ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1192, 29 July 1911, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

[BY CENTBE-HiLf.]

Following is a table showing the relative positions of teams playing in the Pirst Division competition:—

Some Comparisons Worth Noting, The First Division table hns undergone a. little shuflling amongst the top placing Swifts going to the head of affairs ami leading Hospital and Thistle by the bare margin of one point, but having a game with Corinthians yet to play. The latter team have handed over tho custody of tho wooden spoon" to St. John's—a good win over Hovers enabling them lo vacate- the bottom rung of tho ladder. This position they have occupied since the commencement of .the season.

Aow .they-have m'ado a start at winning games, and the confidence gained from so doing should encourago them to go into their remaining fixtures with the real intention of winning. It is interesti»g to note, in connection with tho three leading teams, that Swifts have lost six goals in four games in tho second round, Thistle eight goals in five games, and Ilospital only 'onu , : for the same number. This is stroiig , evidence of. sound, defence.

To-dnyjsijjarue -between- Swifts'' and Hospital promises to bo a rare battle, and, if the Hospital men are tit and well, they should very nearly repeat their first round win, though by a narrower margin than live goals to one.

One. of the Best. The match, Hospital v. Hovers,' provided tho spectators with one of tho best games of this season. There was a dry ground, and practically no wind; this gavo tho teams an opportunity to display their best' form. Unfortunately several of the Hospital men had made a nodding acquaintance with iniliienza—notably . Pioots and Davis—so any little backslidings may bo forgiven. Diamonds tried an ex-Kugby man, Shearer, at centre. With a little polish ho should be a decided acquisition to their ranks, which also included three brothers, Lowe, giving the van quite a family appearance.

Tho Blacks made things very lively right through tho game. They were evidently bent on spoiling Hospital's championship chances, and, but lor some fine defence and a tip-top display under tho bar by Cockburn, they would have succeeded. As it was they carried away a valuable point, but on their display a defeat would have been quite undeserved.

There- was not a great deal of shooting, tho backs taking precautions to prevent tho marksmen doing much in the firing line, but what there was gave Patrick an opportunity to show his Reliability, ono ball from Tyrer, and another just before tho finish, from Pearson, being kept out finely. The latter "save" just about made secure tho point for his side. Cockburn had rather more to do than his vis-a-vis, and gave a finished display, but he was very lucky on one occasion, a shot striking his shoulder as ho was rising from the ground after a scrimmage, and sailing past over the bar—a. narrow squeak. Roberts was in fine form at back, and, with AVallis giving an equally fine display at the other end, two worthy Brown Shield defenders were on view. Taylor is not done with yet on his form in this game. His head work was as fine as ever, while Barnett paid particular court to Phillips, never allowing the Hospital skipper any latitude young was about the best of Hospital's halves, Roots fcclin" a heavy cold a handicap, Lowe, at inside-right, often getting the better of him Tyrer and Phillips tried hard to "of through for a winning goal, but the defence all round was too good- for either set of forwards. Not Undeserved, Tho council of the Derbyshire Football •ls=ociation have taken a course which is certainly unprecedented i" the annals of football" in deciding to present medals lo ii team which went through the past season with tho unique record of having lost the whole of their 18 matches and only scored six goals against 178. This was the fate of Friar Gate. Unitarians, a club connected with the Derby Sunday Schools League, who,, notwithstanding their unbroken sequence of failures, never shirked a fixture and never turned out a man short.

"Best Contested Game in Wellington." "The bast-contested frame over played in "Wellington." This is tho unanimous opinion of all those who witnessed the Swifts-Ramblers contest at Kclbiirnc last Saturday. Cannot, our Management Committee lirrange for the best matches to bo played at the Basil) Reserve? If the match referred to had been played on the latter ground, our cade of football would have gained numerous admirers and supporters. }\~. J. Hart was the hern on the Ramblers side. His long "drives" at coal wero superb, lie filled (he pivot position with credit, and was always a source ef anxiety to Swifts defenders. Campbell was another who acr/nilted himself well, and had the Red and 'Whites fed Smallbono in tho second half, the Maroons might have lo<-t the point*. Canington. a new man, who hails from Marlboroncrh, filled tho centre-half position, and with ,l;ickenn and Kirsclibcnr, completed a fine trio. Cross "chances it" ton much, and must, be a fearful trial to his gnulkcpuor, what with handling i'" l ' <iuesti""abl.' work, even in tho penalty area. The other new man "flukes" his kicks a lot, but is an improvement on his predecessors. Websi or could net be blamed for the goals ,mt. up against him.

shifts ...,,„ I H I i i= 1 Hospital .... 14 10 i 3 ■ ,50 17 ■)] Thistle 11 10 1 3 31 20 21 Jiamblers ... 11 7 2 5 35 27 1C Diamonds ... 13 G 3 4 33 "2 l r ) Y..M.C.A. ... 14 6 2 0 22 2G li Hovers It 13 7 22 29 11 Wanderers ... 11 3 1 10 19 3:) 7 Corinthians ... 13 2 1 10 U 52 5 St. John's ... 13 1 2 10 li 45 4