ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1358, 20 June 1918, Page 9

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

INTERESTING RESULTS. . The .=rcond round of Hie Canterbury Football Association's first grade competitions was continued on Saturday last under admirable conditions, the grounds having been improved by the recent rains. St. Albans, which was leading in ihe competition, opposed Nomads at English Park, whilst Hangers and Old Boys tried conclusions at I.inwood Park. Nomads v. St. Albans. There was a considerably improved attendance at English Patk to witness the natch between Nomads and St. Albans, in spite of tin' keen wind. The comfort or the spectators in the stand would be considerably improved if the southern end of 'lie stand were closed in. St. Albans opened the game with every ipp'irent intention of making a lusty fight 'or the point:,. Early injuries to Held and 'filgrovc, however, did not tend to enhance 'he team's prospects, and the eleven became more or less demoralised after Pilling notched the first goal for Non-ads. Jewell, •mfortunatrly. is on the injured list, and ■ie was sorelF missed. St. Albans faded to produce anvthing like the form shown in the previous week-, the front line, particu'irlv. lacked in'tiative. The virile Nomads IclVncc rcpcatedlv swooped down on the hall, whilst two St. Albans forwards apoarcntly held council as to which should •day it \nother old-standing fault was i"ain '-erv noticeable on Saturday, and is ■hie mostly to want of experience in those olavers who indulge in it. Taking the Imi: on the run requires no great mioniU ,f skill, and is obviously to better advantage than first stopping tl.e night of the '..i1l and then resuming the attack from .1 .landing start. Of course, a Phyar must •so judgment as to the iiisposit-<-n VJ>t-_\'-nitv or the defence, but. genera>l.yj>lW* ,np : the initial propulsion of the ball -Should not be interfered with when a forward accepts l.pass from his beck. rhcrc was also a tendency rmonrat the Blur and glides to :mk tackling the Nomads' device, and the 'alter were not slow to recognise the it Mil-m was the most resolute plavcr, an-i ■icver shirked when the odds were against him Donaldson also shows promise of developing into a useful winger, and is lecidedlv worth his place m the team. Thompson was the best of tne halves I. 1•:rove put in every ounce and made some '•ne clearance;. Audibe-rt gave one of the -"est exhibitions of goalkeepng seen on he nark for some time, in spite of the tnl score against him. He is the best exponent ,f>tipp?ng a fast rising shot oyer the bar ,t nrcscnt in the competition: he used excellent iudgment on several occasions On the Nomads side, it appeared that PHHn« is coming back to form. He has scored eight goals in the last two matchrc- , very fine performnncc. Taylor unstintmglv Served his nartner, and the two m't'Sted some sparkling movements <«£»'« also wr.s in aoofl form.' Watson and «c!-«r-■ane covered each other ,n ,«w"™*«* % 'f' mo 'ock a great deal of work out «>f Swift s

U The vcrv audible crit : c ; sm of the referee's decisions'from the stand it times was to sav the least of it. in very pad term. Spectators are entitled to their own on mon. imd so is the referee. As ■> quahhe,l ;. ,idgc, jfiven charge of the match liy the 1.R.A.. his decisions des'-rve to be accepted is fact and not loudly belittled by those who should know better. Old Boys v. Rangers. On Rangers' showing on the iwvto Saturday, it was antic'pated that Old Roys sv,,,ld secure the points in their second bout The veterins wire \\ t.iont me s-r----v=c. s of Norman, and nmidpll made his initial appearance with he Whites. O Ilovs are ixperie.ic'iig rattier a bad run .. ek ■ telv as with a little more favour I -v must certainly have closed Iheir score .ierlhan one all. Although Rangers were ...i to nliiv against the wind m the first half, they had alt the best of the and but for the shocking shooing of the inside tri» rt-ev must have crossed over i"ith a '''■'.'-i'l margin to their credit. Pp.vv's l i- ■■- <H't early in the prime, inl therea.ter -e duality of hi, U» Shall deteriorated Roth Rurnsidc-and I.imont we, f -off ■ho.itin,: form, and the exee-.nt centres put acniss br the wmps. part-eularlv l,v l.ilburn. were not ntibsed to tin lost ■wlvint-ice R.-i'ipers are in urgent need oi i'rapahle cci.t.c-f, wm.l. The iiaK-l.acks am! backs can al»ays he reliedUP" to put up a sterlins Ratve whilst Hark- is one of the best 1.-epe:- m the compel it s i.

Vnlike their onponcnts. D-d > ! slrcngin lies in tic ir forwards. The NYhtes ', ve, v formidable attack, t.-il fad somewhat in defence. The veterans find the pace too lint at Cues when opposed to yoviiper and raster forwards, rind it is impossible always to call on science in such cases to rxtr.oalc the side rrom danger. , , The absence o! nets lwh'nd lb" foalrosts at l.inwood" Park, and Ms nttuv'.ant disadvant..aes. v ere made very apparent in Saturday's match. Old B>>s appealed for a goal, but Hi.' referee (Mr fieorge Black) was of opinion that thf ball passed outside the post. This contention was supported by a spectator behind the posts, hut the fact rem.-.ins that, had the ivts been in position, there would have been no argument. Self-ippchitcd linesmen (usually supporters of one of the contestants! are generaliv the rule at Unwornl Park, and Mr Black refined to this matter at the referees* meeting on Monday night last, as in the circumstances he was unabh to accept the ruling of the linesmen, in approving of Mr Black's action, th- C.R.A. recommended (hat the question of nets and official linesmen for Linwood Park should receive the governing body's attention. Junior Jottings. St. Albans played Western at North Park, and the latter team, showing much im-