ASSOCIATION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 103, 2 May 1914, Page 14

ASSOCIATION

SATURDAY'S OPENING PLAY. The championship season opened on batiirday under fairly decent weather conditions. Play was variable, but on the whole reasonably good. CORINTHIANS' GOOD START. It's a pity the Wanderers' do not carry more weight. They know the game .well, they are as game as buck rats, they play hard till the recall comes trom the referee— and they can't score, ihey were up against big stuff on Saturday—big Corinthian stuff that knew a lot and weighed a lot, that knew, what it wanted and how to get it. From the jump it, realised that. weight would tell, especially when combined with skill and confidence, and it played along those lines to a very happy conclusion. Also, it played a good, clean, law-abiding game, and I do not recall a deliberate breach of the rules being committed. That last remark applies also to the Wanderers. Both sides "played the game " in good New Zealand fashion, and they are to be congratulated. No. On further reflection I must modify that statement. ' I consider that a club should strive as hard to "play the game " as it should to " play to win," and I also consider that "Soccer" opinion should be directed in such a channel as to deprecate to the fullest extent the club or the player who does not " play the game." All that by the way. As to the Gorinthiah- Wanderers . match, there is little to add to what has already been said. Webster, in goal for the losers, must, however, get another line. He was a treat to watch, and should, on Saturday's play, be- in the running for representative honours. His full-backs, Shaw and Johnson, also deserve a word of praise. It was not their fault that the game went against their side. Among the halves, O'Shea did good work, and among the forwards Kettlewell and Barber were always conspicuous. Hodge, goal for Corinthians, was in good form, and earned high praise. Rickerby was not apparently quite up to form in the back division, but Jarmy (centre half) did excellent work, as also did Roberts at outside right and Gibson in the centre. Gibson is going to be a prominent player this season, judging from his display on Saturday, and Ballard (outside left) did good service. To sum up, it may be said that Corinthians will have to be carefully considered. They are a good, hefty team, and show great promise. HOSPITAL'S EASY WIN. A close game was expected in the V.M C.A, — Hospital match at Porirua, as these teams met in tha 'final of the Charity Cup at tlie end of last season, when Hospital won, after extra time, by 1' goal to nil. Tliere is little change in the personnel of the teams from last season, and there is no doubt the gam© would have been closer if it had not rained. On the wet ground, Hospital were masters of the situation all through the game., their control and placing of the 'hail being a t»reat to watch.*' The V.M. C.A. forwards played in marked contrast, being in too great a hurry to get rid of the ball, and, by kicking too

