ASSOCIATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25, 29 July 1911, Page 14

ASSOCIATION.

(By "Vanguard.") Each week Swifts steadily improve their position, or at least they never lose ground. As they now stand they have only played thirteen to many of the other teams' fourteen matches, and yet are one point in the lead of the two elevens abTeast of each other in this running up. Unless anything very untoward happens then, the struggle for premier place will clearly lie between Swifts. Mental Hospital, and Thistles. Ramblers, who have played the full fourteen games, are six points behind th© total of Swifts thirteen matches. Even then Diamonds— the combination that has the happy knack of registering a draw when they meet one of the cracksare only one point removed from last year's championship winners, and this in face of the fact that, like Swifts, they (the blacks) have not been able to play their full complement of matches. Thistle and Hospital, as already remarked, are a tie on the ladder with 21 championship points apiece, but the latter have the more creditable record. This is seen in the fact that they have achieved the no mean distinction of scoring jttore goals than any other contestant. Approximately they have about 52 to their credit, which number is about 19 in excess of Thistle's tally. It caps also Swifts' s record of about 42 goals. In the matter of "goals against," their complement is less than that of Swifts by one point. Corinthians have achieved fame in a negative sense in the matter of statistics, having had by far and away the most number of goals (an approximate estimate j is 65) registered against them. This, however, was chiefly brought about on account of set-backs received earlier in the season, for of late they have every claim for congratulation. Indeed, so far have they improved their position that St. John's have had to give place to them, and it looks as if one or two other elevens will have to follow suit. Diamonds invaded the heights of Porirua with the firm intention of lower* ing the colours of the leading team in the competition, and almost succeeded in doing so, coming away with a point which the Hospital men would dearly liked to have kept. They wefe lucky to keep their second round record clean, as Diamonds, taking the game all through, had somewhat the best of mate ters. Some excuse is found for th© falling away of Hospital, as influenza had been through their Tanks, several prominent players being off colour on that account. Wilton did not visit his old club mates, so another of the Lowe family, in the toward line, brought up the tally of Lowes 1 to three, and all of them were a source of much discomfort to their opponents, Black a-nd I Shearer completing a line superior in dash and business-like methods to the white vanguard. They failed to score, however, a little all-important point due to the fine defence of the white brigade, Cockburn. and his backs proving impenetrable. The rival defences were the best parts of the teams, Patrick putting in som© smart work, with a little luck at times, while Roberts put up a 'first-class display. Barnett and .Taylor were verjr vigilant, and taken all round their display was one of the best seen this season. Young, a new Hospital half, showed a good knowledge of his duties, and fed his forwards in proper' style, putting in a -very good afternoon's work. Roots was not so much in the picture as usual, but did a lot of good work, while Wallis and Moyan were sure, and Cockbum's clean sheet is his best testimonial. With the ground In excellent condition the Thistle-Wanderers match at Duppa-street last Saturday proved 1 very interesting. Play was exciting, and the players themselves became excited at times. The referee appointed far the match by the association failed to put in an appearance, and a spectator offered to take charge of the game. He proved himself a very .capable performer ,with the whistle, but some of his decisions, did not agree with the Scotch blood of the blues, who up to that time were losing. Consequently play , became rather boisterous. Frequent, breaks on account of threatened pugilistic contests did not improve matters, The referee, too, was submitted to a great deal of criticism from both players and spectators; once he threatened to withdraw, but he is to be commended for the way in which he carried himself through a very awkward position. The second half was entirely free from dis-turbance-—perhaps it was because Thistle were in the lead— -and altogether was a very fair exhibition of soccer. The result, Thistle 4, Wanderers 2, is a very? fasr indiQattomi of the relative merits of the teams. To come to the players. The Thistle full-backs, especially Jardine, were that day on the weak side. Their victory is due to fine play on the part of Ash and Hall as inside and outside right respectively ; both these players were ( in excellent form, although. Aeh _ occasionally showed signs of idling. Lindsay and Brownlee are solid players, especially on defensive work. M'Ardle put in some good work in goal and saved some very difficult shots. The less said of the Wanderers' j forward line the better; they are a I very ordinary lot and showed very little l combination. That the score against them was not greater is duo to the excellent work of Parsons at left full and his partner Shaw. Holt, at centre, did his duty manfully and well, while Oarnett, in goal, had pknty of opportunities of showing his points to advantage. V.M.C.A. easily got the best of St. John's last Saturday, eventually winning by a margin of five, goals. The game wae of a more or lees uninteresting type from start to finish. Five minutes after the commencement it could be seen St. John's were already beaten, V.M.C.A. being their superior both in combination and individual play. St. John's did make some show on commencing, but, owing to their inability to centre the ball, they were never really dangerous. Smith (Y.M.C.A.) shortly after gave St. John's a lesson ac to how they should have started, by making a splendid run up the line and nicely centreing to Brown, who J shot the ball through. It was in the second half tha-t St. John's rallied, but their bad shooting and Y.M.C.A. 'e defence prevented them from scoring. The Young Men, on the other hand\ did not play as well as they did in the first half, and, in consequence, the rest of the gamo lacked interest, being mo*tly ; give-and-take play. V.M.C.A. 'a for- I ward lino worked well, Brown (centre forward) and Smith (outside leit) being the best. , V.M.C.A. missed the cervices of Jai'dine, their centre half, who, through an accident to one of hie feet in the match against Thistles the previous Saturday, will not be abls to play for them for som© time. If St. John's had only a few nioro Shaw* in their team, it Would make a- vast improveI ment.