ASSOCIATION NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 129, 1 June 1907, Page 14

ASSOCIATION NOTES.

[Br Vanguard.]

I More interest was taken in the Senior League matches on Satuiday than in any previous get of fktuics this season. The chief attraction was the Northern Wun-dererb-Y.M.C.A. malph. Neither team had until Saturday been defeated. Wanderers had lowered the colours of Diamonds (tho champions of last year) and Swifts, whilst V.M.C.A. had beaten Ramblers and R'overe. It was generally conceded that the honours were even, .me Home men, it was a:knowlcdged, had the advnntage in expaiience, and V.M.C.A. wcro rsgarded .as thfc more | dashing. Tho play was even for most of the game, then V.M C.A. shot out and led at the finish by four goals to one. The victory, for a young team, was a splendid one, being accomplished by tho exorcise of skill in conjunction with dash and endursneo. Ramblers, the champion junior team, of lasi. year, beat lioyers by 2 goals to I, Swifts defeating Diamonds by a bimihr score. All the games were spoilt during the last halfhour by rain and darkness netting in. It was almost impossible to distinguish the playors from the line j as for the players, it was a case of guess-ing whej-e the ball was. The Diamonds of last -Saturday were hardly as sttong as the Diamonds of a few weeks ago. There has been a decided change in their lauks. Taylor, tho pivot of the team, recently transferred to Palmerston North, was replaced by Tempest, who hud been r playing forward. Hodges, inside left, having withdrawn from play, had to be replaced by Roberts, tho left-half, whil«st Barnett wad promoted from junior's ranks to fill the vacancy in the half division. When these changes are taken' into consideration. Diamonds did well against such doughty opponents as Swifts. Tempest was inelineJ to wamler from his place, nod Uoberls, as was to bo expected,. lacked thai quality of working in with the other forwards. But there is no leason at all why these defeats cannot be remedied, and after a few games, each of the thrco players mentioned should contribute enough skill to hold their positions as strongly as they were held before the changes were muae. Black, Hathawuy and Reddy did a lot of good work in the forward division. All of the backs played solid games, the best display being given by Roberts at fullback. Swifts showed improved form, several of their concerted movements being really clever. Oilier was again the Star forward. Ift did some very fine wavtt. on the left wing, one of his efforts resulting in a fino scoring shot. J. PyeSmith played a strong defensive gu'mo at right-half. His form ro far this seaeon has been consistently good. Another player to whom the same lemurks might apply is Klson. Graves paid particular attention t<» tho foiwaids. Swifts' first goal 'was due to his placing the ball in the goul-mouth to Taylor, who scored. Ramblers, in beating Rovers, had their fiist uin in Senior League; matches. They aio a likoly lot of players, and when they giiin mate experience as a combination hTioiilJ mako a good showing. Their taste of victory on Saturday will no doubt spur them on to muke further effort to excel. At the outset Rovers at- 1

tacked strongly, then Ramblers Fccaied an advantage, resulting in A. Mouatt scoring after some pretty play between himself und Anker. Tho scoio in no way dumped the ardour of Roveis. Before long Robinson, the . ex-Diamond junior, equalised with a nice goal. Subsequently the ball travelled up and down the Held without any material result until nearly half-time, when Mouatt, beating the" Rovers' centre-half and fullbacks, scored Ramblers' second goal. The next outstanding feature of tho match was a combined movement between the Ramblers left-^ing — Waters and Mouatt — and Anker. After this Rovers went very near scoring. The attack was started by Godber and icsulted in M. Rcnai getting in a nice shot from fairly close quarters. Mackay, in goal, was equal to the occasion, and effected a clover tsave. Rain and darkness interfered with the game after this, but the fcoie remained unaltered. For Rovers, Godber, at left half, was undoubtedly the best back on _ the field. He took about eight corner kicks, ai;d, with the exception of two, placed them beautifully in the mouth of goal. TIIS right half also played well. A Mouatt, forward, was the shining light of the Kamblors, his shooting and p;isr=ing being governed by excellent judgment. Anker and Waters also played well. M'Mahon and M'Ardle wore vpry safe, backs, whilst Mackay in goal was brilliant. Irvine, in goal for Wanderers against V.M.C.A., did ndt play up to his previous form. Clapham and Johnston wero safe at full backs, but both have played better i^amesf Perks shone out among tho half-back line, and was probably the best back on tha Homo team's side. The right-half, a new man, was a de"ided acquisition as a corner-kicker. The ]pft wing, Scott and Ash, was very Aggressive, Ash especially taking a_ lot of watching. Davidson on the right wing centred nicely. l>'or V.M.C.A., "Burns, in goal, was very cool and cleared several dangerous shots. Jones was safe at left full-back His partner, O 'Gorman, also defended well, but seemed ratht-r slow at getting in his kick at times. Storr, at centiv half, was a source of strength to bis side < Ho wa3 ably assisted by Gibson and O'Connell. The latter was called upon to fill Cecil Jones's place at right half, owing to the acting-general secre* tary being laid up. Sanders, at centre forward, played well, his foot and head work being very neat. Ho might, with advantage, feed his winders a little more. Lamb and King, tho inside men, combined and passed nicely. Miller and Croft.s were, always ir their places, but neither was overworked. Ono visiting Miramar regularly this Ke.iroi» is impressed by the improvement' in the game, and the even uaturo of the various teams. 'I hero is not a weak team in the competition. Some of the play exhibited recently would attract the attention of any follower of sport, and no doubt is responsible for tho increasing attendance of spectators at the matohps. Ac the game progresses tho Management Committee of the association should take into consideration tho question of charging for admittance. The wiiter is convinced that if spectators could rely on exhibitions of skill, as afforded recently, being given every Saturday, they would not begrudge a small gate charge to assist the game. "A most reprehensible stylo of play" write 3 Disgustod, "and ono which the Wellington Football Association Management Committee by its decisions in encouraging is noticeably increasing in Wollington football. I refer to tho practice of hacking and tripping indulged in by players. The self-sacri-ficing gentlemen who, as referees, week after week give their time and energies to tho game, aro making laudable i<n deavours to put down this kind of play. Their offorts arc, however, being nulliliod by the weak-kneed action of the Wellington , Football Association Committee in dealing with reported players. Their decision in tho case of the playei "orderod off' during tho Rovei V.M.C.A. match was absurdly lenient, and openly encourages a repetition of the offence. The player in question, after a goal had boen' scored, and while the players wero returning to the centre for the kick off, without the slightest provocation kicked an opponent (I was within ten yards of the scene, so I know tho facts). The rcforeo, who had previously warned tho offender for his unfair style of play, ordered him off the field. Now, sir, what penalty did our august committee inflict? Did they "put him up" for life, or a year, or a month? No! they simply administered just a plain, ordinary, every day caution. Nuff sed! If thia kind of play is allowed to continue, not only referees, but playors and public alike will be deserting tho most scientific of our winter games."