ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3972, 29 April 1930, Page 49

ASSOCIATION.

SATURDAY’S MATCHES. DUNEDIN. The Association football ' season was ppened on Saturday, when the first round of matches for the Fletcher Challenge Cup was played. In three of the games the play was closely contested, but Seafliff, who met Northern on its home ground, had a commanding lead of eight goals at the call of time. The strong, gusty wind which prevailed throughout the afternoon marred the play to a g'reat extent, but from the form displayed some good games should be witnessed this Season. At Logan Park there was a fair attendance for the opening game. FIRST GRADE RESULTS. Goals. Goals. Seacliff .. 8 Northern .. 0 Y.M.C.A. .. 3 Otago High School .. 1 Technical .. 3 Port Chalmers 2 Maori Hill .. 0 Mosgiel .... 0

MAORI HILL v. MOSGIEL.

Logan Park was in good order for the Maori Hill-Mosgiel game. The latter kicked off with a strong wind. Early in the game Mosgiel forced a corner kick. Drown cleared by sending out to Balk, whose forward movement was frustrated by Al'Cloy. Mosgiel kept up the pressure, and Dalziel, with neat work, tested Callaghan without effect. Hill, by better placing, held Mosgiel to midfield play for a time, until Proctor smartly sent the ball put to Balk, and a fine shot by the winger went across the goal mouth and over. From a goal-kick the wind carried the Jiall to Taylor, Hill’s full-back, who sent up to Proctor, and another pass to Balk saw M'Dougall save luckily by breasting the ball out. The backs on both sides were playing solidly, Hill’s rearguard showing up well against the wind. Dalziel headed a Mosgiel attack, which enabled Skinner to send in a high one to Callaghan without success. A break away by Hill was saved by Al'Dougall coming out to meet the attack, but a smart return by Proctor nearly found the net, Mosgiel getting relief from offside play. Following a corner-kick nicely placed, Watterson essayed a header, which Callaghan fisted clear, and Maori Hill again had the advantage in play. Brown was placing well and, following a good pass by this player, Carse and Oliver attempted to run "the ball through, but Al'Dougall saved cleverly. Bright play on Mosgiel’s left saw Skinner s cross to the centre intercepted by Bayne, and play was again in Mosgiel s area. From a throw-in Carse slipped the ball across to Welch, for the latter to send over. Shortly after Balk followed on with a long drive, which M Dougall fisted out strongly. Within a few minutes of half time Mosgiel attacked determinedly, Skinner and Trevathan being prominent, but Callaghan, in goal, was playing safely. Watterson, the £°ntre, was given a good chance with a long kick from Steven, but was too slow in front of goal, and Skinner’s attempt was placed outs’dc The spell ended without a score.

On the resumption of play the wind continued to prove troublesome to both sides. Balk, with a well-placed centre, put Mosgiel in a dangerous position until a solid header by M'Cloy relieved, and White and Gorrie worked the ball down the right, bringing Callaghan out of goal to clear the centre to goal. Hard play in front of Mosgiel’s goal saw Oliver test M'Dougall at close quarters, but the goalie showed clever clearance work. Thompson, Hill’s left-half, initiated play to Proctor, who drove in a hard shot, which brought M'Dougall to his knees to save. Mosgiel broke away, M'Lean, Gorrie, and White being prominent, the movement being cut off by Taylor, who sent well down field for Welch to miss. A spell of quiet play was followed with bright work by .the Mosgiel forwards, but Watterson failed to get through the defence.. Hill was not showing the combination of the first spell, and although Mosgiel got through to goal on several occasions, Taylor and Callaghan were very sound on defence. Play was of an uninteresting nature, Hill penning Mosgiel in its own half. Proctor sent in a fast ■drive which M'Dougall pushed outside for an unsuccessful corner. Shortly after M'Dougall saved a close shot from Welch, and from a melee in front of goal Balk shot over. With about five minutes to go Mosgiel’s defence was playing solidly against the repe'ated attacks of the Hill. The closing incident in a well-contested game was a fine shot by Balk, which M'Dougall saved at the expense of a corner-kick. Balk’s kick was carried over by the wind, and the game, controlled by Mr W." Jordan, ended: Maori Hill Nil. Mosgiel .. .. . Nil.

TECHNICAL OLD BOYS v. PORT CHALMERS.

