ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19584, 14 September 1925, Page 11

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

PETER DAWSON CUP. CANTERBURY v. OTAGO. VISITORS WIN BY TTHIEE GOALS TO ONE. Saturday was wet and cheerless for the decision of the Peter Dawson Cup match between Canterbury and Otago. Nevertheless the fixture drew a large attendance to tho Caledonian Ground, and the grand si and was well filled. Probably 2000 watolled the match all Through. The oup was presented in 1922 by Peter Dawson (Ltd.), of Glasgow, for competition between South Island provinces, and up till Saturday had always been held by Otago, which had successfully resisted five challenges from .Canterbury, South Canterbury, ana Southland It was realised that Canterbury was sending down a very formidable team this year, and Otago supporters were quite prepared to see the cup at length change hands. Canterbury did indeed show themselves distinctly superior in tactics and in finish all through the play, though their superiority was much less marked in the second spell than in the first. Notwithstanding the weather conditions both teams gave an excellent exhibition of the game, and the play was always interesting to watch. Up to the last minute there was a decided element of uncertainty as to tho result, but no one would grudge the visitors their win on the nm of the day’s play. Tho visitors had a very strong half line, and Roberts at centre frequently caught tho eye with brilliant moves. Trotter, the centre forward, lived up to his reputation as a dangerous scoring man, but Cooper, the opposing centre half, paid a great deal of effective attention to him. Gwillam, m goal for Otago, played a great game, and all the backs showed up well in their defensive work. Otago had a great number of chances of scoring during the second spell, hut somehow lacked ability to finish off at the critical moment. The teams took the field as follows: Canterbury (Colours, Red and Black): Goal, M. Wilson; full-backs—J. Taylor, F. Ohappel ; half-backs—ll Thompson, G. Roberta, T. Howarth; forwards —M’Lachlan, A. Sutherland, A. Trotter (centre), R. Nome, J. Parle. Otago (Colours, Dark Blue): Goal, L. E. Gwillam; full-backs—J. A. Scouller, R. Braithwaito; half-backs—G. P. Bardsley, W. R. Cooper, J. Dryden; forwards—J. B. Duncan, H. Munsie, W. G. Hooper (centre), I. C. Fraser, K. Thompson. Otago kicked off towards the harbour, and Jraser and Hooper dribbled to the Canterbury lino. Canterbury turned to the left wing, and Roberts had an unsuccessful shot from well out. Canterbury continued to press, and a miskick by one of tho Otago backs let Thotter get a shot in, but Gwillam was safe, and made a good save. Otago forwards returned to the centre, and carried play to Canterbury’s goal, where Duncan centred to Dryden. Drydcn passed to Thompson, but offside play by Hooper brought relief. Fraser sent in a low drive, which Wilson dealt with surely. Thompson followed with a shot which went over tho bar. Fraser opened an attack for Otago with a nice run, but Taylor and Chap pel cleared. Thompson, getting nossession, had another shot, which went over. A miskick by Scouller gave Nome an opening, —e made a clever run, parsing to Trotter and Sutherland. Gwillam saved, and shortly after made another fine save from a shot by Trotter. Play continued fast and even. Chappel, the visitors’ loft full back, playing well, repelled a couple o( advances by Otago forwards, and play returned to tbo other end by way of the right wing, Sutherland skimming the bar with a shot. M’Lachlan placed nicely, Scouller and Cooper cleared, but Roberts essayed a shot, which went outside. Trotter had a fine opening given him through a miskick by Cooper, but his shot, from well out, wont outside. Tho ground was very slippery, and players were frequently losing their footing. Howarth put in a welldirected shot, but Gwillam was equal to tho occasion. Canterbury were snowing better football than Otago, Roberts, tho centre, half, being prominent in initiating attacks by his forwards. Sutherland had a shot, but tho attempt was a poor one. Otago’s defence continued to bo under pressure. A pass by Hooper to Duncan, the winger, was placed nicely to goal, where Wilson made a lucky save. After a turn of defending Bardsley cleared to Drydcn, who sent his forwards away. Fraser came through, but Wilson cleared. Nice play took place on Otago’s left wing, and Dryden bended into goal. Taylor headed clear, and Thompson shot over. Braithwaite, nt tho other end, nipped in on a dangerous cross from Parle. From a throw-in Munsie Imck-heeled to Duncan, who shot across goal. Thompson sent in a low drive, which wont through Owillam’s legs in the goal mouth, and appeared to cross tho line, hut he retreived it and cleared, and no goal was given. Parle Injured his leg in a collision with Norrie, but was soon at work again. The visitors returned to tho attack, and Sutherland headed in to the goal mouth a shot which Gwillam punched out clean and hard. He saved well a ground shot from Trotter, and Otago forwards broke away with Munsie in the lend. A fine low drive was well cleared by Wilson. Hooper missed a clear opening by not. being up. Pretty play by Canterbury followed. Braithwaite made a poor clearance, and Trotter quickly hooked the ball in, Gwillam saving at the expense of the first corner of the game. Duncan and Munsie broke away from a pass by Cooper, and forced a corrier, which was resultless. Following a spell of play round Otago’s goal M’Lachlan nipped in an awkward shot to Gwillam, who made a splendid save. Pretty piny hy Canterbury's right wing pair gave Norrie a chance at very close range, but Gwillam again rose to the occasion oml dealt with it. Canterbury were having the better of the game and giving tho home team a busy time defending. Cooper was a great strength to the Otago defence. Half-tune came with no score to either side. Heavy rain caused the ground to cut up badly, and made conditions most unpleasant both for players and spectators. At the outset of the second spoil play hung for a time in neutral territory. Dryden received a cross from Bardsley, and shot in, but Chappel conceded a corner. Duncan missed with a hard ground shot The homo team continued to attack, and Duncan crossed and forced a corner. M’LachInn carried the bell well down, and Cooper conceded a corner. A hot shot by Thompson was deflected over the bar by Gwilhun. Hooper had a clear run with the ball, but over-ran, and Wilson saved from a dangerous position. Dryden afterwards shot past. An attack down Otago’s right wing ended in Wilson kicking over tho line. Duncan’s corner kick wont past, and nothing came of it. A mis-kick by Braithwaitc was well followed up by Trotter, who drove into the corner of the net. as he foil. Canterbury 1 goal. Otago Nil. A foul was given against Canterbury in front of their goal. From tho free kick Hooper drove into tho net, but owing to an encroachment the kick was retaken, and the visitors successfully cleared. Cooper broke up a dangerous movement on Canterbury’s right wing. Norrie received a nice cross from M’Lachlan and netted a hot one that gave Gwillam no chance. Canterbury 2 goals. Otago Nil. A run by Duncan was well stopped by Chappel, and play returned lo the centre. Fraser got position for a shot, but was a shade too late, and the hall went by for a corner. A corner kick well placed was finely saved by Wilson, and the ball was rushed to the other end. Dryden worried M’Lachlan till he missed his shot. Hooper made a dash down tho field, but kicked too hard and lost possession. Duncan centred, but Canterbury backs cleared effectively. A nicely-judged centre from M’Lachlan was mulled at the centre of the goal, and the ball went over the line. An attack by Dryden was followed up by a spectacular goal from Fraser, who received tile ball from Duncan. Canterbury 2 goals. Otago 1 goal. A minute later Fraser had another attempt, which was, however, misdirected. Tho homo forwards continued to attack, with Duncan prominent, but Chappel saved. Otago was mailing the most of the play and testing the visitors’ defence severely. The 'ball was passed out from Fraser to Thompson, who put in a stinger, but Wilson saved. Mimsie's attempt at goal was blocked by Taylor, who gave a corner, ’lliero was only seven or eight minutes’ play now left, and the local team was straining every nerve to even the scores. Tho ball was centred from the left, and Duncan missed with an empty goal before him. Iho ball was passed to M’Lachlan, but he was pulled up for offside, and play returned to the neighbourhood of the Canterbury goal. A foul was given against Parle, and a shot by Munsie was saved to- Wilson The visitors cleared past halfway, but not for long, and Fraser had a shot which struck the post, and went past. Hooper missed a chance a few- seconds later. The last incident of tho game was a run ta Tuottoe, -wha xeoesiwd tba ball from