hard, continually feeding their opponents' defence. Right from the start, Hospital attacked and, except for an occasional breakaway by the V.M.C.A. forwaids, kept the pressure up all through the game. Daily and Heath, on the right wing, combined beautifully for Hospital,' and from them came most of the chances of scoring. Heath, in particular, worked hard, and was easily the best man on the field. Hughes, who has increased a lot in weight, did not shine so much as of yore, being well watched by Roberts, but he obtained his usual goal. Skinner and Elliot wore the same good pair, and Skinner's shooting has not deteriorated. In the halves, Roots and Duncan played excellently, particularly Roots, whose headwork was, much in evidence. Cross and vWallis kicked with judgment, and Cross had extra work through the weakness of Parkin, Hospital right half, who was playing in place of Shand, who has been transferred to Nelson. Parkin lias the makings of A nice half, but he was right out of condition. Cobb, in goal, had little to do, but he did it well. For V.M.C.A. Hollis, in goal, had a lot of work during the afternoon, and, except the last goal, had no chance of saving those scored. Goate and Coad had the bulk of the defence thrust upon them, and it was hard luck for Coate that he sliould score Hospital's first goal. With the exception of Roberts, the half-backs did not catch the eye much, although Threadgill kept the Hospital left wing fairly quiet. The forwards generally on the day were weak, the best of the five being Hoare and Bruce, on the left wing. BIT OF A SURPRISE. The Swifts' defeat of Rovers by 3 goals to none came aa' a surprise after the opening stages of the first half. The former did a good deal of pressing, but in front of goal their shooting was bad, and a number' of likely 'chances were missed. Balks and Taylor were sure at back, fortunately, while the halves put in a lot of useful work in breaking up the attacking combination. Rovers, however, were decidedly handicapped through playing ten men, the defence thus being seriously weakened. Martin played the role of full-back, and his tackling and kicking were v effective and clean. Bidmead kept out several warm shots, but he allowed rather an easy goal to beat him from the foot of Macklin. In the second half. Swifts had the better of exchanges, their play having improved in every department. At the same time, both teams must give increased attention to passing, as lack of cohesion among the forwards was noticeable at times. The greasy nature of the ball militated against accurate shooting, but apart from this, shooting at goal was indulged in where, the chances of anything tangible being effected were' remote. IMPROVED BROOKLYN. The meeting -of Brooklyn and Diamonds on the new ground at Kilbirnie South was of interest in many ways. As a trial of strength, Brooklyn displayed their superior form in almost all deparments of the game,, and showed that, m spite of the fact that last year they were at the bottom of the .cham,pionship ladder, their side has been considerably improved,) and will_ develop into a team of some', strength and combination. A defect that was particularly noticeable last season — the lack of sound back play — has been to ,a large extent remedied by the inclusion of ' Robinson and Atkinson. .Although not showing to advantage last Saturday, the transfer of Barnett from Thistle to Brooklyn left wing should prove of great assistance to the latter club. On the whole the Brooklyn vanguard displayed, considering the earli-, ness of the season, much pace and nippiness, which they maintained throughout the game. Hill, at centre, prQVed a tower of strength to his side, and was ably assisted by Davis, Morris, and Kellaway. The Diamonds' team included a large proportion' .pf last season's St. John's players, owing to the disbanding of their team from want of sufficient members, have transferred their allegiance to the former club. The Diamonds' team includes Walls (in goal), Dick and Shaw (in tlie half line), and Leakey, Morison, and Egley (in the forwards). Three men only— Leversage, Collins, and Keatle— • remain of the original team, Dumbleton (at centre), 'being promoted from last year's junior eleven. With men of such calibre, Diamonds should have been able to make a better show, but it is clearly evident that training had in the main ,been i neglected, and could, with a very considerable amount of certainty, be set down as the reason of their defeat. It should not take long, however, for the team to develop some form and combination, when, with the talent it undoubtedly possesses, ( it should present a very tough proposition to any side in the competiti6n. GENERALITIES. - j W. D. Phillips, late Hospital and Wellington representative forward, was linesman at the Hospital-Y.M.CA. match on Saturday. , Since last season "Bill" has joined the ranks of the Benedicts. Several players have started the season with a change of jersey, notably, Gibson and Rickerby from Thistle to Corinthian, and Barnett from Thistle to Brooklyn. As was mentioned last week, most of the St. John's have gone to Diamonds. j The old trouble of players signing on for more than one club has cropped up again. The W.F.A. should deal firmly ' with this matter, especially as they had a note inserted on the registration forms warning players against this practice. Reid, the ex-Otago representative, has signed on for Thistle. This makes the third club Reid has signed for since his arrival in Wellington at the end of last season, but he has only played in one mateh — the Cup final of last season. Clubs have been asked by the W.F.A. to use more discretion in playing junior and third-class players m the First Division. BOYS' FOOTBALL. "If you have any space to spare in your notes, kindly put in a, little on behalf of boys' football," says a correspondent. I shall be glad to comply with his request, and only hope that he and others will supply me with material. My correspondent adds that workers are wanted in this connection, and that "the boy footballers of to-day are the senior players of to-morrow." On this ho bases the sermon that good coaches are wanted for the boys. There are, he adds, 33 boys' teams (4th, sth, and 6th) playing, and every prospect of i-i achool teams playing this season, yet there is only one coach to about every four teams. Here is work lor enthusiasts. "Vanguard"' thoroughly endorses every word, and puts forward the hint in the hope that it will have the necessary effect. In regard to fourth-class games the correspondent says. --"Two new teams, Karori and Stars, took the field at Anderson Park on Saturday. Both teams played good football. 'From the start, Karori attacked, and. the Stars' goalkeeper showed that he kneAV his work and saved well, but a>, last Rose beat him with a hard shot. After this reverse Stars attacked strong and soon had the score on<i all. Not satisfied, btars added another to their credit. Karori equalised with a penalty taken by H. Russell. For half-an-bour play was very even until if t tho last two minutes Hodge and J. Russell (both sth class players) scored fol« Karori. The advent of Stars is a, gain to 4th class football. Tliey have all played before, and know how to play, but have yet. to learn that very necesaavy factor how to combine. Given a good coach, Stars would soon prove themselves a hard nut to ci'aek, as they have some ,Xi*\ good material in their team.