Technical Old Boys met and defeated Port Chalmers on the Oval No. 1 ground by three goals to two. The ground was hard and fast, but the heavy breeze spoilt the conditions. The Port Chalmers team was very quick on the ball. Port Chalmers won the toss, and elected to play with the wind. The Technical forwards pressed, but the Port Chalmers backs cleared, letting their forwards away, a cross from the right wing going over. From the goal kick Patton (Technical) gained possession, and put out to the right wing, whose centre fell short. The Port Chalmers backs were taking advantage of the wind, dropping the ball with long sb.ots into the Technical goal, but both backs and goalie were safe. From a centre by Holden (Port Chalmers’s left-winger) the ball dropped in Technical’s goalmouth, the wind curling the ball out of the goalie's reach into the net. Port Chalmers 1, Technical nil. Technical again broke away, the ball going well down to Middlemass and Warnock, who were combining well. The Technical halves put in some hard work. The Port Chalmers forwards broke away, the centre and inside-right combining well, the latter bringing Holden to his knees with a hard drive. The ball slipped out of his hands into the net. Port Chalmers 2, Technical nil. Fast up-and-down play continued, neither team having the advantage. Half time was called with the score: Port Chalmers 2, Technical nil. From the commencement of the second spell Technical took up the attack, and kept Port Chalmers hard on defence. Patton let Middlemass away on the left, and Warnock received a pass from the wing, but his shot went over. From the goal kick Patton gained possession, and returned a hard drive, which missed by inches. Play was confined to the Port Chalmers half, but Technical was unable to penetrate the defence, until Middlemass, on the left, crossed to Warnock, who slipped the ball past the backs, and Witchall cut in to score. Port Chalmers 2, Technical 1. The Port Chalmers backs were hard pressed by long shots by the Technical halves and backs dropping into the goalmouth. Hector (Technical) shot at goal, and a Port Chalmers back, in attempting to celar, handled. Middlemass scored from the penalty. Technical 2, Port Chalmers 2. Port Chalmers was kept defending, Technical taking advantage of the strong wind by trying long shots. Port Chalmers conceded several corners. Technical’s right wing took a corner kick, the ball dropping under the bar, but owing to the wind the Port Chalmers goalie misjudged the flight of the ball, which curled into the net. The game ended: Technical 3 goals. Port Chalmers 2 goals. SECOND GRADE. Tramways 1 goal, Maori Hill 1 goal. THIRD GRADE. Leith 4 goals, Maori Hill 4 goals. IN OTHER CENTRES. AUCKLAND. Ponsonby 4, Thistle 1. Corinthians 2, Onehunga nil. CHRISTCHURCH. Thistle 1, Western 1. Brighton 1, Sumner nil. Technical 6, Kaiapoi 4. Nomads 5, St. Albans 1. ENGLISH CUP FINAL. WIN FOR ARSENAL. KING PRESENTS CUP. LONDON, April 26. The match was played at the Wembley Stadium in the presence of 92,500 spectators.

Arsenal beat Huddersfield by 2 goals to nil. The receipts for the match totalled £23,265. Early in the second half the Graf Zeppelin floated overhead so low that the passengers could be seen waving handkerchiefs and saluting the King. The airship was en route to Cardington, where an hour later it picked up Captain Eckener, and returned to Friedrichshafen. The first man at the gates to witness the game had walked or borrowed rides from Huddersfield, and his side never scored. The fact that he saw the Graf Zeppelin wae meagre consolation. King George was present, and shook hands with the teams before the match started. He chatted with the captains afterwards, and presented the cup to Tom Parker, the Arsenal skipper, who was muddy and grass-stained from his exertions on the field. After a dozen minutes of fast and even play Alec James scored for Arsenal with an easy shot. Huddersfield had a fair share of the game, which was of the fastest nature throughout, but Preedy’s goal-keeping was almost unbeatable. He went down in the second spell just in front of his goal with his opponents all round him trying to get the ball, to which he hung grimly until ho could manoeuvre it behind the goal. It was then seen that he was unable to rise, but when he was helped up he soon recovered, and resumed his brilliant game. A couple of minutes before the end of the play Lambert scored Arsenal’s second goal.

From announcements made at the annual meeting of the Council of the Boy Scouts it appears that membership of the Scout movement is greatly on the increase, the total number in the British Empire now being 690,586. Great Britain and Ireland have a membership of 397,648, an increase of 27,392, and British Scouts oversea total 290,977. . There are 46,559 officers and 2782 commissioners, increases of 4540 and 161. In countries recognised by the International Committee the numbers of Scouts definitely registered has increased by 122,212, the total now being 1,907,772. Among younger boys, too, the Scout movement is increasing in popularity, for in the United Kingdom we have 143,841 Wolf Clubs, compared with 123,841 the previous year, and United Kingdom Scouts increased by 24,000, the total now being 213,630.