ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19035, 4 June 1925, Page 6

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

CHATHAM CUP CONTESTS'. THISTLE STILL UNBEATEN. GREAT GAME WITH NAVY TEAM. The Auckland Football Association played the second round of the local Chatham Cup competition yesterday, two matches being played in the morning and two in the afternoon. . Chief interest centred in the game between Royal Navy and Thistle, which commenced at If o'clock on Victoria Park ' )e " fore an attendance of about 3000. It resulted in n fast and exciting contest, which lacked nothing in thrills and spectacular incidents. Thistle played splendidly in the first half, but were continually hard-pressed in the final spell, when the Royal Navy eleven dominated play for most of the time, and but for extremely poor shooting by the inside forwards would nave scored on half-a-dozen occasious. Following are details of the scores: Thistle. 3, beat Koyal Navy. 2. l'onsonby, 3, beat Tramways. 1. Hellaby's, I. beat North Shore, 0. Y.M.C.A., 5. beat Wateraiders, 1. THISTLE'S DASHING START. Right from the kick-off the whole thistle team jumped quickly into their stride and swept down on the Navy goal to the> accom imminent of a continuous roar ol applause from the crowded stand. Anstey stemmed the attack, but Ferguson returned the ball to his own forwards. Mealing lost his loot irig on the slippery turf when going to tackle. .Dodds flashed through between lteaton and Anstey, and slammed the ball into the net. Thistle were one up after a few minutes' play. w _ . , Determined retaliation by the Njaj iol lowed, with the ball travelling at . a great rale of speed. Shots from hormck and Bradley went close to the lhistle goal be fore Bell could relieve the pressure. I he: excitement was intense With lhistle P'^ 1 "*? brilliantly to a man, and the Navyncitya able to settle down to combined work. Williams, on Thistle's left, spurted down the line to beat Anstey and turn the ball to centre from nearly on the goal-line. Dick son shot smartly and Tucker, in goal, just managed to turn the ball over the bar. Williams piloted the ensuing corner kick t the goal-mouth. Humphries leaped high and headed a beautiful goal, putting thistle two in the lead. .-it iIn piny that followed the sailors began to adapt themselves to the conditions. ihe| Thistle backs got plenty to do but I ergusou and Ritchie were putting up superb defence. Mcßae, on the Navy a left, was continually prominent. He was the only forward in the sailors' front rank who was on the target, and Jack was tested several times to keep his charge intact. Another sweeping rush by the Thistle forwards saw Dunsmore, on the right, centre cleverly. A shot from Dodds went to the left, but Williains put it back to the goal-mouth, where Humphries nipped .in to score his second point, and put Thistle three goals in the was proving a tower of strength to tho Navy at centre-half, and time after time he sent his forwards away m the direction of the opposing goal. The front line was working better now. Ivernick gavo a clever pass to Welsh, who tapped aciosa to Mcßae. Once again tho left wing shot accurately and Jack just managed to tuin it. for a corner. Play hung in the vicinity of the Thistle goal for a few minutes, and then Kernick got an opening. He scored with a great drive that kept low, reducing of t.be spell was hotly ocnteeted. Thistle having Alightly the better of mutters on -the whole, though ovcr-eagerness brought freauent infringements for off-sido play. The interval arrived with no alteration to the scores. Thistle, 3", Royal Navy, • Resumption of play say a prolonged itfnrk bv the Navy with tlie Thistle backs hard at it defending. Often it seemed that tho sailors must score but the shooting was deploraWyj weak Merritt being entirely off .his game in this respect. On occasions .Chiatle would break through. Dodds made several fine openings and once Humphries sprinted right through the wholo of the opposing backs but lost his footing at the critical moment Navy continued to have more of the ba 1 and Mcßae was always prominent. Although the'luck of the day appeared to be against them they kept hammering away, and eventually an infringement by one of the Thistle backs in the penalty area gave thein a chance. Merritt was entrusted with the kick and made no mistake on this ° C With n 'a lead of only one goal to Thistle, play continued fast and strenuous. 