ASSOCIATION NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18954, 30 August 1923, Page 4

ASSOCIATION NOTES.

By Corner . Kick. The Peter Dawson Cup match played yesterday with Canterbury could not be described as a thrilling exhibition although at times there were pleasing flashes of concerted play and neat work. On the day Otago wore the superior side, both in attack and defence and deserved the win. Had the opportunities been taken full advantage of tlie score would have been higher. Donaldson, with an open goal on a couple of occasions missed fine chances whilst Fraser, just before half-time, lacked quickness to seize a chance when the ball was placed in front from a corner kick. For the first 1C minutes Otago’s play led one to think the team had settled down to concerted work, but the forwards’ combination fell away. In the second spell there was a vast improvement with the exception of the two outside Murray, at inside right, vfs ever prominent with heady play and /cat, footwork, apd there is no doubt lie is a versatile player of a high order. Both Fraser and Bulk in the first half did good work initiating forward movements, but in the second spell Balk did not get a great share of the ball, the inside forwards making most of tho game. Donaldson appeared off in the early stages, but played a dashing game in tiro second half, combining well with Fraser and Murray on either side of him. Dryden and Race were tho pick of the half-backs, their defence was sound and the placing to the forwards rarely at fault. Race’s splendid anticipation of the play brought about Otago’s first goal. Dickson, who replaced Cherry, played a serviceable spoiling game, but nis placing was not so accurate us his colleagues. Still he has the makings of a coming half-back. Tho Anderson brothers’ play at full-back was a feature of Otago’s play and greatly delighted tho spectators. No matter howawkward the ball came to them, seldom did they fail to return it cleanly, if not to tho forwards, then to a waiting half in front. In the first half they were both inclined to balloon tho bull when a low drive against the wind would have been more effective. L'askie, in goal,, was not so severely tested 1 as Jackson at tho other end, and played up to expectations. The visitors’ attacks lacked that clever and concerted work usually associated with previous Canterbury teams when Norman" Bissett and Company were members. The inside men, Colville, Purdie, and Norrie, were perhaps the best of the forward line. Purdie was very quick to seize aji opportunity in front of goal and held the lino w-ell together. He and Colville combined very nicely at times, but found the opposition too great a barrier. Of the halves M'Crca nor and Thompson wore always prominent, the former stuck to his game well throughout and bad his hands fiill covering Donaldson in tho second spell. Thompson's heady play after beating Dryden and drawing Anderson, the Otago’s left back, was responsible for Colville goaling. Both fullbacks —J Jack'son . and W. Gould —gave a creditable display showing tho are a resourceful pair. T. Jackson, in, goal, had a great deal to do and gave a good exhibition. Ho could not be blamed for the tw-o goals scored against .him. The Canterbury team on their way back will play matches at Oamaru and Timaru. Tho principal fixture for Saturday will be the meeting of Northern and Mornington. There has always been a healthy rivalry between these clubs and as both are next on tho list to the top teams there is sure to be a spirited contest. In the first match of the season, Mornington won by the odd goal in seven. Old Boys will ineot Maori Hill, when another good game should bo witnessed. Seacliff have the bye this week. ' No advice has been received from the Wellington Football Association in regard to the visit of a Wellington team to Dunedin, and it looks as if the long expected visit will not eventuate. Players and spectators easily forget how much they are indebted to the body of men who act as referees. The occasional mistakes a-referee makes are readily remembered, but tho big budget of valuable work he does in keeping games going smoothly is lost sight of. The referfee does what the average player and spectator does note he studies the rules. He gives his time week in and week out for the performance of a thankless task, and sometimes he may feel discouraged, because he. hears complaints. Ho need not be discouraged for, in spite of the complaints, he is recognised as invaluable to the wellbeing of the sport he-is assisting. Criticism is not necessarily unfriendly. Some players and some referees, and even . some writers, think criticism is quite fair and salutary so long as it is directed towards someone else. Immediately they are tho objects of it, the criticism is unfair, the product of ignorance and dictated by malice! They squeal loudly and at tho 'same time protest that they take no notice of it. Passing that, here is a tip for young referees; Be firm, stick- to your decisions, and don’t allow a player to question them impertinently. The association’s executive will support you m suppressing that sort of behaviour. It is gratifying to record that tho association’s request for subscriptions to send the Otago school boys representative team to Christchurch' to take part in the triangular tournament, commencing on September 1, in which Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago will take part, received a ready and sympathetic response. The record of our school boys in Soccer school representative football is a splendid one. Last year they put up a meritorious performance. Travelling through from Dunedin on Friday morning thev took the field for their first match on Saturday morning after the arrival of the boat, and, although defeated in this match, made up tho leeway in the other matches, and finished the tournament on a level with one of the other teams. This year lam informed that a fine team has been selected, in which all the school teams playing have a representative, and as the material available has been of good quality, there is not a weak spot in the team. _ Tho boys leave by the express on Friday, and _ have the good wishes of local Socceritcs in upholding their previous good record.

A few notes on how the Brown Shield came into the possession of the N.Z.F.A., may bo of interest to readers of this column. On August 16, 1890, the first interprOvincial match between Wellington and Christchurch was played at Christchurch when the southern team -won by 2 goals to nil. At Newtown Park, the following year, a return match was played, and on this occasion 'Wellington won by 1 goal to nil. One of the spectators who witnessed this game was Mr J. Brown, representative of a Scottish firm. _ He was an ardenti supporter of Association football, and, at a smoko concert given to the visitors announced that he would present a shield for competition between the provinces. The shield, valued at £SO. was duly presented. This fine trophy is an excellent piece r ' t workmanship, and engraved on it. in block letters, are the words, “Association Football Challenge Trophy, presented by Robert Brown, Glasgow, 1891.” For the first few years, the competition for the shield took the form of a tournament. The teams representing the various provinces would gather at nne of the centres and decide who was to bo the bolder of the shield until such time as another .tournament was held. In later years the competition has been carried oyt on a different basis. Teams who challenge now iournev singly and play the holders on their home ground. The trophy was formerly known as the Association Football Challenge Trophy, but was renamed the Brown Shield. The first tournament was held in Christchurch in 1892. and Wellington became the firstholders. b' r defeating Canterbury by 9 goals to 2. With few exceptions, the shield has been competed for every year since 1892. The number of games won bv the various provinces is ns follows: \Ve-Ilington 25. Auckland JO (which includes the three won by them this year!. Canterbury 8. Otago 1! Taranaki 1. There have also been several drawn game?; Wellington, it will he seen, has been particularly successful, although they failed recently to wrest the cup from Auckland, to whom they lost it in 1921. A new referees’ chart has been received from Home bv the New Zealand Association. Some of the instructions to referees should interest referees and players, although the “second” instruction mentioned anpears to be ambiguous. Perhaps the local Referees’ Association can throw some light on the matter, os I have been unable to obtain a, copy of the now chart. For instance. “It may be the line of least resistance to penalise a player whenever the ball touches his arm, ■hut it is not justice to do so unless it is an intentional net.” “Should die ball hit a goal-post or bar and rebound into play the player who played it must not play it again until if has been played by another player.” There are a number of diagrams in regard to offside which, are worth studying.'noticeably 4. 8, 12, 17, 18. 20. 22. The following tables give the positions of the teams in the lower grades:—