Association Football.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 97, 10 May 1902, Page 6

Association Football.

The senior games of Satin da\ weie well contested, and the results satisfactory. It was anticipated that Diamond would ea«il\ defeat the Manst Old Bo\s that the Rovers and St John's would hiue a good game, and that the Swifts would be too swift foi Queen's P?ik The game betw een Diamond and Old Bo\ s was exceedingly fast and brought tlie sweat to main foieheads tluough hard graft for their respectne sides Old Boys neie minus a back plaver which consideiablv handicapped this \oung team, but despite this drawback thei plated a ci editable game. St John's and Roveis weie about equally matched, but opinion favoured St. John's The dash shown b\ the foi wards of St John's and the excellent combination, are the fruits of consistent training. Then backs weie poor and had then defence been equally a>s good as their attack Ro\ei^ would have had a haid fight to win The big surpuse comes from Petoue where Swifts weie plawng Queen's PcU !■" Queen's Park hoc ven low in the estimation of backeis It was thought the ex-champ ions would easih .secuie <i victoi\ o\ei the new combination but the actual lesult goes topro\e how uncertain aie the foi tunes of football The attack of the- Diamonds' vanguard told consideiabh upon the safet\ of the Old Bovs' backs. Gamble who w as, pla.Maig wing-foiward in the fiist spell, and who fell to the leai m the second, did more and better woik in the position of full back than as a forwaid. Maitni has wonderfulh improved in 'shooting" His shots, at a. considerable distance from the goal mouth, were si ,- prising, and he has acquired the sensible plan of shooting eveiy available chance and is not selfish, noi does he dispose of the ball foolishly. Continue Martin, and vou w ill be second to none as a "shootist" in Wellington. Wells was not in going form Bethell the new centre forward, shaped well considering the time he has been absent from the field Hathawav

is coming on, and ably backed up -Martin It is good to bee thi& prfii of young colts in harness, together. O'Connor u a.s nob too sale in the hair chwsion Too much meditation, which results m his opposing forwards. it on the alert, being on him. Jamieson placed a good full-back came but lus> partnei . Roberts, goes in too much for i-.illeiv kicking to be of benefit to Ins side Old Boys must thank Mick Fitz for a lot on Saturday. In his initial game this season lie did remarkably well. He played better on Saturday tli an ever I have seen him do before. This season's record may be looked forwaid to as a hard one, and I have no doubt lie will acquit himself creditably. Dick" Eagle and Morrison, the tw o e\-Otago representatives,, grafted hard to scoie a. win for their new club, but the fates were against them. Even the ladies on the line did not help them on but their presence, I am sure, did a lot to cheer their spirits, and. perhaps, their defeat might have been greater if the ladies had not been theie So. come along ladies, every Saturday. "Billy" Auld again made himself prominent on Saturday b speaking above the ordinary conversational tone. His remarks are not very encouraging to an opposing team, and the constant strain on "Billy's" vocal organ must be great. Surely, his team -v-p no+ so ignorant as not to know what to do themselves. Bv the way, is "Billy" skipper? Heipw ortJi was out once again betiween the uprights for his old club and did very well. He had some stiff shots, but oleared excellently, and, perhaps I may say. faultlessly. He had a grievance with Referee Roberts over a charge by the opposite players. The real cause of fclie appeal I do not linow . but the goalkeeper cannot be charged when he is playing the ball, nor can he be obstructed from obtaining the ball. Congratulations to Mr. Asbury on his windfall I hear it is his intention to take a team. Home with a part of the legacy recently left him. This is news too good to be tiue, I think. However we nevei know when ai\d where philanthropists turn up. and perhaps we ha^e one in Mr Asbury. When Petone are called upon to face the music thev w ill show a very determined front Last Saturday they had a bye, and meant to take advantage of it by a last practice. lam given to understand Ha,wkins, the half-back, late of the Swifts Club, under medical advice, cannot pla,v. All "sockers" will sympathise with Mr. Hawkins in his sorry plight in not being allowed to participate m a rough and 'tumble. The much-needed dressing-shed has at last come under the notice of the AV.F.A., and steps aie to be taken to secure one immediately. The small sum of 3d per head each Saturday foi every plavei using the shed will be levied. There are eight junior teams this season, which is the largest, since the inception of Association football m Wellington in that championship. But, in consequence of the inciease, a decrease is most noticeable m the number of thud class teams. there being onh three this season in that championship. A series of smoke concert®, like unto those so successfully run bv the Association the season befoie last coulr 1 bv careful supervision, afford enioMnent and yield a handsome piofit to Treasuier Roberts's banking account. Mr. H Rushworth, conductor of the orchestra, in "Our Navy," which has iust concluded a. Wellington tour, is a nersonal friend of our treasurer. He played with him in the Douglas (Isle of Man) team some \ ears ago There is talk of his coming to settle in Wellington in the near future