ASSOCIATION

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 82, 4 October 1919, Page 12

ASSOCIATION

(By "Vanguard.")

THE SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP,

A WIN FOR YOUNG MEN,

Young Men have certainly come ahead in senior grade-Association football this season, and on Saturday last the team carried off the championship by their victory over Thistle by three goals to nil. The winners last year were Porirua, Marist being second, and Young Men third. This year Porirua have' gained fifth place only, and Marist fourth. The details of the championship points are as follow.

On the showings of the two teams on Saturday, Y.M,C.A. has a decidedly better pack of forwards than Thistle,, for right through they showed more dash and better combination than did the Blues, who, though/they played well" among the two wings, seldom cross.Tkicked, and thus lost many an opportunity. On forward play, Young Men should have left the field1, with any margin of points to their credit they cared to build up, bat fortunately for Thistle their defensive work' was particularly good, although they were without the services of M'Kenzie in the full-back, line. ' M'Arthur played a great full-back game for the Scotchmen, and every back in Wellington ■ has something to learn from his play. He never appears to bustle himself, but he is invariably on tha. spot, and his footwork is thoroughly • sound. Taylor, who played his first game since his return from the front, in place of M'Kenzie, put in a deal of useful work, and M'Goran, left half, shone out in both attack and defence. He, too, refuses to bustle, but he gets there, and certainly does not err on the side of playing "pussy." The Y.M.O.A. backe did not shine out particularly, for, as pointed out above, the team's work was practically in the hands of the forwards. Their goalkeeper, ' Hollis, though not, called upon to do as much as Egertpn, in goal for-Thistle, showed himself to be. safe. The shooting in this game was, on the whole, not what it should have been. There was no lack of energy, but veiy many attempts were wildly wide of the nets, and good chances were missed through hesitation. - Several times, too, the wings essayed shots from impossible anglee instead of centring to men in more favourable positions. If Young Men can effect an improvement in their shooting,, their victories will come to them more easily. Certainly they were up against tough propositions on Saturday, but more of their shots should have found the net. The referee's word is, on the field at any rate, final, and various players on Saturday would have done well to have recognised that fact and to have protested less. ; : Summed up, the game was really between the Y.M;O.A. pack of forwards and Thistle's backs, with occasional breaks when the Blue's vanguard got going, and the forwards just managed to get. through. t . ■ ■

Played. Won. Lost. Drn. Y.M.C.A. 15 11 3 1 Thistle ...-15 9 3 3 Institute.. 14 9 3 2 Marfet _., 14 6 5 , 3 Porirua ..14 5 7 2 Petpne .... 13 3 7 3 Diamond 13 3 8 2 V Brooltlyn 14 2 12 0 Pta. 23 21 20 15 12 9 8 4