ASSOCIATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 100, 27 April 1912, Page 14

ASSOCIATION.

(By "Vanguard.") The opening of the season last Saturday was under somewhat unpleasant weather conditions, and, as usual at the beginning of a season, very poor form was' exhibited. Why that should be the case is "not quite clear. It would pay players to get into condition for the opening of ■ a season, instead of getting their training • after the competitions have begun. They would be on far better terms with themselves and stand a, very much better chance of scoring first blood and of subsequent successes, apart altogether from the pleasure they would afford to the spectators. Some day, perhaps, they will look at the thing from that, point of view. Till then the spectators who attend the earlier matches of the season will have to suffer. It is' interesting to note that there is some prospect of a French .team visiting the Antipodes. The entry of M'Sieu into the athletic arena is of very recent date. Only -the other day, »o to speak, the utmost ambition of French athleticism was to defeat an English boxer in a contest between La Savate (in which the foot is employed and in which great skill is attained) and "Le Boxe." The exponent of Savate fell in deeply on that occasion, but time brings its revenges. A Frenchman has beaten a crack English boxer in the ring (no Savate this time). Franco beat Scotland at Rugby, and now a French "soccer" team is looking for scalps iv the Southern seas. The tact is a tribute to the growing athleticism of the French and the popularity of the Association game. If the team should arrive in New Zealand they will meet with a hearty reception. Meanwhile, playens should take lessons in French pronunciation, making a start with "Vive l'entente cordials.'" The ccmhale" in question, by the bye, has nothing -u> do with alcoholic stimulants Diamonds started badly in their game against Swifts last Saturday, but they played harder and .faster and longer than their opponents, and they deserved the wm. There were grave faults— of condition, combination; and individual play —to b e brought against both sides, and in. only one or two instances was the game anything like first-class, but the bwifts fell further from grace than they have been known to do for a long time, and they reaped the reward of their gracelessness. For a team which gained premier honours last season their exhibition was not at all creditable. . They knew they had to meet a team which is of good calibre and .always plays to I WU riu nd play , 8 a g°° d clean game, too- ! and they took the field evidently untrained and sadly lacking combination. I here is 410 need to recapitulate the details of the play, except to add that reliance on past renown is one of the most dangerous aids on which a team can rely. Diamonds are to be congratulated on a well-deserved win. They' would have been better advised if they liad entered the contest a great deal more fit. yWa ?e? e - &m& m in the x.M.L.A.-Connthiane match last Satur* W tLu y m o means U P f ° the standard, bath teams show m-omise of developing effective combination and sound of +^ e 'vT^ «***»% so tie case of the V.M.C.A., who have in Coafces the making of a very useful full-back. Coad, their centre-half, played a ti'ie game for his side, and doubtless will be heard of again before the season advances very far. On the left wing in *Sffc P0*???P 0 *???. Vfl Ty f^ combination 1, il R. (? utelde) and Beavis (inside), who .both dad yeoman service for their team. Phillips, who registered both the goals, showed some .of his last season's YMV ? yVB A ' W?* 4l * ' t^oughout. V.M.C.A. undoubtedly deserved their win, being; much superior- to their opponentc m -all points of the game. U>nnthians, while possessing some very good- men, lacked^ the combination and resource of their opponents. ■ Gregory 1^ a , Trojan throughout aJ saved his side from many a tight conitti. ives, tneir representative of last year has not yet struck form, although he was occasionally seen to advantage. Of th* others Bradbury and perhaps Ratter deserve mention, but the teams possess some men who are not likely to be seen again until they have got into a bit ot form and have learnt a few of the elements of the game. Play in' the Roveis-Ramblers fixture on Saturday wae for the most part of an uninteresting character. Combination on both sides was in a minus quantity but more so in the case of Ramblers, lwo or three times .during the game Kovers forward line got into workine order, but individual efforts were more the order of the day. Gibson (outeide left for Rovers) made a rather good run I up the field in the first half, successfully . eluding the 'attempts of three opponents to relieve him of his freight. Ramblers, although they had the wind at their back 6 in the first spell, seemed to have no command of the ball, . and were unable to score. The beginning of the second half saw Ramblers liven up considerably, with the result that they were able to get .the first Mow home. For Rovers Duignan v (centre-half) put the finishing touches to the game by scoring the last two goals for has side. Among the forwards Gibson (outside left) was always in the picture, while Duncan (centre forward) and Grant (inside left) made some fairly good individual efforts. The latter player, though out of practice at present, should prove a valuable addition to Rovers' forward Mne. The two Harte worked haTd/ for Ramblers, while Edwards (outside left) also put in some good work. Lack of combination 'was the main cause of Wanderers' downfall at Kelburne Park, where they were defeated by St. John's by 2 goals to 1. Although, weather conditions were entirely adveree to brilliant " soccer," the match can hardly be classed as worthy of first grade. Wanderers started' off keenly enough, but died away in the early stages of the game. It is safe to assume that had Wanderers followed up then- repeated onslaught with a little move persistency, they might have turned defeat to victory, albeit they were very weak both in attack and defence, and it wae noticeable thai at the more critical periods — Le., when they had every opportunity to score, the right man wm in the wrong place. St. John's, although far from perfect as regards combination, attacked with much more determination than their opponents, and were also more solid when defending. Shaw, St. John's centre-half, seems to have retained has old brilliancy and was generally prominent when his services were most needed. Another player who was particularly noticeable was Cuminings, left back on the same side; he ?romises to do well in future contests, lie players who stood out most on the losers' side were the Parsons brothers and Shaw, while a number of others should do better when they become more familiar with one another's tactics.' Bath teams are undoubtedly in need of plenty of practice. The initial senior league match at Porirua between Thistle aud Hospital aleo piovided little to enthuse over, good football being at a. discount. Lack of training, coupled with a greasy ball and a slippery ground, prevented the players from showing their true form, but judging fiom occasional glimpses both teams will be well up in the table at the end of the tourney. Hospital showed borne nice combination at limet, one goal scored by Rootb being the outcome of a judicious pass back fiom Tyier. who, Hading himself corned, "me his captain a fine opening. M'Lellan had a tine chance to open liis bide'« account, fol-

lowing a save by Cockburn, who had advanced to meet the Thiefcle's forwards outside the goal area. The keeper flung himself at the ball, but losing control of it while on the ground, M'Lellan could only shoot past the post, an easy chanre thrown away. A thrilling incident .was a raid by Hughes, who, receiving a timely pass just inside hie awn half, had a clear field, but was overhauled by a Thistle back just as he was iv the act of shooting, the ball just skimming past the post. M'Ardle showed that he had not forgotten how to "keep" during the recess ; some of his work with a greasy ball was very fine, and thanks to him the score of 4—o4 — 0 was not largely exceeded, as the Hospital had quite the best of three- fourths of the game. Brownlee and Duley, with veteran Miller behind, worked hard in a disjointed team, and were responsible for some timely interventions at critical moments. Roots celebrated his captaincy with a brace of goals, both secured with very fine volleys, M'Ardle being "not at home" to such sudden visitors. Tyrer's dribbles were always dangerous, while Phillips kept his old clubmates on tenterhooks. Hospital turned out in their new colours, green and- white stripes, a neat-looking uniform, and, with an enlarged playing space to operate on, are looking forward to a successful season. Arrangements have been made by which members of the Council of the New Zealand Association will keep in touch with the local associations on at least three occasions during the present season — a plan which will prove of very great value when the policy of promotion and development to be put forward al the annual meeting of the association has been adopted.