SOCCER

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 124, 26 May 1923, Page 16

SOCCER

[BY '-'VANQUARD"!

RIVALS STILL

Watersidars 1, Thistle 1. This result last Saturday, when the first round of the .Charity Cup competition was played, caused more surprise in Association foot, ball circles ■ than has been caused by a result for some. time. Who would have thought that Thistle, sharing the lowest ! place on the grade championship table with three other teams, would make a draw, and almost a victory, of their game with Watersiders, who stand undefeated at the top'of the list? Last year that result would have occasioned no surprise, for the two teams were rivals throughout the season, and fought out, the' Cup final, but this year Thistle have fallen on evil days, and have lost many of the giants who assisted them in their victories last season. • On Saturday the spirit of rivalry was born again, and the clash of Watersiders and Thistle at Association Park strangely enough provided the most gruelling contest of the round. This return to' form by Thistle will be welcomed by ■ friend • and foe alike, for iio real enthusiast' likes to see tho decline of a, team which hag done much to improve the standard of play in club matches, and it is to be hoped that, encouraged by their- success, Thistle will continue to improve to such an' extent that they will yet fill a prominent place in the League championship. The other matches of the Charity Cup round also provided contests that were of surprising interest, in view of the unfavourable weather. • To play on a ground that had been soaked by heavy rain, and even in teavy rain, is by no means a pleasant experience, and such conditions are not conducive to football of a high standard. For that reason it is to the credit of. the various teams that the displays given' were so good, and so full of interest.' The success pi B division teams drawn to meet A division teams was not the least gratifying feature ,of the round, and went to strengthen the opinion formed and expressed ■by "vanguard " earlier in the season -that the present system of dividing the senior teams is not best. However, that is a point that need not be discussed at present. Scottish Wanderers, drawn to meet Karori, secured a win by three goals to one, and Swifts played a.drawn game with..Welgasco, who are playing in the A grade for the first time this year. These results must be particularly gratifying to the two B. grade teams.. Playing at Porirua, Hospital made amends for their defeat at the hands, of Watersiders by soundly defeating Marist. Both teams were feeling the absence of a player with the Australian team, the fact that each team had one representative evening matters up. Diamonds and V.M.C.A. A met at Newtown Park, and the former team secured their third one-point victory of the season. Probably no team in New Zealand has been handicapped to such an .extent.as .V.M.C.A. on. account of the Australian tour, three members, Campbell, M!Arthur, and Ballardi hay-, iug left wjth the team. It was to-be expected, ■ then, that the team would be disorganised to a great extent, and.under the- circumstances they did very, well indeed. The fact that they were not defeated by a greater margin of points was undoubtedly due.to the brilliant display of goal-keeping given by Tarrant. Institute easily accounted for Porirua on the latter's own ground, and Brooklyn had no difficulty-at all in disposing of V.M.C.A. B, who are a very weak team this season. The Charity Cup table is as follows:— ■

Criticism, provided it is instnictive, is often helpful and oven appreciated by those against whom it is levelled, and for that reason " Vanguard "is going to criticise the px^serit system of intermingling the grade and Charity Cop competitions. For some time,the local association has been faced with the task of dealing with its competitions, which are growing each year, in the best. possible manner, bufe despite its endeavours there are faults that might be remedied. Under the present system three series of grade matches are played; then comes a series of Charity Cup matches, and then the grade matches again. What) is {he result? Last week, in the Chanty Cup competition, V.M.C.A. A met Diamonds, and this week, in the grade competition, the sama two teams are meeting again. This is a happening that it would be well to.avoid, in view of the fact that the teams concerned are likely to lose a certain amount of interest if called on to play each other on two consecutive Saturdays. The same thing has happened in 1 the B division South Wellington and Island Bay, who met last Saturday, being called on to try conclusions again this Saturday. " Vanguard " is of the opinion that it would be bettev to postpone the deciding of the Charity Cup matches until the end of the grade matches. It is recognised that there are arguments, and strong ones at . that, against this principle. For instance, it is pointed out that as the Charity Cup is the knock-out competition, teams would be rendered idle at* tho .end of the season.' That may be so, but would it noi( be possible to an-anee » series of

THISTLE AND WATERSIDERS DRAW

SURPRISE IN CHARITY CUP ROUND

friendly matches -between, teams that have been forced to drop out of the main competition? It is too late to alter the system this season, but something should be done next season to remedy the defect. - - ....

