ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 242, 6 July 1908, Page 4

ASSOCIATION.

Perfect weather prevailed for, Saturday's fixtures, and at Miramar a fair number, of spectators witnessed tho games. Y.M.C.A. met and defeated Ramblers by three goals to one. Rovers bad a win over Thistles by four goals to nil. Swifts suffered defeat at the hands of the Wanderers by threo goals to one; and Petono wero defeated by Diamonds by tliroo goals to nil.

SENIOR LEAGUE—FIRST DIVISION. Diamonds, 3; Petono, 0.. AVanderers, 3; Swifts, 1. . Rovers, 4; Thistles, 0. " Y.M.C.A., 3; Ramblers, 1. Y.M.C.A. v. RAMBLERS. The Y.M.C.A. v-. Ramblers match was played at Miramar under perfect weather conditions. Y.M.C.A. won the- toss and played with the sun at their backs. Neither side had their full team at the commencement of tho game, and throughout Ramblers played.ono man short. Y.M.C.A. had all tho' worst'of tho initial stages of tho game, and hilt for tho sound defonco of Walton, full, and Gofton, in goal, several scores would liavo been registered. Mouat and Waters wore instrument*! in starting sevoral passing rushes for Ramblers, and the former player put .in some hard .shots. Wild kicking by Y.M.C.A. robbed tho game of interest, for Forbes and Timperley's , good work on the right wing was as a rule wasted when tho ball'was transferred from tlicm'to tho contro. Snmllbonc, a Rambler player, had. the! misfortuno to collide with an opponent, and recoived a nasty • gash on nis forehead. Ho was removed from ,tlio field temporarily, and Ramblers, with only nine men, renowed tho attack on Y.M.C.A.'a goal. A fino forward 'passing rush by Ramblers ended in Waters drawing first blood. Gofton,* tho, custodian, made his only mistake of tho gamo, and by it Ramblers secured itho lead. From this stago until half-time YjM.C.A.'s pressed hard, but no score resulted; Tho sccond spell was full of interest for ia few minutes. Mouat secured a lot of ground for Ramblers, as tho result of soino fino dribbling, and centred at' the right moment, but .th'ero .was nobody lyindy to,send, the ball: along past Gofton. -Shortly after jY.M.C.A. • attacked strongly, and broke •through ; Ramblers' defence. M'Kay, ' wild' .was.playing in goal for Ramblers,.let Croft?. : putah ,T easy shot thfougli,''without"'attempting'to stop tho ball.. With tho scores equal • Y.M.C.A..—mode' renewed-efforts -to. gain the lead, which T. Irvine did after tho ball' had hit tho goal posts twice and rebounded back into play: ..Giro and tako play-prevailed for some ; time,. Forbes arid Ti'mperley working liko .Trojans'(in their.'half. •;\Crofts registered Y.M I .C.A:'s third goal in tho closing stages of the game, and when tho whistle sounded •Ramblers woro onithe defence,-'and tho scofo stood: — Y.M.C.A.. ... 3 Ramblers ... ... ... 1 Mr. W. Auld controlled tho game. PETONE V. DIAMONDS. -Thia match was played at Petono in perfect- weather. "Diamonds kicked off-, and play settled in mid-field. Petono worked tho ball to their- opponents' goal, and two shots wcro tried in quick succession,, but Fitzgerald was equal to. the occasion,. fisting out in good style. Diamonds'now took a hand in the game, arid after some scrambling Hathaway shot through. Diamonds attacked again,and Pctone conceded a corner. Petono w.erc' rioxt". awarded'"two corners, both of which were beautifully placed by M'Kinnon, but through ■ lack of dash in tho forward rank thoy went begging. Diamonds attacked, and Hathaway shot tho second, goal. Shortly afterwards Duffy sent in a stinging shot, and Brice saved well. From this on Diamonds did mast of tho attacking, and Brice Was called on sevoral times. ' Petono attacked, and Bethell shot wido. At this stage Diamonds conceded two corners. Hawkins placed them well. into- goal, but Fitzgerald agaili saved. It was now getting dark, and Reddy got possession, with an open goal. Ho made no mistake, and shot Diamonds' third goal. Tho whistlo sounded with the scoreDiamonds ... 3 Pctons -i.-i 0 Mr. Cates controlled the game, and gavo overy satisfaction. Petono wero without the services of Taplin and Renai, and tho team was altered out of recognition, the forwards being' especially weak. ' Of tho backs,- Joyce was easily tho best, while Hawkins and M'Kinnon did some good work. Sparrow would bo a'fair halfback if he learned to keep his placo. It was hard to tell where ho was playing, as ho held a roving commission, and very often obstructed his own backs and left his wing unmarked. Tho Diamonds did not play up to form. Hathaway was tho best forward, and Roberts, full back, played very safely. Fitzgerald, in goal, saved well. WANDERERS V. SV/IFTS\ On account of tho recent heavy rains tho ■ Wanderers,-v. Swifts match, which was fixed for Newtown Park, was played at Miramar. Tho first spell was very ordinary, and but for sevoral brilliant individual efforts was without interest. Gwilliam, for Wanderers, sent in a good shot, which in saving Jamieson,; Swifts' custodian, carried through. Ash also scored for Wanderers. Shortly after, Scott put in a fino dribble for Swifts, which resulted in a corner. Graves took tho kick, and lobbed it in tho goal-mouth. Several players kicked tho ball, and after a scramblo Oilier registered a goal for Swifts, the only ono they secured. '

