got in the lead. Purine the contest, however, play was never one-sided, and nothing but the greatest credit is due the Northcote side for ilie plucky and determined display they served up. The whole team was out to extend the winners, and this they certainly did. Chesney was blameable. and only partially, for one goal, the second, which was scored inadvertently by Thompson, off a quick centre by Humphries. Had the goalkeeper succeeded in fielding a shot from liodds and clearing, the danger would have been averted. However in a hard afternoon's game, the custodian made no other mistake. Hilibert and Bell were powers to be reckoned with in the defence. Another player who stood out pre-emi-nently was Woodall, a youth introduced at right" half. He withstood the many onslaughts, and the studied trickery of Kay like a veteran, and never allowed the bustling outside left the slightest liberty. Lithgow, another junior, also gave a convlnclnjt display, while Thompson played hard and energetically. In the forwards. Scholes. at inside-left, was a thorn in the flesh of Thistle's rearguard all through the game. His methods were as unauthordox as they were forecful. but liis objeciive. to get to the thick" of tilings, was always achieved. Tremain combined his wings well, and Hurford. on the extreme left, had .several -bright runs. Holmes and Trewlieeler made a willing right wing, and instituted several dangerous raids. Thistle defence, when it settled down, easily held the opposition attack, but it took a long time to get into its stride. Jack was safe in goal, but Ferguson and Reid (lid not give that impression at the outset. They showed that weakness in close-up play which has endangered the teams defence several times this season, but with the game they Improved. Buchanan was introduced into the middle line, consequent on Uell's absence, and played well consldeting that he has not been placed for several weeks, but; was obviously out f position. Tinkler was successful at centrehalf, and Diekson was well up to form. The attack was too strong and smoothrunning for Northcote defence after the first half-hour, and towards the close the Thistle front rank monopolised play. Kay commanded much attention in the second spell, but in the first he was more than held by Woodall, a very promising junior, who piayed a sterling game throughout. All Thistle's forwards were right up to form, and gave a sound exposition of the game.