FOOTBALL

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4384, 15 June 1901, Page 7 (Supplement)

FOOTBALL

ASSOCIATION. (By “Touchline.”) The Rovers—Red Cross fixture at Miramar was a very disappointing exhibition of football. The result (a drawn game—one goal each) came as a big surprise. Rovers were handicapped by "Forme and Russell being absent, and had to play two juniors. Although this change materially weakened them, still it was no excuse for the rest of the team playingsuch a had game. Tile Rovers’ backs, with the exception of Clark, were right off, and even Clark was not good. Hutching, one of the juniors, was never in his place, while Patou seemed to be quite tied up. Williams, on the left wing, was never in his place, and consequently lost many chances. He was badly tripped by Jamieson on one occasion. Fraser and Pye-Smith, on the right, until the last few minutes, rarely got the ball. When they did get it they made the best use of it, and put in several good centres, which, however, Hunter failed to use. McLeod on the Crusaders’ right, played a hard game throughout, and put in some good shots. Dixon, centre half, works hard, but must learn to feed his forwards better, Jamieson played a good game at, back. Fitzgerald was absent. Had he been playing Red Cross might have won, for the Rovers’ goal was an easy one. Red Cross played with great dash and determination all through the game, but their style has still too much of the “kick hard and follow up” business about it to be good football. The Rod Cross score resulted from a penalty which the referee, for some unexplained reason, awarded for hands. The general opinion is that no breach of the rules took place. The other senior fixture resulted in Diamonds beating Petone by two goals to nil. Tho game was a poor exhibition. X notice that Hathaway scored both goals for the winners and yet this is the man the Diamonds wanted to get transferred to junior football 1 I am afraid they won’t get the transfer granted now. The Queen’s Park—Swifts B Junior fixture resulted in the latter getting home by two goals to one, rather a surprise to the supporters of the blue and whites. Cloake, the Swifts’ left wing, played a fine game and practically won the game for his side. He scored both goals after some tricky play and early in the game shook the bar with a fine hard shot. Crespin also put in a lot of hard work, but kicked far too hard in the first spell—a fault which was noticeable with all the Swifts forwards in the spell referred to. Martin and Bowden at full for the Park played very well, and relieved their side on many occasions.

Moore, the centre forward, was an absentee from the Park’s forward line, and the absence of a forward considerably weakened them. Naughton and MacDougall were the best of the losers’ forwards, the latter scoring. The winners’ forwards allowed the opposing backs far too much time and room to get their kicks in. If they had smothered them as the Park forwards were smothering the Swifts’ backs, they might have got more goals. What is the matter with the Referees’ Association this season? The members seem to have no enthusiasm at all this year. Surely some of the old hands ought to take the whistle on. Last week two referees put down for junior matches failed to turn up, thus causing considerable inconvenience and annoyance to the teams interested. A rather knotty. point is likely to arise out of one of the matches. A referee was obtained for one match, but in the other (Swifts A —Rovers), the Rover skipper refused to play except under the appointed official- The secretary of the Referees’ Association was on the ground and immediately obtained a referee. Now, if this official’s action is upheld, the match should be awarded to the Swifts: if not, he may as well resign his position. The Auckland and Otago Assopiatjons are in communication with one another re a visit from the northern city

to Dunedin this season. The latter want to have the match played, before the Rugby Interprovinciai games commence. Should Auckland, however, bo unable to get a team away South this season it is extremely likely that Wellington will send a team to Dunedin instead of to Auckland. Swifts A will havo tho services of Mart Ellis this week against the Queen’s Park. Staples will also be playing again; so that tho Parks will have to go hard to win.' Some of the junior matches in Auckland have been played with stones marking the goal. The local Association would soon hear of tho matter if there were not proper posts up here, and 1 doubt very much whether even fourth class teams would play without them. The senior matches in Auckland were postponed on June Ist owing to matches having been arranged with the warships in port. The former champions in Auckland (United) are said to be very weak this season. The winners of the Championship will be either Grafton or Y.M.C.A. Wrignt, the Grafton skipper, is playing a very sound game this season. It is a pity there are not a few “soccer” centhusiasts in Auckland. lha gam© would go ahead there if tnere were ono or two hard-tvorking men in the Association. L. Hawkins, the wellknown Swifts half, was a very keen enthusiast when in Auckland. Dunedin has a good new full-baok in Alexander, who plays for Mornington. He is said to be an even bettor man than George Macmillan, which is saying a lot. Another new man is Doherty of tho Roslyn, who is just such a player as Philips, of the Swifts. “Quiet, but goto through a lot of work.” Waikari have a new centre half in Pritchard, who, however, is a very in and out player, and talks “like a magpie,” a saying which would be well applied to on© or two leading players of tho Rovers and Petone Clubs. I understand Howie has left Wellington. The Rovers will lose a good man. I am afraid they will have to try more reputation men after playing a drawn game with Red Cross. Swifts A are claiming the match against Rovers.