ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20977, 14 September 1931, Page 12

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

HONOURS IN CHAMPIONSHIP. Y.M.C.A. AND THISTLE LEVEL. PLAY-OFF FOR PREMIERSHIP. Atrocious ground condition?- existed for the .M.C.A.-Thistle encounter in the Auckland Football Association's senior championship competition at Blandford Park on Saturday, hut. neverfheles*. the came proved full of interest, a .gruelling and hard-fought contest ending in Thistle's favour. This match was the fina! frame in the second •round of the competition and Thistle by its win has now drawn level with Y.M.C.A.. necessitating a play-ofT for the premiership honours. Both teams were playing under strength, but Y.M.C.A. experienced extra bad fortune when its star centre-half. Chapman, had to If-iive the. field shortly after the commencement with an injured foot. The first five minutes saw the Y.M.C.A. forwards in the ascendancy and the Thistle goal was lucky to escape. Y.M.C.A. had cause to agitate when during a tierce melee Mi tho Thistle goalmouth a defending bark deliberately hit the ball out with his hand, an incident which escaped tho referee's notice. Thistle recovered and launched a series of attacks, which had Y.M.C.A. troubled. Beckett erred in a clearance and Cumminps was throuph, but although he crossed nicely, none of the Thistle forwards were up to take advantage. Kennedy sent in a difficult ground shot, which Billiard did well to save, and then M. Kay figured in a solo effort on the Y.M.C.A. left, which threatened danger until Chapman went between the onrushing forwards and saved. Another fine opening by Hislop gave Cumminps the opportunity to cross to Woods, but the last-named, faced by an open goal, shot weakly past. Chapman had to leave

the field with an injured foot and his departure considerably weakened the Y.M.C.A. half-line, a fact which tho Thistle forwards were not slow to recognise. A series of incisive movements culminated with Woods shooting a good goal after receiving from Cummings. Tho exchanges were fairly even to the spell, when tho score read:—Thistle, 1; Y.M.C.A., 0.

After a brief Y.M.C.A. raid the Thistle van functioned in fine fashion and Mowat was hard pressed in saving at the expense of a corner. Cummings piloted the ball accurately and Stewart deflected it past Hilliard. The exchanges became rather willing and the referee had occasion to administer several cautionß. Riddolls, Humphreys and Hamilton rushed the ball to the Thistle goal and Gerrard came out to save. His clearing kick rebounded o9 Riddolls, however, into tho goal. A few minutes later a concerted move led to Humphreys pecuring and shooting a goal. However, Thistle also had something in reserve and a retaliating raid saw McLean volley a fine centre and Woods moved in to head the ball past the Y.M.C.A. goalkeeper. Stewart got another a few minutes later off a centre from Cummings. T'nistlo now dominated tho game to the finish, when the score read:—Thistle, 4; Y.M.C.A., 2. Mr. E. Parkinson was referee.

CHATHAM CUP FINAL

TRAMUREWA BEATS NOMADS. VICTORY AFTER EXTRA TIME. [RT TELEGRAPH. —rRESS ASSOCIATION. ] WELLINGTON, Saturday. In the fii.al of th© Chatham Cup, Tramurewa (Auckland) defeated Nomads (Christchurch) by five goals to two after extra time had been played. Sir ChaTles Sfatham. president of the New Zealand Football Association. w»s present, also the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coatee. Nomads kicked o3 against the sun and Thompson soon lobbed the ball into the centre, where Batty saved. Simpson cleared and Spong. rushing Streetcr, forced a corner. Christie heading just wide from the flag kick. Some short passing brought the Auckland forwards close to the Nomad citadel, but Spencer's shot when he received from Donaldson right in front was too feeble. Bullock sent through to Bell, who was well placed, but Chaplin breasted the ball ar.d cleared to the line, A thrust by Nomads was initiated by Adams, C. Shaw taking the ball down the wing for a square centre, but after further disapponting play, halftime came with no score. Soon after restarting Spencer failed to hook the ball round _at close quarters. Streeter cleared and Nomads went right through for Wilson to try Batty. The ball went to the wing, where Starr pent a swerving shot to the centre, for Wilson to goal. Within two minutes. Nomads were attacking again. Smith was prevented from shooting. 6o he touched the ball to Ooode. who beat Batty again. Nomads, 'J; Tramurewa, 0