Roberts and carried it through by himself till ho could shoot in from the right at a difficult angle that baffled Gwillam. This made the final score: — Canterbury 3 goals. Otago 1 goal. Mr A. Preston was referee.

THE CUR PRESENTED. The oup was formally handed over on Saturday evening to Mr R. English, president of tho Canterbury Association by Mr H. J. Duncan president of the local body. Mr Duncan offered tho Otago Association's congratulations to the winners and complimented the teams on tire fine sporting spirit in which the game was played. In returning thanks Mr English said he was proud to be in the position of taking the cup up north. Tho result was not altogether unexpected, as their selectors had informed him that the best team had been picked. He trusted that the Otago Association would return the visit next year, when they would be made welcome by the Canterbury Association. Later on in the evening members of the team attended Miss Wallace’s dance and on Sunday afternoon were taken for a drive round the Hill suburbs, after which they were shown over the Exhibition buildings. Unfortunately owing to the fog members of the party were unable to get a good view of the town, but going along Highgate, had an exciting few minutes, when the charabanc skidded and grazed an electric light pole, and had it not been for the pre- 1 sence of mind of the driver, who acted promptly, a serious accident might have resulted. AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSHIP. (Pee United Pbess Association ) AUCKLAND, September 13. The championship matches resulted as follows: —North Shore beat Ponsonby by one goal to nil; Thistle beat Y.M.C.A. by 3 goals to 2; Royal Navy beat Northoote by 6 goals to 4; Tramways beat Hellabys by 3 goals to 2. QUESTIONABLE DECISIONS. T TO THE EDITOB, SlB, —Whilst not intending to detract from the merit of Canterbury’s win, may 1 venture to say that the referee, in mv opinion, made two mistakes which cost Otago the cup? The first was the goal he disallowed ’when Otago scored—a goal that was upheld by both linesmen, who hold up their flags simultaneously, and were in a straight line with the goal lino, and were therefore in a proper position to say that tho ball was at least 2ft over the line. Tho ball slipped through the goalkeeper’s hands and feet, and waa retrieved from tho heel. As the referee wae straight out from the goal, he could not say for certain, and therefore should have consulted his linesmen, but did not do so. The second mistake was when Hooper scored from a free kick which waa awarded to Otagc and taken by Cooper, Tho fact that one of the defenders committed an infringement docs not annul a goal when scored on an occasion like this. Would the referee disallow a goal scored at o< penalty kick simply because one of the defending side commits an infringement? My reason fo? writing is not to criticise the referee, but simply to help the referee on any future occasion.—l am, etc., Ex-eefekee.