HOSPITAL 2, THISTLE 1.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 17, 20 July 1931, Page 15

HOSPITAL 2, THISTLE 1.

..Hospital;won from Thistle by dm oeM goal j'u. tljvce after a, strenuous gsimo on the "Hospital ground. On the wholo, play was interesting but...seldom exciting, as Hospital always seemed to ha\'e the game ■in,-VkiemJ,-even...though...only by a small margin. The final score of 2-1 jvas a fair

enough indication of the run of the play. Tho teams, were: — Hospital.—Ell; Miles, Thompson; J. Woods, Soutar, Briggs; Marshall, J. Trewiek, Jeffries, W. Woods, Lambert. Thistle.—Fletcher; Martin, Hopper; Todd, Strain, Upchurch; Stewart, Cunningham, Lothian, Montgomery, Johnstone. From tho start, the Hospital forwards were the more dangerous, making the 'most of the advantage of the wind. Twice the Thistle goalie, Fletcher, had to throw the ball behind for a corner, and on other occasions ho was hard pressed. Thistle's attack was good, but the finishing efforts of their forwards were too weak to be effective. against a strong Hospital defence. The "first score, a most unexpected one, came just before half-time. W. Woods secured from fairly well out, and, running upfield, kicked the ball gently towards the goal. Two or three Thistle backs were handy, and the ball glanced off one of them ■ into the net, -Fletcher apparently thinking it .would be cleared or go behind, making no attempt to stop it. "Hospital 1, Thistle 0. Both sides began the second half aggressively, Thistle especially making the pace. Periods of long-range kicking alternated with periods of close work in the goal -mouths. :A neat forward move by the Thistle... men gave the outside left, Johnstone, a splendid shot with Ell well out of place, !but the,ball hit the crossbar. Minutes later: Ell just, managed to tip .behind a shot, from the same . man. Hospital, pressed,'and Fletcher caught a square shot, from the left. wing.. Before he 'could- clear, W.;' Woods robbed him of the ball. : and shot, to hit a Thistle man, but"Trewick; in a good position,'netted. Hospital -2,-Thistle 0. A moment-later Hospital had a narrow escape when Ell cleared a-ckopping ball -fr-oHI the-head of a Thistle'player standing" on; the' goal line. Thistle's- persistent efforts at last met with success when Johnstone, at top speed with a- Hospital- man in pursuit, sent in a shot that Ell reached but'let slip to rol' against the upright and into the net. Hospital 2, Thistle 1. It was tha best goal of the day. Although both goals were often threatened before the end, there was no further score. - Mr. Brian was the- referee.