ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 260, 27 July 1908, Page 4

ASSOCIATION.

SATURDAY'S MATCHES. SENIOR FIRST DIVISION. Fortunately for the chancos of xomjjloting the Football Association's championship fixtures, the weather lifted • for _ Saturday's matches. Even now tho probability of. carryingout tho soason's programme has become problematical. Although tho weather was fine,'tho recent rains hadsoddened tho playing fields, and fast play was impossible. Football, either in the Basin Reserve or at Nowtown Park, was, of course, out of the question, and the fixtures set down for theso grounds were transferred to Miramar. At the latter place, tho ground allotted for tho Y.M.C.A.-Rovers match was unplayable, and the game had to bo postponed. On the Peninsula, Swifts met Thistles, and defeated thorn by two goals to one. Diamonds had an easy victory over Ramblers,_ defeating them by six goals to nil. It is just to add that the defeated team was short of thrco players, and could only find a substitute for ono of thorn. Wanderers visited I'etono, and sustained a. defeat, at tho hands of. the suburban team, by three goals to one. Tho following aro the results of'the senior first division matchcs: — Petone, 3; Wanderers, 1. ■ Swifts, 2; Thistle, 1. Diamonds, 6; Ramblers, 0. Y.M.C.A. v. Rovers, postponed. PETONE v. WANDERERS. jThoPotone-Wandcrcrs match was'a spirited contest between two short-handed teams, tho members of both showing plenty of dash, excellent combination, and sound tactics, qualities of play which' admirably counterbalanced deficiencies in .numerical strength. Soon after the kick-off, Wanderers assumed tho offensive, and Cornish led a spirited attack 1 on tho Petono gcal_ by making a beautiful pass to tho right-wing, whero Davidson Wk cliarjjo of the leather, and after some

clover footwork, centred smartly to Hunt, who snicked a neat goal, I—o. A dashing counter-attack by Taplin aud # ICclly (the latter was one of the " All Black professionals ") followed, but Jardino cleverly foiled, aud manoeuvred the 'ball to Ash, who sent it on to Davidson; Sparrow (Petone) was on the alert; however, and rescued ill time. A hot skirmish followed, from which Taplin (Petone) emerged with the ball aud promptly passed to Jones, who tried for a goal, and sncceeded in getting a corner. Tho Wanderers' goal was relieved from tho pressure of tho attack during the next few minutes of play, but the I'otono men fere determined upon an "equaliser," which came not long after. Taplin managed to capturo tho ball, and from a distance of about 30 yards lifted it in a skying shot for tho AA : andcrers' goal. It was a deceptive shot,, and was tho undoing of Crouch (Wanderers' goalkeeper); tho score then stood at one all. AA'andercrs counterattacked, and led by Ash, who niadp a lino dribbling run, wero soon hovering about the Petone goal. The goal-koopor's zeal outran his discretion, for he ventured from his post, and had it not been for tho promptitude of Jackson, who snicked the ball out of danger, a goal would have resulted. Taplin, wellsupported by Reynolds and Parsonson. then forced tho ball towards the Wanderers' goal, and tho result of a good passing rush,was Potono's second goal. 2—l. A\ r anderors rallied, aud attacked strongly, and had it not been for Brice's safe defence of the Petono goal, Davidson would have scored for a certainty, his long hard shot , from the , right wing being smartly returned. Long kicking from tho AA'anderers' back division kept the ball near the Petone goal for the next, few minutes, until Taplin, catching a return shot from Brico, passed to Kelly. The latter centred to Parsonson, who scored neatly. Time sounded: — Petone ... .... ... ... 3 Wanderers ... 1 ... ... .1 The Rov. J. D. Russell refereed tho game. DIAMONDS v.. RAMBLERS; The Diamonds met and-easily defeated Ramblers, at Miramar by G, go?ls to nil. Ramblers wero minus the services of two* regular players, and played with ten men throughout the game, which was without interest as Diamonds had things all their own way. . w . THISTLES v. SWIFTS. This match was played under splendid conditions as regards the ground and weather. Thistle won the, toss which caused tho Swifts to - have a dccided . disadvantage in having t-o face tho sun, and the ground-be-ing on th 6 small side the ball travelled-from end to end in very short tiiuo. Swifts' 'outside left, Talbot, soon showed .'himself by his clever footwork to bo a dangerous forward, and it was soiho time before Cummins of tho Thistle could get his measure. From ■ a nico pass from Alexander, Talbot made a wild kick at goal. Thistle transferred play to tho' left,- where Dillon and Sandford by smart passing enabled Sandford to have a shot at goal which -was easily cleared. Swifts in turn attacked in good stylo, and from a well placcd kick of Rogers, Talbot scored the first, goal, giving AVillmot of tho Tliistlo ho chance. ( After a brief invasion by tho Thistle, Swifts got . to' work, and led by Oilier, caused anxious moments to tho Thistlo defence. Rogers of tho Swifts finished tho attack by. scoring for- Swifts. This roverso' livened matters considerably. Galbraith and Duncan of tho Thistle,: well backed, by.-Cummins carried tho bull into tho Swifts' territory. Duncan had hard luck iri heading over tho bar when , well Not to bo ,denied Thistlo again- attacked in earnest,. and after some bustling play Duncan succecded in scoring. -From tho kick-out-Talbot mado a brilliant run, putting tli'o Hall well across tho goal mouth. Earlo'left full-hack for Tliistlo, handled the ball,' and, tho refereo had no hesitation in.giving a penalty. Oilier w'as; entrusted with tho kick, but tho ball struck tho upright.just before. half-timp Oilier,' from a good centre by Scott shot ' gver tho bar. ■ Swifts' 2, Thistle 1. Tho second spell was ovehly contested. : Owing: to'tho attentions .of Cummins, Talbot-was not'quite so dangerous. A good exhibition of right full-back play was given "by M'A'rdlb and' Pye-Smith.' Earlo's ..first appearance'-for .Thistle proved ho was ablo to play tho gaino. A;ding-dong but pleasant gamo, whero combination was at a . discount,.:elided'.', in. a .victory- .for .Swifts. 2—l. Mr. Aldridgo gave every satisfaction as referee. ' ~ , SECOND DIA 7 ISION. . ' St. John's A v. Ramblors.—Tho original ground allotted, for.this match liadrto 'bo surrendered to tho seniors for an unimportant fixturo, with tho result that tho Second Division Championship was practically dooided on a patchwork composed of pools of water, bumps, and holes, and bordered by various iron, wire, aud wood obstacles. Tho gamo proved fast and exciting from -the outset, long passing being indulged in, with furious' scrambles on' tho pond in front of St. John's goal-post.' Play was rapidly transferred to the Ramblers' goal by quick and determined forward passing, St. John's drawing first blood with what appeared to bo an easy. shot. Ramblers' forwards then clevcrly combined, re-launching tho ball ion tho pond, whero a smart shot by Bradford caused tho St. John's keeper to do a breast stroke, whereupon Wills made a quick dive, and registered Ramblors' first and only goal. The second spell proved very lively. Shaw hit tho Ramblers' upright with a clinker, and shortly afterwards St. John's mado a fino forward attack, which, . assisted by tho abscnco of. Fraser, was rewarded with tho final goal. Ramblers then assumed 'tho aggressivo, and* surrounded their opponents' goal, shot after shot being saved by tho cruellest luck; on one occasion a hot slipt from" AVills was allowed to rest peacefully in' tho goal mouth, whilo the goalkeeper regained his equilibrium. ! The St. John's goalkeepor displayed more pluck than skill, but staved off some dangerous onslaughts; tho halves- wero vory,solid, particularly tho centre, whilo tho centre-forward and ,Sliaw wero . tho best of the forwards, tho former showing. particularly clever individual play. The..Ramblers' goalkeeper was clover, but could not swim; M'Alahon, at full, signified his initial appearance this season by some rery solid and well-directed kicking. , AYebb also did good w'ork in the halves, j'lr. AV. Auld refereed for tho game, which' ended— St. John's 2, Ramblers 1.