Eesentment at any imputation that the members of the Waterside Football Club have declined to go to-Australia on account- of possible disorganisation of the club team is expressed in a letter to "The Post" from the secretary of the. club (Mr. A. J. Underwood). "Up to the present momentj" says Mr. Underwood, " this club has not received any notification either from the New-Zea-land Council or the W.F.A. (that any_ of its members had been selected to join the team. ■ Both Messrs. D. Jones and W. Anton received notifications individually, but for reasons best known to them-: selves had to decline the offer." Mr.. Underwood resents very ■ strongly any suggestion that the club has played any part in the declining of the invitation.

NOTES. ■. . , , J Hospital quite reinstated themselves in tli» good graces of their supporters by their handsome win over Marist, in the; first round of the Charity Cup. -Hospital have struck a bad patch early in the season, with players injured, sick, and Kissock away, and they did not view their chances with Marist with any degree of certainty. Then the fine struggle that Marist recently put up against Waterside, being only beaten rl-0, in the last few minutes of the game, did not help to increase 1 the optimism. As a matter of fact, the Hospital team was not finally "selected until a few minutes before the' commencement, of the game. The team, however, gave a fair exhibition, and it 1 was hard in watching the disparity in the ..two teams to account, for the recent.form shown by both. As both teams play .in the same colours, Hospital changed and played in brown jerseys.. Hospital dominated the- play, and, except for an. occasional dangerous breakaway, Marisfc spent; practically the whole time, on the defence. And the defence was good, as' half-time arrived with the first goal still to be obtained. It was unfortunate for Fitzgerald that he was the cause of the home team getting their first goal. He played a great, game throughout, and saved, countless shots, and repeatedly earned applause. Rudolph and Gamble, particularly, the former, played well at, back, and had three good halves in front'; of them in Casey, Pope, and Lewis. The weakness of Marist was in the forwards. They kicked far too. hard, and the- Hospital'goalie was rarely brought into play. Trewick played his first game with Hospital in that position, and only had one difficult _ shot to deal with, which he treated in a masterly way. Ferguson and Gibb. rarely made a mistake, but their .task was made easier by the Marist forwards. "" Hardie, late in '. goal, played. a .surprisingly good game in the halves, but was penalised a few times for hands. Thompson filled Kissock's place and played his.best game of the season, besides scoring a good goal. Shaw, late .of Petone F.C., completed , the halves, and greatly pleased the critics. The only newcomer in the forwards was the return of. the oW warhorse, Baily-. He played, quite, a good game, scored a god, and incidentally showed the younger fry how to centre a ball and also how.to kick a corner. The rest of the forwards were on their game and gave a good exhibition, the shooting generally being quite up to the mark. Again Hospital were unfortunate in the selected referee not turning up. Of the four matches played, only once, against Waterside, has the appointed referee, officiated, and Hospital lias been compelled each time to call on a spectator to take the whistle.

