TRIUMPH OF YOUTH

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 78, 29 September 1934, Page 22

TRIUMPH OF YOUTH

Congratulations to Marist on winning the Wellington senior championship 1 Tho team's record for this season has been a meritorious one, and though they are not head and shoulders above their nearest rivals, Hospital and Petone, their football is of the type that deserves success, and no one will grudge them tho honour. ,

The solid reputation that all Marist teams have earned is based upon the club's appreciation of the youngsters; most of their players start in tho lowest grades and receive in the Marist Brothers' schools a very sound Soccer coaching; thence they gradually ascend through tho Marist clubs' teams in the various grades until they reach senior status. Consequently, there is never a dearth of young players, all trained in the club's nippy style of football and used to one another's peculiarities. Young in years but old in experience, it is little wonder that they dofeat teams composed of comparative strangers, who may have never played with one another prior to tho current season. Other clubs have taken a leaf out of Marist's book, and their efforts to encourage the lower grades are resulting in a noticeable improvement in the'standard of Wellington Soccer. Though it is unsatisfactory to any team to win a championship by default, as Marist have gained it from Hospital, the Marist supporters can point to their slightly better goal figures in support of their right to tho championship. In their 14 championship games Marist scored 57 goals, and had 21 registered against them, while- Hospital netted 56 and had 22 scored against them. Marist had 10 wins. 1 loss, and 3 draws, while Hospital had 11 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw. HOSPITAL'S ATTITUDE. It is difficult to understand Hospital's reason for defaulting to Marist in last Saturday's play-off. To most people their action in disappointing tho public was definitely an unsporting oue, and one which reflects unfavourably on the Soccer codo in general and the Hospital Club in-particular.

Apparently Hospital's only excuse is that they had eomo in to the city to participate in the first play-off, and in their opinion Marist should visit them for the second play-off. Leave had

been granted to the players to make a \'isit to the- city last week, but the team would not come.

Thff question, resolves itself into whether the management committee is to control Soccer in Wellington or tho clubs are to please themselves as to when and where they play. A lot of latitude has been and is extended to Hospital because of the difficulties their men havo in getting leave, but the line has to be drawn somewhere, and the statement of a member of the management committee that ho doubted whether it was -worth while keeping Hospital in the championship is an indication of dissatisfaction with the present state of affairs. Most Soccer followers cannot understand why eleven men out of the great number employed at Porirua, cannot make the trip to Wellington every second Saturday afternoon if necessary. Hospital's reluctance to travel has always been a cause of trouble, and there will continue to bo trouble until a more reasonable attitude is taken by them. IN OTHER CENTKES. Tho senior club championship of tho Auckland Football Association resulted in Thistle- securing the premiership honours for tho second season in succession. As was to bo expected, Thistle which, has been clearly the outstanding team in Auckland this season, finished with a wide margin of points in its favour. North Shove and Mount Albert Grammar Old Boys were runners-up, six points behind the leaders. Both, these teams showed improved form over tho latter stages of tho competition, and as they are youthful combinations tho experience gained this season should stand them in good stead next year. The Mount Albert side fully demonstrated its right to be ranked as a senior team, and is to bo complimented on attaining such a high position on tho chajnpionship table during its first seasori'in the higher grade. Christchurch Thistle, who were beaten by Auckland Thistle for the Chatham Cup, had a wonderfully successful season in tho Canterbury Association's club competition for tho Hurley Shield this year. It won 10 matches out of 10, scoring 35 goals, with only 8 registered against it. This is one of the best Soccer performances on record in Canterbury. After winning the club competition, Thistle convincingly defeated Dobson (West Coast) by 3 goals to nil in tho South Island semi-final for the Chatham Cup, and then went on to beat Northern at Dunedin by 1 goal to nil. The Otago Association football premiership was won by Technical College Old Boys after a most eventful competition. In all, five teams were in sight of the trophy—the Fletcher Cup—at different times, but surprise defeats suffered by tho various leaders enabled Technical to scrape home by the narrow margin of one point from the runner-up, Soncliff. Technicals win proved a very popular one. Tho team is composed of young players who are a. product of local schoolboy football, with the exception of .T. Skinner, the ex-Auckland representative player.

MARIST'S CHAMPIONSHIP

Ey "Vanguard."