The Association Game.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7847, 8 July 1911, Page 15

The Association Game.

(By “ Penalty.”)

OWIXG to tho City lieservea, with tlio exception of Uuppa street, not Ileitis available, for play last Saturday, the fjames were transferred to Mirarnar. Only one fame was worth watching, that tieiiween Thistle and llanihlers, and tho

,issue was in doubt right up to the call of time. ThUtlo, however, managed to f'Crano homo by Ibo narrow margin of 3 goals to 2. Ramblers wore playing three men short during tho first spell and surprised everybody by scoring a goal shortly after the kick-off. Webster, in goal for Ramblers, played a really good game and could not ho held responsible for Thistle's 3 goals. lie was particularly good in securing tho hall from one or two scrummages in goal-mouthy Davey and Cross, at full-back, were fair, Davey being perhaps tho better man. Of the half-backs Kirshberg was the best, and tho best half on the ground. The forwards all battled hard to win, Edwards making some fine runs on the outside left.

Thistle's custodian, McArdlo, played fairly well. The two goals against him were both ‘'bottles,” and it would have been a good man indeed who would have saved them. Clapham and Hall were both good at full-back, as far as play was concerned, but Hall is a terror to talk and should strive to rid himself of such a bud habit. Dickson played his usual good game at half. Of tho forwards Aitchison was tho best, some of his runs and centres being very good, tho one in which he centred to Ash from which the second goal was scored particularly so.

Tho Rovers-St. John's encounter was not productive of anything like good football, and the score of one goal each just about represents on tho day's play the respective merits of tho two teams, both were playing with a number of substitutes, and individual, not combined, effort was the order of tho day. The ball travelled, when it was not out of touch, up and down tho field with monotonous regularity. Strange to say, although there ’ was a lair breeze ux> and down field neither goakleepcr had much to do. The less comment passed on those participating the better. Tho Swifts v. Diamonds game was interesting from start to finish, and had the latter team won by the same margin of two goals to one, as did the Swifts, no one would have been surprised. The game was fast right from the start, and there were exciting moments in front of each goal when it would have surprised no ono had the ball suddenly gone through. Tho first goal of the match ‘came to Swifts from a sudden breakaway by Scott, who made no mistake with hm final effort. Then in the second half, from a nicely placed corner by Scott, Mattingly added a second goal. Play was brisk after this, and just on tune A. Lowe scored for the blacks.

P. Pye-Smith kept goal for Swifts, and for an emergency hand did remarkably well. Some of his saves would have done credit to a far more experienced goal-keeper. Rickersby was greatly improved at right half/ some of his work in opening up the play being exceedingly clever., Roberts, on the right wing, is playing good football at present, but tho opposing half stuck very oloseily to him and gave him little room to work. Scott on tho opposite wing did fairly well, but should work more on his own. He has got the pace to always get clear.

Roberts and Fitzgerald, Diamond fullbacks, were very sound and kept out several hot maroon attacks. They received good support from Barnett amongst tho halves. Black and A. Low©

Notes on the Week’s Matches and the Players.

were the most prominent of the forwards.

There is every prospect of a fourth division representative team visiting Auckland very .shortly. At tho management committee meeting on Wednesday a sub-committee wan set up to raise funds for the trip. The members of tho team are to pay half the fare and tho W.F.A. tho other half, which is a very satisfaetory arrangement considering the of the W.E.A/s funds at tho present time.

Tho fourth division championship has now concluded, and the winners have turned up in Brooklyn. There is yet the Challenge Cup competition to decide, and for this there is an entry of seven teams.

Tho schools’ oompotition is to start on Saturday next, July 15th. Tho competition would have started much earlier, but for the mid-winter holidays intervening. Everything is new ready, and it only wants fine weather for the opening day . Onoo started, the Soccer in schools should never look back.

A step in the right direction. The New Zealand Football Council have appointed an outside referee for the CanterhuryOtago Brown Shield match, to bo played at Christchurch to-day. Mr Robert S. Lithgow. of the Wellington Referees l ' Association, has been selected, and there is no doubt whatever that he will give every satisfaction to both teams. Tho 'Porirna Club have forwarded a letter to the W.F.A. com plaining that the reforeo in their match with Rangers last week only played fifteen minutes each way. For the benefit of the Porirua boys <r Penalty" would point out that it does not matter what spells tho referee plays as long as they do not exceed thirty-five minutes each way, and failing any arrangement between the two captains and reforeo as to time, the referee fixes the lime of each spell, and is sole timekeeper.

Introduction of the Penalty Kick. In tho season 1890-91 the "penalty, kick" was introduced. Though its introduction has made the test for a vast number of sermons upon the evil tendencies of professional football, the fact remains that it originated in the brain of Mr J. Reecf, tho Hon. Secretary ,ot the Irish Association. But tho English Council took it up readily as a help, so it was anticipated, to referees m checking tho practices to which some players, amateurs as well as professional, stooped, that of saving a goal at anjr costs. Tho- attempt made previously to achieve this desirable object by giving the referee the power to allow a goal that had been saved by unfair means had not proved successful. It was found that referees shrunk both from tho odium and the ordeal of making presents . of goals to visiting teams in tho sight and sound and within the touch of a hostile local following, and this Irish invention seemed to supply a great need, insomuch as it put in tho hands of tho reforeo the power to give a team tho fair chance of scoring in tlie event of certain evil practices on the part of the other side coming under his notice. It is a debated point whether this law was meant onlv to check rough and foul play, or to make up to a team for the of a goal literally "under arms- ' • But it is really immaterial 'which, though the limitation of tho imposition to offences committed within twelve yards of tho goal line- by a defending player give point to tho assumption that the latter was mostly in the minds of the International Board.