According to the.published itinerary of the Chinese . team's visit, to Australia, there seems little prospect of a. toui- in New Zealand. The Chinese }>arty will ax-rive in Sydney on 7th July, and are fully hooked .up to 6th October, when they meet Tasmania. Ona of the stated objects in favour of Mr. Graves travelling with the New Zealand team is to arrange matters so that ■ the Chinese will visit this country, and if he succeeds in. altering the programme and getting them over here his trip will be well justified., The distinction of possessing the mast comprehensive collection of Soccer international caps in all probability belongs to Vivian Woodward, the old Tottenham . and Chelsea amateur. At all events, the following record will require some beating:—lnternationals (16) : Scotland 5, Wales 5 Ireland 6. Amateur —Internationals (40): Ireland 7, Holland 7, Wales 6, Belgium 6, Prance 3, Sweden 3, Germany, Switzerland, Donmark, and Olympic Games twice -'each. Inter-League matches (3): Scotland 2 and Ireland 1; and 16 trial matches—a total bag of 75 " caps." Sir. J. _E. Clegg.the new president of the English Football Association, has won some 600 prizes for sprinting, and the trophy he treasures most is a champagne cup. The Sheffield Athletic Association was ones so certain that a prominent runner would win a. certain race that they asked him to choose the prize before the day of the sports. Mr. Clegg disapproved of such methods. .He ran the race, of his life, and the champagne cup is now a. sugar basin at his'home. The Irish Football Association is looking into rather a curious incident in connection with a recent match between two prominent elevens, Glentoran and Glenavon. The referee, who was to take charge of the match, declared that the ground was unfit, and stated that there would be no game. The rival captains, however, disagreed with .him, and when he had left the ground they secured the services of a local man aa "ref." uud carriad on wjth the contest, which was won

by. G-lentoran by 1 goals to 1. The successful side is now claiming that the struggle was an official one, and that it must have the two league points. The beaten side is loyally supporting the claim. ', It is a toss up whether both clubs are severely reprimanded, whether tho referee is reprimanded, or whether one organisation gains two points and the other none!

Apropos of Palmer's seven goals for Waterside gainst Welcasgo, it is interesting to note that the first-class record] of foreign tours are included, is held by Stanley Fazackerley. Against a. Norwegian team he scored eleven goals. The biggest "bag" Steve Bloomer ever shot was six against the Wednesday, about a auarter of a century ago. . Tom Boberts, the 'Preston North End centre forward, has now scored a hundred goals for the club. This is a fine feat for a centre forward, who had not had any first-class experience before joining- the North End.. It was only a few weeks.ago that Boberts. gained distinction by completing a hundred consecutive league appearances for Preston North End.

Thus a writer in the "Evening 1 Chronicle" :—"I recently had the pleasure of meeting Mr. John Adams, the famous old 'Birmingham referee, who was in charge of thaV memorable final of 1903, in which Bury ran up half-a-dozen goals —-the record score in a final—against Derby County. Mr. Adams, who was a first-class referee for more than twenty years,- told me he never had occasion in the whole of his career to order a player to the dressing-room. I asked him the secret of his success—or luck— and he replied: 'If I saw a player doing something he ought not to have done, I immediately went to the captain of the side and told him to warn the player that he must nofc repeat the offence. I always held the view that the captain was responsible for his team, and. I alway found that the confidence I thus placed in the captain wa justified. It is a captain's duty, riot a referee's, to keep his team in order and see that they play the game."

The appointment of M'Cracken to the managership of the Hull City Club draws attention to the remarkable number of old Newcastle United players who hold official positions in the game. They include Peter M'William (Tottenham Hotspur), Jimmy Howie (Middlesboroughj/Jack Carr (Blackburn Rovers), Gosnell' (Norwich City), and Beraia ers), Jimmy Lawrence (Prestdn North End), Colin' Veitch (Newcastle 'United), Sandy M'Farlane '(Dundee), Albert Gohnell (Norwich City), and. Bernia (Southend United). What names to conjure with!_ In addition, Aitken used to be at Leicester, and Dick Pudan, at present a director of Leicester City, was formerly secretary of Huddersfield. Is not the list significant?. Indeed, it reveals the secret of Newcastle United's wonderful success during the .time these old players were member of the team. They were not only great flayers/ but intelligent men. .By the way, Colin Veitch nearly went to Hull with, M'-. Cracken as secretary. What a cnuibination they would havd made!- ■ The tie Thistle effected with Waterside last Saturday has been the topic of much, discussion in local 'Soccer football circles. The result of the game came as a sur-. prise to many, who confidently expected Waterside.to finish, play with a several points' majority, but it is always the unexpected that happens, and Soccer matches are no exception to the rule. On first -consideration the final score, 1-1, on paper represents the result of a hard game, but only. those who attended Association Park and were spectators at the match can fully appreciate the value of the play resulting in tha draw.' In the first place, Thistle took the field without the services of Brownlee^ who is away with the New Zealand team, and it must also be remembered that this season Campbell and M'Arthur, two of. their best men, are playing tie coda under Young Men's colours, which leaves the team vary weak. Added to this, with the knowledge that they were up against a- combination that held pride of position on the championship ladder, and was represented in full strength, it will bo seen that tlie Thistle men were, even before they started the match, at a disadvantage, physically and morally. They had in their favour, however, the wea-thei-i which made nippy foot-work and accurate shooting extremely difficult, and they also were fortunate in a fair share of luck.

