ASSOCIATION

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 246, 18 July 1928, Page 8

ASSOCIATION

By'

“Goalie”

PETONE WELLINGTON’S REPRESENTATIVES IN

CHATHAM CUE

THE THISTLE BREAKAWAY

The sixth year of competition for Ihc Chatham Cup, a handsome trophy donated in 1923 by tho officers and men of H.M.B. Chatham, did not culminate in a wonderfully brilliant final to the local competition for that line trophy. Having witnessed all six iinals I must say that that in which Petone and Marist were the contestants Inst Saturday nt the Basin Reserve was well below the standard set in previous years with the exception of perhaps last year when Marist defeated YAI.C.A. by 8 goals to nil. As it is readily admitted that the standard of football iu the senior A division is better this year than it has been for the last five or six years, a much more brilliant contest was naturally looked for. Neither team gave of their best and the public left the ground just a little disappointed. Marist held a slight, advantage in Ihe first half, but Petone's more studied methods of attack in the speoml half rightlv won them the match.- They wisely nuidc the most of Marist's weak leftwing. and although Marist were in many difficult positions excellent defence prevented Petone scoring on all but one occasion in the second half. Superb play by the Petone halves made the Marist forwards little more than passengers. The last twenty minutes were the most stirring of’an otherwise dull game. Both teams during that period came within an ace of scoring.

As Ibis is Petonc's first year in senior A ranks tlieir achievement on Saturday is a meritorious one. Lnsl year they reaeheil tho semi-final, hut were defeated by Y.M.C.A. by throe goals lo one. , They arc an cxeellcntly trained (cam. ami arc probably the lillost toiiin in Wellington nt the moment. Their progress through the provincial rounds will be eagerly watched, and the host wishes of Wellington supporters of the code will go with them. The Chatham Cun has only been held once by a Wellington team when A’.M.C.A. ilefealorl Scacliffc by three goals to two iii 1925. It will be a groat honour for Petone if they can bring the cun back to Wellington. The following clubs have represented Wellington in the Chatham Cup since the commencement of Ihc competition:— 1923— Y.M.C.A. 1924 — Marist. 1925— Y.M.C.A. 1926— Hospital. . 1927—Marisl. 1928—Petone.

Only on two occasions has. a Wellington club appeared in the Dominion final, 1923 and 1925, Y.M.C.A. having the honour both years. j H„ is also interesting to note that this is the second time that a club in its first year of senior A rank has reached the Wellington final. Scottish .Wanderers got that far in 1925, but were defeated by Y.M.C.A., who eventually brought the cup to Wellington that year. Is Senior 15 Division Neglected? A correspondent forwards the following interesting comments on the play and other matters concerning the senior B Division: — “The general impression one gains, and the onlooker sees most of "the game, is that the game of Soccer in Wellington is on the uplift. This is decidedly the case insofar as First A Division is concerned, and if this improvement can be maintained or improved upon in; the future, then the patronage pf the public is a foregone conclusion, and the financial troubles of the Wellington Football Association a thing: ot the past. But, does the improvement in the play of the First A Division reflect to tho lower grades this season? As an onlooker and enthusiast, I would say definitely, no I The, First B Division football, with a few exceptions, this season has been poor—poorer, I think, than during the past five seasons. Waterside have never met defeat, and at times have played very indifferent football, and under no consideration, as leaders of the grade, can their football be compared with the leaders of this division four years ago—Y.M.C.A. C. This is not being written with the idea of throwing cold water-on the efforts of Waterside, ns undoubtedly they have proved themselves the best team in the grade, but wiiat I wish to do is to make a comparison of the football as played by this grade to-day. Another aspect I have noticed is the lack of team spirit and cohesion generally in the various teams in this grade. With the exception of Waterside, understanding betweeh themselves and forwards in the other teams is conspicuous by its absence. Take, for example, Brooklyn and Hutt. Both teams have good halves, but do the forwards make the use of the ball when they get it that they should do? The inside men in both teams have the unhappy knack of dropping back towards their halves, and as attack is the best means of defence, the teams find themselves beaten time and agaiu when, with reasonable understanding, such should not be the case. These two clubs. have the makings of two really fine first