Goode and Thompson tested Batty with hard shots. Auckland persevered and some good work was done by Bullock. Spong and Bell. Starr saved twice but a quick return by Mill enabled Bel! to head past the goalkeeper. A few minutes later Spong received from Bell and sent over the heads of the backs for Mill to shoot, Starr saving by the post. The Auckland forwards were nowworking with greater jirecision, both wings doing neat work. C. Starr made a grand opening for Chapman by sending the ball over the heads of the crowd in the gpalmouth, and Chapman let the ball rebound from his knees to cross the goal-mouth again and co behind.

A lovely shot by Mill gave Starr all he could do to save against Spencer's rushing, find the Southerners were well on the defence for a while. Under such pressure Nomads were luckv not to have had a couple of goals scored against them, but Auckland's reward came a' last when Christie, making a neat pas's, enabled Bell to equalise. Auckland were uow playing more like a winning team, the combination being much more, effective. The Nomads' forwards failed to keep up the field, or they might have broken through on two occasions. Full time arrived with the score even, and another quarter of an hour each way was played as required by the cup rules. Auckland took command through Donaldson ar.d Spong scoring in th» frst quarter. In thenext spell. Hell added another goal, the final score being Tramurewa. 5; Nomads. 2.

MATCH WITH NAVY. AUCKLAND PLAYERS CHOSEN. The following players havo been chosen by tlie solo selector, Mr. D. Corbett, to represent Auckland in tho return match with the Navy at Blandford Park next Saturday : —Batty (Tramurewa), Chapman (Thistle). Gerrard 'North Shoro), Morrison iPonsonby). Christie, captain (Tramurewa), Chalmers Cummings (Thistle). Dunsmore (New Accord). Spencer (Tramurewa). Hamilton (Y.M.C.A.). Woods (Thistle). Reserves; H'lliard (Y.M.C.A.), Williams (Thistle). Watson (Thistle*. B'nrkie (North Shore). The players are requited to meet at the .M.C.A. at, 7.30 o clock on Wednesday evening for training purposes. LOWER GRADE RESULTS. Second Grade.—Belmont, 1, North Shore, Third Grade Open.—Final: Abel's, 2. Henderson, 1. Third Grade Intermediate.—Knock-out final: Comrades. 5. Mount Albert Old Boys, Fourth Grade.—Mount Albert Old Boys, 1, Y.M.C.A., 0: Metro College B. 2, Burnley, 0; Comrades. Y.M.C.A. B, 1. Fifth Grade.—Onehunga, 7, W.Y.M.1., 1; Comrades A, 2, Belmont, 1; Y.M.C.A. A,' 1, Technical Old Boys, 0; Metro-College A. 7. Tamaki, 1. Sixth Grade.—Belmont A, 5, Metro-Col-lege. 0; Onchunca. 7, Comrades B. 0. Championship: W.Y.M.T.. 5, Comrades C. 0. Seventh Grade.—Y.M.C.A. B. 3, Comrades A, 0; North Shore, 1, Belmont A. 0. Championship: Comrades B. 5, Y M.C.A. C. 0. MATCH AT HAMILTON. [FROM OUR OWN CDRRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON, Sunday. In ft match for tho Ansell Cup, played at Hamilton yesterday. Wanderers defeated Y.M.C.A. by 4 point# to 0. RESULTS IN THE SOUTH. [RT TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION'.] * Wellington • —By defeating Diamonds by 2 goals to 1, Petone won the first division championship. Chrlstchurch.—Thistle, I, Technical Old Boy». 0; Western. 1. Marirt, 0; Kniapoi, 1, I St. Alb&n's, 0.