Tho second spell opened, and Swifts attacked strongly, but Cornish relieved. An injury to Baxter, of tho Wanderers, stopped play for a'time. Wanderers wero playing a good open game, but tho Swifts defcnco was very sound. Taylor,' Wanderers' centreforward, sent in a hot shot, and had hard hick in not scoring, as tho ball striking the post went behind. From tho kick-olf Swifts broko'away, but crratic shooting spoilt their many chances of scoring. Swifts, at this stago, wore having much tho best of tha gamo, but Wanderers' defcnco was very solid. Baxter was compelled to retire, in coubcqiiwico of tho injury to his leg. Swifts tried hard to toore, and were awarded a corner which proved fruitless. A fmo dribbling rush by Wanderers resulted in Taylor registering tlioir third goal, from a shot close in. Midfickl play ttss the order from this oil, till tho whistlo sounded and tho game ended: — ■ Wandorerß ••• 3 Swifts ... m »w »• ;1

ROVERS V. THISTLE. . Rovers won tho toss, putting tho. Thistles to face the bright sun. llovers wero very aggressive, and wore not long in notching their first point through C. Q'Shea. Tins goal was a gift, no attempt being mado by Thistle dcfonco to avert it. Sandford, for Thistle, put in a good shot, which Pendleton (goal) savod. Tlio Rovers' forwards wero very lively, and made the paco very hot, and Rowan (goal) was called upon by Barry. Thistle hotr asserted themselves, and garo the Rovers' defence a warm time of it, shots being put in from all directions, but the results only Trent to prove tho sterling qualities of Pendleton and his two backs, Martin and Duignan. Rovers broke away, and some pretty combination ended in Cashman scoring a good goal, Rowan being hampered by Saul in his attempt to fist tlio ball. Hall, for tlio Thistles,. was conspicuous in many attacks on tho Rovers' goal. Once, from a nice pass of Duncan's, Hall looked certain to score, but he was ruled offside. Halftimo' sounded immediately after, Rovors loading by 2 goals to nil. On resuming, Pendleton was callcd upon to savo his lines by Duncan. Rovers' left-wingers wero very troublesome, being both clever and speedy, and the way Cummins, the opposing halfback, defeated their tactics timo and again earned for him the admiration of the spec-' tutors. Bethel put a fino dropping shot ju3t under the bar, but Rowan, in liis characteristic stylo, .was not found wanting, and immediately after mado tho savo of tho match in catching a ball from C. O'Shea at short range. Tho fino work of tlio Thistlo's halvos led to another attack by the forwards. .Blackwood put in a good centre, and shot after shot was sent in — a regular bombardment. Pendleton ran out only to miss, but his placo in goal was taken by George Marton, Rovers' right back, who fisted a shot from Hall: The rcfereo had no hesitation in awarding a penalty, and Blackwood was entrusted with it, but missed badly. Thistlo's dofonce was sorely tried, when a penalty was given against M'Lellan, of the Thistles, for ; holding C. O'Shea. Geo. Martin, the right full back of the Rovers, made no mistake, being vory cool, and placed well out of the rcach of Rowan. Rovers now had tho most of tho -play. Rovers' right wing wero making things very uncomfortable, and their efforts were crowned by a fourth goal being scored through Barry. Play ended in midfield. Mr. O'Connell officiated as referee, and carried out. his duties impartially. The game : Rovers ■ ... ••• 4 Thistle ... — 0