Letter Carriers v. Mental Hospital.—A well-contested gamo took oiv thp Hospital ground at Porirua on Saturday between the Letter Carriers and Mental Hospital team. The weather was fine, and tho ground in first-class order. Tho kick-off saw tho Carrier forwards' aggressive, Bowles doing somo fine dribbling work; ho. centred the ball, which was shot into tho goal by Shorter. Mental Hospital raado strong efforts to retaliate, and kept the ball in' tho Carriers' territory for somo time, but tho opposing team, by good passing, took it tho length of tho field, Bowles finishing, with a hot shot, which was well saved by Hicks. Soon after this tho< Hospital attacked strongly, their forwards putting in sonle' fine footwork". A mistake by an opposing back led" to Eliott sending in a hard low shot, which gave Ryan, tho' goalkeeper, no chanco at all. Tho rest of tho spell saw willing play, the ball 'travelling up and down the field in good stylo, and tho forwards of both teams putting in somo fine passing work. On resuming, play, a hot paco was again set. Carriers ijroke away, and a good shot by Kitchen, from the loft wing, was smartly taken by Bowles and converted into a. score within a mimito from tho kick-off. Goals -then came in quick succession, Shorter, Patterson, and Kitchen scoring for the Carriers, and Eliott and Mitchell for tho Hospital team. Towards tho end of tho gamo Hospital attacked vigorously, but wore ably repulsed by the fine defensive work of Roulston, Bell, aiid • Norris. The . game ended in a victory for bho Letter Carriers by 5 goals to 3. ' St. John's II v. Porirua.—St. John's had things all thoir own "way in this match, which was played at Porirua, and defeated tho homo team by 3.1 goals to 2. For St. John's the scorers were: Cable (2), Mcars (4), Dick (3), Thompson (1), Bowden.(l). ■ , Swifts v. Toa.—Swifts v. Toa, which was fixed to be played at Porirua, was won by the latter club by default. JUNIOR LEAGUE MATCHES. Kaiwarra met and defeated Diamonds by 11 g&als to nil. E. Bowden (5), 1. Kutnor (J), '\V; Iggiildcu (1), and J. Marshall (1) .were the scorore.