B division teams, should their tactics be rectified. It is hard to understand why South Wellington.have not done better, and the writer is of the opinion that their forwards would be -well advised to shoot more often, even from well out. Aothing will change my opinion, which J. have held since the inception of the first B division, that the Wellington Football Association have neglected this division. More publicity should be given to this division, more “perks” by way of representative fixtures provided for it, and a •■■eneral buck up to make the public interested also in the B grade. A suggestion which might be worthy of consideration is this: Gould not the services of an enthusiast who knows all the finerpoints of the game be obtained to lecture regularly, say, fortnightly, to membcis of the first B division teams? The first B is admittedly a stepping-stone to the first A division, but what chance have pin vers seeking promotion if there are no facilities at their disposal to add to what they already know of the finer technicalities of the game? Tho expense would be negligible, and I am ■ sure the results would make it worth while. The result of Hie representative fixture on June 4— viz., first A v. first B divisions —was very gratifying to the writer by reason of the fact that the play of the B grade players Was an eye-opener to the public, who witnessed that match, but how much better would those players be if the AV.F.A. materially assisted them to learn the finer points of I lie game as suggested above?. I would like to lake this opportunity of congratulating the AV.F.A. on their forward step by electing a sole selector. This is a move in the right direction, as was evidenced by the. able way Selector Hicks mustered four representative teams for mutches on Juno 4. His job was. a difficult one. ami he came out of it with credit to himself and to the AVcllington Football association. The Thistle Breakaway.

The split which occurred in the ranks of the Auckland Association seems to have widened beyond healing, and the movement which the Thistle Club started on breaking away from the Auckland Association has seen one or two clubs enrolling under the banner of the so-called Auckland City and Suburban Football Association. The breakaway may catch the discontents and a few others, but they- are all more or less Thistle Club players and supporters, and have no chance whatever of making it a success. The council in Mount Eden has not been able to provide them with a ground, and they will not be able to draw many supporters from the remaining clubs, all of which are loyal to the Auckland Association. It was distinctly unfortunate that the Thistle Club did not act constitutionally and appeal to the New Zealand Council if it thought it was suffering under an injustice. : Discipline over clubs and players must be maintained, and after the action the' Thistle Club has taken the Auckland Association will probably insist on complete surrender before admitting Thistle back to the fold, even should they apply. The chairman of the New Zealand Council acted quite properly in endeavouring to secure all the information possible to lay before the council, but it seems that they have a thorny job in front of them if they hope to effect a reconciliation now. The decision to affiliate with the Scottish Association is a foolish one, and one they will not be able to achieve, for the Scottish Association will not think twice about such a request. Much as one deplores seeing a breakaway of this kind, the local association has to be upheld in maintaining discipline, aiidj where the decision of the local associa-; tion is in dispute there is a proper channel for settling these matters, and that is by appeal to the New Zealand Council.

Strange to say, the Thistle Club, Wanganui, has also had a difference with its association, and the matter has been referred on appeal to the New Zealand Council. This was quite the proper course to take, although the concluding remark as to what they would do in the event of the appeal not being allowed was suggestive of refusing to submit to the ruling of the council if it went against them. It is suggested that the club meant that they might appeal to the E.F.A., only the context of the letter did not look like it. It is hoped that the Thistle Club. AVanganui, is not going to follow the bad example of the Auckland Thistle Club, for this sort of thing is calculated to give the game a setback it cannot afford. On tlie other hand the New Zealand Council must deal with these matters firmly and show itself capable of ruling when the necessity arises. Is it not time that something definite was decided in regard to the proposed tour of Australian States by a team of New Zealand schoolboys?

About Players. Smyth, of Seatoun, turned ‘ out again last Saturday after an absence of a week or two with a bad.knee. He unfortunately had to retire early in the game, aud is likely to be off for the rest of the season.

Glover, another Seatoun player, was injured for the third time this season, and he, too, may not play again this year. Condon, the Marist forward, notched two great goals against Petone last Saturday. He was easily the best Marist forward, and the club selectors would be wise to hold ou to him for the remaining championship matches. Stobbs, the Petone left half, played a great game in the second half of the Chatham Cup final at (he Basin Reserve last Saturday. McKenzie, the Petone outside right last Saturday, although close to the veteran stage, got the Minning goal by clever opportunism. His play was rather.slow and heavy in the first half, but he moved along very freely in the second half.