ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1168, 1 July 1911, Page 18

ASSOCIATION.

[Bv Centre-Half.]

Positions of Senior Teams. A glance at the senior division- table will show, that Thistle'is still in the lead with Swifts for champion honours. But tho competition-hasa, long, way to go yet, and iiianv changes 1 can take place before the curtain falls. It will be- noticed that Hospital are lying a good second, and thev will, have to be. watched for, in the opinion of. many,, they are likely to slip-through tho pack in the end. ' 'Last voar's champions, Ramblers, are.nlfo in a good.position, and have still to be reckoned with. Following .is the table showing tho positions of the -senior teams in detail:—

The Neutrality of "The Flag," The Wellington Executive has made a new departure in th? control of first division games by appointing members of the Referees' Association' to act as neutral linesmen. This is undoubtedly a. step in the right direction, nad, given competent officials, it should have a beneficial effect oh the sport.. It is hoped that there will be no difficult}- in finding men who arc not connected with either of the teams whose game they arc called upon to flag. But tho appointments must be made consistently with the spirit of this innovation,- and mcinbership of the W.K.A. does not Jiegativc, the fact of an appointee's connection with ono of the teams, in the match, whose "line" he is taking. How can iff Can neutrality be ensured if he happens to bo. tho, secretary, of-one of the contesting team's? Without casting reflection on tho linesman in question, whoso conception and execution of his duties were admirable, the spirit of tho regulation was violated ima recent match. It would not be considered other than an act of courtesy if tho other club's secretaries, who also act as .linesmen., were notified of the change in linesmen rather earlier thau just before the kick-off. Representative Team Appraised. A Manawatu correspondent ■ who has seen the game played in: Canterbury and Otago this season,' sends 'us his opinion of the Wellington leanj' which played Manawatu on Coronation Day.. ' . He was impressed with the play of our half-backs; and considers them superior to anything in tho Dominion. Shaw, lefthah, was t'he first' to catch his eye, and in fact, for a considerable time, he imagined that he (Shaw) was the much-talked-of. Roots.' Then' the real Roots became prominent, his method of snapping up his opponents' passes and splendid headwork caused the correspondent to inquire further, and in his .own words ho-puts down the result of his iuvostiga-T tion by stating:—"Roots has np peer in the colony." The lengthy Kirschbcrg's easy style in tackling, and deft touches to his forwards quite captured our friend again.

He also says that the brothers Phillips are a fino pair, the younger- being, if anything, better than, his elder brother, although the latter . showed . more experience. Matheson, the pivot of the team, would bo a terror to goal-keepers were- it not for that "sacred (i yards preserve." The outside-left, "a fine sprinter, who could always beat his half and never hung on too long," also pleased nur critic, but (he outside right, he suggested, did not put himself out and would be better suited on a dry ground. The left-back's fearless tackling, and method of rushing an approaching forward, reminded !iim of the style of better men whom he had seen in -other -parts, while Pye-Smith, with a totally diflerent idea of defence, was a solid "stumbling block. ■ Regarding the goal-keeper, lie had nothing to do, so our correspondent, expresses, no opinion. He concludes thus: "I (lo not think that Otago can beat Canterbury, and it would be futile for Jlanawatu to attempt to do so, but if Wellington can send the team to Christchurch, the meeting between these two provinces should be a battle royal." Hospital's Great Victory. Thero was a striking reversal of tho first round result in this match, Hospital turning a 3—3 defeat to a 4—o victory in the opening game of the second series. Ramblers were without Jackson, whose assistance «'as greatly missed, but even he would not have been able to materially alter.the result, so overplayed and outmanoeuvred, were the "Red and Whites," and, but for Webster's gallant display under the bar, some hard- kicking for Davey and Cross, with' good work by Kirschbevg,' 'ho score would have, been much larger. Hospital began with plenty of dash, and made matters warm for Webster aurl Co. .; The keeper lowered his colours to Hoots,' whose smashing drive, from 30 .yards, shook the back of the net. The Hospital centre-half was displaying his fittest [nrm. and, playing tho 'ball every time, robbed Tiomblers' forwards with marked regularity,- also (on occamaking a sixth forward, tits second goal was a "beauty," hitting the post before entering tho not. .With theso reverses, however, the genial Webster did not turn tho game down, hut, inDrJui'scJiborg, played on to the .end as if his side were winning. He made some very (ino "saves," one from T.vrer nt the foot of the post being a first-class effort. Morgan turned out at: right-back after some weeks' absence, and gave a sound display, while his partner AVallis was up to his usual representative form. Ramblers' Forwards Outclassed. There was no comparison between the forward lines, Ramblers being very disjointed. Edwards, not getting much of the ball, and .Smnjlhone being too prone to solo efforts. The Hospital van were, in a dashing mood, Phillips and Davis giving the opposing rearguard no rest, and the whole time displayed refreshing i|iiickucss on the ball, working out some pretty combined movements, which produced many openings that jiist failed So materialise, (he ball being frequently volleyed over the bar when a judicious "grounder" would'have provided employment, for Webite.r. Cockburn had very little to do, beins chielly concerned in

keeping himself warm. Ramblers conceded a greater number of corners than usually happens oh a still day, ami Pearson's corner kicking was excellent, not one ball being put behind. Hospital are beginning to entertain designs on (ho

"top notch," and there are stirring times in store for "soccer",enthusiasts before the championship is decided. Notes of Interest, In their match with St. David's (ho Marist boys displayed rare form.; Fitzgerald, at* centre-forward, did excellent work. Ho appears to bo taking to heart the kindly advice, given him of late in these columns. The. selectors should be pleased to know this, for, when in form, .Fitzgerald is "out by himself" in this position.' Warbham, Marist right-half, is playing good football- this season. Sullivan, leit-full-back, though only a small, lad, .is for this position, second to nono in the competition, lie kicks well with either foot. The match between Y.M.C.A. and Brooklyn was really, the worst exhibition of "soccer" given by fifth division teams this season. Thomas, Brooklyn, played his usual sound game, but received small support from his comrades. Y.M.C.A., playing one man short, were lucky in making' the game a draw. Owing (o extreme-pressure on space, a. very, interesting special article on boys' football, entitled "Teaching the Young Idea," has been hold over until next week.

-I i.' p li d o u '5 '■ ft fJ. rt P C3 < w Swift?' 10 "8 . 2 0 30 H 16 Thistle „ 10, S 2 0 24 12 1G Hospital 10 7 3 0 32 .16 H Ramblers 10 G 3 1 26- 18 13 Diamonds 0 1 3 2 25 18 10 Y.JI.CA 10 fl S 0 14 10 10 Hovers 10 4 5 1 16 10 0 AVanderors 10 3 f. 1 10 1!) 7 St. John's •. 0 1 ,, 7 1 11 22 3 Corinthians ... 10 0 10 0 6 47 0