THE SOCCER FORUM

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 185, 3 May 1933, Page 7

THE SOCCER FORUM

Big Scores in Saturday’s Matches

REVIEW OF THE PLAY

(By

Ranger.)

The four senior games last Saturday produced an average of eight goals each, which is prolific scoring. There were 13 at Hospital, of which Gibbs scored a trio for Hospital, and Technical scored five. Gibbs is proving himself a scoring force in the forward line, for he did a lot of the damage against Diamonds the preceding Saturday. Stanbridge is also distinguishing himself at centre-forward, for he. too has been in the picture in both games. Why is Jeffreys not playing? W. Woods, who used to play for Hospital, is now to be found in the Petone advance guard. It was a fast game last .Saturday, and the teams and the referee were not sorry when the final whistle went.

Technical Old Boys were in good form, and to score five goals against Hospital speaks, for itself. If our junior grades continue to send up senior teams of this calibre, then w/> may reasonably look forward to a decided improvement in the standard of play. Petone Show Improvement. Swifts had Petone guessing in the first spell on Saturday, the Petone forwards dallying too much with the ball, and the! wing halves were weak. The two goals scored by Swifts were beauties, but I fancy Swifts took it out of themselves too much in the first half. The condition of the Petone men at the interval showed that they had not had mutters all their own way, for they were perspiring freely, Leslie as much as any of them. He took a penalty kick which he volleyed at Bradford, who met it pluekily and saved. The young Swifts goalie is certainly acquitting himself creditably, but seemed to be like the rest of his side —a bit disheartened towards the finish. The Swifts must not. be discouraged when the tide turns against them, as it did after the interval. The Petone team rallied round Campbell and played fast and good football. The Petone skipper revealed himself as a leader and was largely responsible for turning the tables in the last half-hour. Here again the referee would not have been sorry ‘o have the hockey rule operating, a referee in each half of the field. Frequently the play changed from one end of the field to the other so quickly that it was hard to keei> pace witli it. Seatoun Senior B XI ' have taken up last year's fourth-grade centre half, Bedford, and he looks like making a good job of it. T. James is at centre-forward. A. Kinder, one of the old brigade, has taken on the job of coach and selector, and this should be a big asset to the team. The senior B’s have started well.' and. if present form is maintained may well get back to First Division next season. At present 1 cannot see a more likely team for promotion, and so far as the first division is concerned, the contest to avoid relegation is going to be almost as keen as the winning of the championship itself. Referee’s Bad Decisions. Some notice is likely to be taken at the next meeting of the Referees’ Association of some bad decisions which were given in a game at Seatoun, and some wrong practices which he allowed to pass unchecked. He hits possibly learned b.v now on reference to his chart that in kicking off at the start of the game or after a goal is scored "a place-kick from the centre of the field of play in the direction of the opponents’ goal line” is the only correct way. He may touch it forward to one of his wing forwards, who may then play it back to the halves. In the game in question the centre-forward kicking off backheeled the ball to his centre-half, and that is not correct. The referee should have ordered the kick-off to have been taken again No doubt (here are some referees who, after having taken a game or two. think they know all about it. If they will take the trouble to attend the lectures b.v men of long years of experience, as arranged by their association, they will realise that there is quite a lot to learn, and, in fact, that the best of referees has