. What actually was responsible for their success is hard to, determine, but there is no doubt that their only goal, scored by Boadle in the iirst fifteen minutes of the game,; had a decidedly vivifying effect on the team, and a correspondingly adverse effect on the Watersiders, who, to say the least, were very surprised.. The goal itself was meritorious, and was the result of a very difficult shot from the corner; but it was one of those seemingly impossible attempts which are made many times in the course of a game; this, time the goalie, instead! of keeping watch in the corner of the net was-out of the position, in the centre-,-and as the ball sped in a few inches inside the post he failed entirely to step it.

On the other hand, the Waterside goal, scored by Patterson, was the result of a well-placed corner kick towards the end of the second spell. Though on that occasion the ball-went fair enough into the net there were several occasions when the spectators held their breaths as they watched play on the Thistle goal line, and when it seemed as though the maroons were through. ■ Ewing ranks in the front line of goalkeepers in New Zealand, and his performance last Saturday was as .fine as could be wished for. Continually in both spells he was called upon, and except on one occasion in the latter half he never failed. Some his saves were remarkable, and there is no doubt that had it nob been for his fine play, Thistle would havebeen severely behind when the finaj .whistle blew. ■ ;

Taken all round there was not one man in the Thistle combination who was found wanting on Saturday. The forwards, with Smith in the van, were worrying the opposing men throughout, and were always on the ball, and were quick to snatch the slightest opportunity. The back defence of Cordiner and E. Taylor was sound, and left very little loophole for the Waterside forwards. Waterside lacked their usual dash, and the muddy, ground and slippery ball were unfavourable for their tactics. In the extra twenty minutes played, Palmer became dangerous with some solo work, but he was unable to .break through the Thistle defence.

Senior A. P. W. L. D. For. Agst. Pts. W»ter?iders ... 3 8 0 0 17 ■ 3 6 Diamond 8 2 0 1 3 1 5 V.M.C.A 3 2 10 10 6 4 Hospital 3 2 1 0 10 7 4 Maviat 8 0 1 2 8 & 2 Karori 3 0 2 14 6 1 Thistle 3 0 .2 1 2 5 1 Welgasco 8 o 2 1 8 19 1

V. Soot. Wand.... 1 South Wgtn.... 1 Hospital 1 Diamond 1 Brooklyn ...... 1 Institute 1 Waterside 1 Thistle ......... 1 Swifts ......... 1 Welgasco ...;.. 1 K.nrori 1 Island Bay ... 1 Marist 1 Porirua 1 V.M.C.A. "A" 1 I'.H.C.A. "E" 1 ■w. I 1 1 1 1 1 0 o o o o o o o o ■o I. D. For. A 0 0 S 0 0-1 0 0 4 0 0 3, 0 0 7 0 0 3 0 11 01 1 . 0 12 OX2 10 1 1 0.1 10 0' 10 0 10 2 10 0 Agst. I 1 0 2 0 0 1 . 1. 2 3 i i 3 3 7 ?ts, 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

Senior. B. 'P. W. L. D. For. Agst. Pts. Porirua ......... 3 2 0-' 1 7 i 5 iEland Bay ... 3 2 0 16 i 5 .Institute 3 2 1 0 11 4 4 Sth. Wgtn. ... 3 2 1 0 8 6 4 Scot. Wand. ... 8 2 1 0 5 4 4 Brooklyn ...... 8 1 2 0 11 7 2 Swifts ' 3 0 3 0 A t 0 V.M.C.A 3 0 3 0 2 17 6

3HAJIPIONSSIP TABLE.