THE SOCCER FORUM

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 187, 6 May 1931, Page 7

THE SOCCER FORUM

Refereeing in Senior . Game Criticised

DIAMONDS’ PATCHY FORWARDS

With the second series of championship games played Diamonds heads the table in Division I, not so much on merit as by several mistakes! made by the referee in the match against Marist last Saturday at the Basin. The spectators were treated to 50 minutes of good football in which the referee rightly did not make himself too conspicuous, and the game went on as nicely as one could wish. Then he made his first “bloomer,” which, had it been the only one, might not have been so serious, but it was quickly followed by others, and had such a demoralising effect on the Marist team that it put the players right off their game. So much so that the remaining 40 minutes lost its flavour, and was quite uninteresting. Good Team Work.

Everyone enjoyed the first 45 minutes, in which the honours went to Marist, for these young players gave a bright display and had decidedly the best of the exchanges. The forwards were a-gressive, fast and quick on the ball, and passed through their ranks in a most businesslike manner. Guest had quite an anxious time against the Marist rightwingers, and finding Wotherspoon I a hard proposition Scott, on the other wing, did not delay in swinging the ball well into the centre before the Diamonds’ back got to close quarers. Marist gave a nice display of team work, which is more than can be said for Diamonds. It was only when the Diamonds' right wing secured possession that any real danger threatened Marist, for McLeod at half worked like a demon to keep his brother well supplied. R. McLeod made good use of his opportunities, and was a bit too fast for Geddis, with the result that he got in some dangerous centres. Dickinson had no reason to complain of lack of chances, but he never looked like delivering the goods. Stark at outside-left was too well looked after by Burke to be much of a menace, and Rigby might well have been an absentee until towards the end of the game when he snapped a goal just after Dickinson was laid out. This, of course, meant that Smith was the only one to be relied upon if a centre came from the right-wing, and it was Smith who opened Diamonds’ account in this way. 1 Good Halves.

There was little fault to find with the halves on either side, for they were helping the forwards or defending ,as occasion required. Both teams were looking

very fit after half-time. Diamonds holds the reputation for being a great secondhalf team, and this seems to have some foundation in fact. All went well for a few minutes, and Diamonds was beginning to exert pressure when the whistle put a stop to play for a moment. A Surprise.

The majority of spectators and players were amazed when the referee pointed to the penalty spot and wondered what offence had been committed. It was not “hands,” for the ball was in the air from a long kick, and was dropping in the Marist goal area. Wilson, the right back, was on the spot and went in to clear. He appeared to give nothing more than a shoulder charge to put an opponent off the ball, quite a legitimate move, and it was at this instant the whistle went. Wyatt generally takes the penalties for Diamonds, and he made no mistake with this one, although be was probably as much in the dark as anyone else, except the referee, as to what it was for. Inquiries at the moment brought no satisfactory solution, neither did inquiries among the players at the end of the game. The Reason Why.

Desirous of being able to give the correct reason for the decision the referee was approached in the matter, and his reason was “for a deliberate attempt to kick a player.” These are the referee’s own words. He did not name the player against whom he had given the decision, but it is enough to say that the decision itself shows that t’ referee was guilty at least of a grave error of judgment, There is no mor® serious offence on the field than "deliberately attempting to kick a player,' and no warning is necessary before sending a player off the field for such misconduct. If the offence was serious enough to have been punished by a. penalty it was serious enough to have justified sending the player off the field. Why was this not done? How far off was the referee when the “deliberate attempt to kick” was made? He ran in-some distance before reaching the penalty spot, and he was some distance outside the penalty area. I cannot help thinking that the referee made a mistake, maybe an honest mistake, but a mistake nevertheless. Goal Disallowed. A few minutes later Condon scored quite a good goal for Marist. It had

passed inside the posts when another Marist player, rushing in to meet the ball, ran over the goal-line and touched it with ..is hand. The goal was disallowed.

In the circumstances Marist played up well and tried hard to make up the leeway. Wyatt was undergoing a hot attack and ran out to save, catching the ball in his hands. The Marist forwards were on him like ft shot and worried him so much that he took atleast four steps before getting rid of the ball. Marist should have had a free kick in front of goal, but didn’t get it, but when five minutes Inter Turkington committed a similar offence Diamonds were awarded a free kick. Is it any wonder players and spectators were dissatisfied? Marist went off colour, and no wonder. Unable to do anything right. Marist made no headway, and when Rigby netted a third goal for Diamonds the end soon came. Taking the play all the way 'through Marist had quite as much of the play as Diamonds and at the least deserved to share the honours. Hospital Win.

Hospital was in winning mood against W.Y.M.1., although the latter put up an entertaining game and at one time looked like sharing the points. W.Y.M.I. lacks team work and needs a little more practice together. The Hospital players make a powerful team, and will not relinquish the championship lightly. The club is more fortunate than most in having such a strong lot of players in reserve. Seatoun’s New Players.

Seatoun has signed on two new men jn Bradshaw nnd Otter, both ex-Auckland representative players, and the club is evidently out to secure a strong position in the table and keep nway from the relegation area. Thistle made a draw with Sentonn, and the Scotties will do hotter when they have played themselves in. There nre several new players in their ranks, nnd when they know each other bettor there will bo something doing. Petono and Waterside gave a good exhibition, pnrtiohlarly Haines, the Waferside centre-half. Both forward linos were aetive. hut Leslie after scoring the first goal for Petono was too closely wntoh to ronoaf his success. Dunlop’s goal for Waterside was a trimmer, coming in nt an acute ancle wh’oh completely deceived the goalie. Waterside club is badly in need of four or five nlnyers to keen its sixth division team going, nnd nny hoys wanting n pinop should write to the. club nt once. Here is a fine chance for boys to learn tjio <rnmo properly.