OTAGO FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18516, 29 March 1922, Page 6

OTAGO FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL REPORT. The thirty-second annual report of tba Otago Football Association, to be presented at the annual meeting to be held in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms, Moray place, on Monday nest; says, inter alia: Forty-seven teams entered for the respective grade competitions—an increase of three on the previous year. A better standard of all-round play was noticeable during the season. The senior cup competition was probably the most keenly contested for many years, and the final—played between ih© Kai. tangata and Old Boys’ teams, each of which had 19 cup points—resulted in favour of Old Boys by 3 goals to 2. There was a disap. pointing entry m the second grade competition. and the Southern team is to b* congratulated on again annexing the championship. There were 12 entries in the third grade competition, which was well contested, and! resulted in a win for Christian Brothers. There were also 12 entries in the fourth grade competition, and Christian Brothers had no trouble in winning the cup. The fifth grade competition, with eight entries, resulted in a win for Maori Hill. No cup is yet available for this grade, but it is hoped to secure one during the coming season. Owing to the lateness of the season, it waa found impossible to hold the charity banner competition. A five-a-side competition for senior players was held, and resulted in a win for Mornington, and to this team the Braithwaite Cup and medals were awarded. At the end of the season a visit was paid by a strong Canterbury team, which defeated the local team. Home-and-home matches were played with Southland, Otago winning both games. Although strong representations were made to Wellington to send down a representative team to DunedSn, it is to be regretted that this visit could not be. arranged. A junior repreeentative team visited Balclutha to play a match against the local team and waa successful. An inter-island match was played at Wanganui, which, after a splendid game, resulted in a draw —4 goals each. It is pleasing to note that three of the South Island goals were scored by the Otago representatives—Brundell, Dryden, and Balk. Early in the season, during the first visit to Dunedin of H.M.S. Chatham, two games were played against the naval men by Otago teams, and each game resulted in a win for Otago by a narrow margin. A party of sailors visited Seacliff and played a match with the local team. The finances ol the association, though small, have this year shown an improvement. The main reasons for this improvement were the granting of a picture benefit by the proprietors of the Octagon Theatre, and the free use of Oarishrook Ground granted by the Otago Rugby Union for the Canterbury match. It is particularly pleasing to mention the good feeling at present existing between the Otago Rugby Football Union and this association, and tha executive hopes that this friendly cg-opc ration will long continue. The outstanding feature of last season was the triangular contest played in Dunedin between Wellington, Canterbury, end Otago schools, and it is most satisfactory to note that tha Otago boys were victorious, and sa continue' their unbeaten record. The committee regrets to report that several school* formerly playing association football have dropped out, but representations have bean made to the Head Masters' Association and, as a result, it is hoped that in the coming season the boys will have an unrestricted choice of their winter sport. It is proposed to baud over the management of school football to a committee of teachers, and this matter will come up for consideration at tha annual meeting. It waa hoped that during (he season a challenge from one of the northern colleges to the local Bora’ High School team for the Skerrett Cup would have been received, but none waa forthcoming. The local Christian Brothers' School 'challenged, hut wae decisively beaten by the holders. During the past season the question of a visit from an Australian team haa been given considerable attention, both by the New Zealand Council and by this executive. It i« now practically certain that the visit will eventuate, and to enable this to be carried out, the executive agreed to guarantee the eum of £3OO towards the amount required to finance the tour. Two hundred pounds of this amount has already been collected from supporters of the game, and forwarded. to Wellington. The balance of £IOO has still to bo collected. So far a guarantee baa. been received from one club and a promise made by another. At a special meeting of (he New Zealand Football Association at Wellington in December to discuss the arrangements for the tour, the executive waa specially represented by its secretary, snd the scheme formulated was considered highly satisfactory. It is with regret that the exeoutivs reports the departure of Mr Eric A* Nicol, a delegate who haa done good work on the executive.