something to learn. Mr. A. E. Caisley, who has given valuable service in the way of lectures, is a member of the “English Football Referee,” and has wide experience in Scotland. Club Personal. T. Taylor, late secretary of Seatoun Football Club, is leaving for Australia in about a fortnight. He has been succeeded by Mr. J. James. The player who was understood to have retired from the game last season was out again on Saturday and scored a useful trio of goals. Rolfe, a new arrival front London, has signed on for Seatoun. He is a good stamp of boy. Frank O’Connell has been made a lifemember of the Wellington Referees’ Association in recognition of his long years of service to the game. Something like 40 years. That’s good going. Almost as good as the record of E. Watts. Miller, Swifts’ left-half, wandered about too much on Saturday at Petone. It left his wing too open, and Petone were not slow to seize the chances'. It is his first game for a couple of seasons. If he keeps his place more he will not exhaust himself so much. Watson. Petone, was in good form, and his overhead kick eaught Bradford on the hop. Haines gave a good defence for Petone, and cleverly covered occasional weaknesses on the part of the other back. McAuslin was not too good in the first spell, but improved later. Leslie should never have missed with; a beautiful cross from Craig in the first spell. Hawker, the ex-Marist player, promises to render good service at outside left for Swifts. He did well on Saturday. A challenge has been sent in by the Wellington Association for the F.Atrophy, and I hope to see a Wellington team going to Otago early next month. We want that trophy badly. Auckland will probably challenge Wellington for the Frank Campbell Rose Bowl before the end of the season, and will doubtless be challenging for the F.A. trophy too. W. Arcus, of Diamonds, who saw the trial match in Sydney between North v. South (N.S. Wales), rather fancies Npw Zealand's chances in the Test matches. In that case Australia will have to come to New Zealand for the ashes. May it be soon. What are the chances of a New Zealand schoolboy team going to Australia during the August-September holidays? We must wait and see what Manager H. L. Godber can do when he gets over ’to the other side. Tarkington, the Marist goalie, gave one of his worst displays against Waterside last Saturday. His handling was very uncertain. ■ The Kershaw brothers played good football all through, with the younger player being slightly ahead. It is understood that T. Marshall will be taking the centre-forward position in the Marist team next week or the following one. He will make a big difference to the front line. Some smart and accurate snapshooting was shown by the Waterside player. Patterson, last' week. Woods and Craig. Petone. must he spoker of as a pair. They played really i good, football against Swifts, their passing and understanding being a feature of the game. Woods scored three very clever goals, and Craig, b.v his usual tricky work, gave the goalie plenty to do. MeAuslin. Petone. will have to improve to keep his place in the half-back line. He played a poor game against Swifts, and would not take advantage of first time opportunities. Marking of Ground. No attention apparently lias been paid to the marking of the ground at Kilbir- , nie in spite of the criticism this omission h’-ought forth last season. The linesmen | had an unenviable job in trying to define '

what was virtually an imaginary line and players had the same difficulty. Nor was there a mark anywhere on the field to show where the penalty area was. Marist Social Evening. An informal social evening is to be given next Monday by the Marist club in honour of J. Kershaw and E. Barton, members of the Marist team, who are included in the New Zealand eleven to tour Australia. All members of the club are asked to attend, as it is hoped to make the evening an outstanding success. Useful Maxims. The following hints published in the “Football Referee” (England) are well worth study by players, clubs, and referees :— REMEMBER. Referees. You are one of the great anointed, with more power than any despot that ever lived. Your duties are arduous and your fees precarious. Your actions and conduct are always open to discussion. And your decisions to criticism and misunderstanding. Your life’s never safe unless the home team wins. Never to explain mistakes. Never to lose your head or yout humour. Never to threaten a player with your authority—use it. Never to criticise another referee’s efforts. - To referee a game once and once only, and for ever after to hold your peace. Club Secretaries. There is only one referee; he is supreme in all things. His judgment never fails; his watch never stops. His mistakes are only errors and do not affect the game —only tlie result. Honour and respect him, for his days may not be long on your ground. Do not blaspheme him, nor cause him to be blasphemed. Do not bear him malice, nor put it into practice. Do not covet his watch, nor his fee, nor his job, nor anything that is his. See him safely off your ground and wish him God-speed. He needs it. Report him only when he is good. Bless him and love him, for the next one may be worse. Players. Football is controlled by the association. Read the rules. You start when you like—after the referee has blown his whistle. You keep on playing until it sounds again. Don't ask what’s happened excepting after you’ve been knocked out. Don’t threaten the other player—forgetit. Don’t, argue with the referee —he’s not worth it. When it’s half-time you’re boss for five minutes. When you restart, think it's a new game. When you’re fouled, don’t use foul expressions. When you win, be generous. When you lose, be cheerful. And one more point for all — You are British sportsmen—be proud of it.