1 histle never neglected an opportunity and were several times close to their opponents go.il before the final whistle ended a great game in a failing li^ht. Thistle .. •• ® Royal Navy .. .. ■•. •• - TONSONBY DEFEAT TRAMWAYS. The ground at the Domain was ill fairly good order for the Tramways-Ponsonby match, whio.il commenced at half-past ten. Tramways were at full strength but 1 onsonby's eleven included one reserve and three juniors. Both Bides started cautiously and play of an even but rather slow nature characterised the opening stages, ft first Tramways were playing better looton.il, Simpson at centre-half being continually prominent. Soon the Ponsonby forwards began to settle down and a fine clearnnce bv Williams put their right wing on the attack. Ahern tricked Hopkins nicely and centred high. Kennedy timed the ball to perfection and scored a beautiful goal with his head from ten yards out. It was a pretty piece of work. Ponsonby, 1; Tramways, 0. Even exchanges followed at a brisker pace. Simm. at centre-forward for Tramways, was distributing the ball to his wings in great Btyle. A lightning drive from Spong on tho right had Hall beaten all the way. The ball seemed to strike under the cross-bar and rebound, to allow a rather lucky clearance. In the last 15 minutes of tho first half both sides frequently went close to scoring. Batty in goal for Tramways doing great work. Tho interval arrived with Ponsonby one up. _ On resuming Tramways attacked with vigour. Copeland lost a splendid chance to goal by hesitating when he should have tried a first-time drive. Ponsonby broko away from the goal kick with Innes and Yeomans in the van, but McElligott proved the stumbling-block. Further Tramway movements were spoiled by off-side tactics and then Adshead began to show up on Ponsouby's left. Ho received nicely from Morrison and lifted the ball to centre. Batty was drawn from his goal and Innes dashed through to shoot at express speed. The ball cannoned, off Hopkins and into tho corner of the net to put Ponsonby two in the lead. The beat football of the match was then witnessed with both sides going all out and playing together well despite the heavy ball and greasy turf. Hall saved brilliantly from a clinking shot by Simm and at tho other end a few minutes later Batty was brought to his knees to' stop a hot one from Ahern. McElligott, of Tramways, who had moved to tho half line, was playing a great game, making splendid openings for hi 3 forwards. Eventually Lewis got a chance on the left wing and scored with a well-directed shot from a difficult angle, reducing tho lead. Ponsonby again began to assert themselves during the play which followed and Kennedy got his second goal from a clever centre. by Hunter. After thi3 nlay became very strenuous and exciting. The Ponsonby goal was continually in danger but the defence of Williams. Nesham and Hall proved sound, and a good game was brought to a close with the scores: Ponsonby .. .. .• .. 3 Tram ways ... .. •,1 JUNIOR GAMES. Matches in the junior competitions resulted as follow: Second '.Division.—Y.M.C.A. A, 4, beat Londoners A, 0; Y.M.C.A. B, 4, boat Londoners B, 1. Third Division.—North Shore, '5, beat Otahuhu. 0; Y.M.C.A. A, 3, beat Onehunga, 2; Y.M.C.A. B. 2. beat Green Bay. X; Northcoto and Metropolitan drew, ono all. CANTERBURY V. WELLINGTON. [BY TELEGRAPH. —riiESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. No better game of soccer lias, been seen in Wellington for the last twelve months than the meeting between the Canterbury and Wellington representatives to-day. Tho conditions wore against good football. A southerly gale was blowing with heavy rain and the ground was water-logged. In spite of this an open game on both side.s was witnessed. Canterbury won by 5 goals to 3. INTER-SCHOOLS MATCH. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. A soccer match in Wellington to-day between St. Patrick's College and Palmerston North District High . School ended in a win for the visitors by 3 goals to 1. Simile. Nairn and Young scored for the winners and Simpson for the losers. PLAY AT HAMILTON. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] HAMILTON. Wednesday. Wanderers met Glen Afton at Hamilton to-day and won by 7 goals to 1. Woodhall (4). Crabb (2) and Webster wero the scorers for Wanderers. Gardiner scored for Glen Afton. Tho gamo was less onesided than the scores indicate. It was well contested and willing. Woodhall played an artistic game as centre-forward for Wanderers and waa a tower of strength to his side. Hamilton juniors met Huntly juniors at Hamilton to-day. Tho game resulted m a win for Huntly by 7 coals to 1. WANGANUI V. TARANAKI. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] HAWERA, Wednesday. 0 Wanganui defeated Taranaki by 3 goals to-