LEAGUE AND LEAGUERS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 491, 6 September 1915, Page 2

LEAGUE AND LEAGUERS.

SATURDAY'S MATCH. This year's challenge by the Athletic team of Wellington for the Thaeker< Shield was not backed up by the solid play anticipated, and Sydenham were never called upon to exert themselves in defence of their title. The form shown by Athletic last year justified expectations of better things this time, but the team that took the field was greatly below expectations, and the match, in consequence, was a one-sided, drab affair, and below the standard usually displayed in the club fixtures in which Sydenham participates. The most N important absentees from the Athletic team this time, as compared with last year's team, were Bradley and Sim Wilson. The latter went early to the war, and Bradley did not make the trip down. The team was, therefore, probably much below its ordinary club strength. Bradley would have made all the difference to the play of the side. Utiku also, a lively and clever back, was missing, so that it is not at all surprising that Sydenham had things very much their own way. . But it was not.till the teams had been playing for some minutes that Sydenham ascertained the calibre of'their opponents. At the outset they appeared not at all assured as to the fate that lay before them, and commenced play somewhat nervously. The earhy stages' were characterised by better tackling on the part of Athletic than any they showed through the remainder of the game, and the fact evidently led Sydenham to the assumption that they, were faced with a stiff proposition. But when the dash of the first few minutes had "subsided the superiority of the local team was no longer open.to argument. As the game progressed Sydenham found their, task easier and easier, and after putting up a s»fe margin of points they took things pretty easily. The play was never of a first-class order. Beyond their early tackling, Athletic showed little good form, and in, the absence of any necessity to extend themselves the Sydenham team played below its usual standard.' The visiting backs were Always uncertain with the ball, good passing rarely occurred, and they showed a tendency to always wedge themselves on the touch-line and restrict the area over which to carry their attack on. In the Sydenham passing rashes there were probably more passes forward than have been recorded by the team in any match they have played this year. That was an outcome of the unevenness of the sides and the absenee of the necessity for Sydenham, to ' exercise care, it is a pity Athletic were not stronger, for with a better side against them Sydenham would in all likelihood have shown football of a high order. Their backs really never had to exert themselves, and the outcome was poor football.