ROUGH FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11950, 26 April 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

ROUGH FOOTBALL.

VARIANCE BETWEEN BRENTFORD AND READING PLAYERS. , Two summonses for assault were beard at Brentford lately arising out of the fracas which took place at the conclusion of the Brentford v. Beading football match lilt' the Southern League competition at Brentford ground,, on February 1. The summonses were issued in the name of Robert Stormont, captain of the Brentford team, against Thomas Clinch, a Reading fullback, and a spectator named Green.

Stormout said he resided at Tottenham, 'and in the match in question played centre forward. Immediately the referee had blown his whistle witness, who was going to the dressing-room, was assaulted by a Reading player, when Green rushed between them and pushed witness presumably in living to separate them. On behalf of Green ft witness named Batterbee, of Acton Green, said the game had been rough, and Reading players "very dirty." ■'■!'-: Mr. Peter Watson (chairman of the. Bench) : You are on the Brentford side. (Laughter). In the second summons Stormont said that Clinch assaulted him by kicking him on the leg. During the match there had been some very rough play. The referee had had to interpose on several occasions, while Watts, Cotton, and Clinch had threatened him. Clinch had said, " I'll have my Town back for this." The kick was so severe that witness could not play for a week after. ■" : .>',; '" : * ■: •'

Cross-examined : Witness did not complain to the referee when Clinch threatened him, although he might have done so. He did not strike Clinch first. The Football Association was inquiring into the matter, and would punish the player they considered in the wrong by " suspending'; him. Thos. Clinch said that just before Gilmore, the referee, blew his whistle for play to cease the ball came to him and he caught it on his right knee. The whistle vtent, and he was going to kick the ball when complainant came up and deliberately hit him in the eye. Witness had never threatened Stormont, and did not think the game was rough. It was just right. (" Oh and laughter.) Reading was nob penalised as much as Brentford for rough play. ("Oh!") ' ' After a protracted hearing Mr. .] Petej Watson remarked that it was a/great pity the rough element entered into the game at all. The magistrate thought, however, that they had "hot sufficient evidence to warrant a conviction in either of the cases,