WAS IT DEFAULT WIN?

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1930, Page 11

WAS IT DEFAULT WIN?

BREEZE AT A SOCCER MEETING. MATCH ORDERED TO BE PLAYED." o A good deal of argument, some of it heated, occurred at the meeting of the northern division of the Taranaki Football Association laert night before it < was decided that the Caledonian and Albion senior teams should re-play in the Duff Cup competition on August 9, - Thu match was originally set down for July 19 at Western Park. The official referee was not present and when a referee did arrive at 3.45 p.m. Albion kicked off and claimed a default win.

The competition points were formally claimed last night in a letter from the secretary of the Albion Club. It was pointed out that Albion had a full team ready, but Caledonians had only seven players present. These did not attempt to strip and insisted on waiting for the referee. “They had no ball or jerseys and had no intention .of playing,” said the letter. “After waiting 20 minutes they left the ground. Lack of sportsmanship was very pronounced, as they could have changed and made a mixed game for all the players concerned in the interests of the game in New Plymouth and the code in general.” In entering a protest the Caledonian Club wrote pointing out that the referee .(Mr. C. Cuff), who arrived later, had not been appointed referee for the game and therefore could not award the points to Albion, The Caledonian team was on hand till 3.30 and would have played had. the referee arrived by that time. After waiting three-quarters of an hour the team left the park. The chairman (Mr. J. R. Sceats) said the game wits advertised to start at 3 o’clock. The official referee (Mr. Swan) had been appointed by letter. At 3.45 Mr. Cuff arrived and Albion kicked off. Was it reasonable to expect a team to wait three-quarters of an hour? He had consulted old players in South Taranaki, including Mr. Adams, ( and they had agreed a team was not obliged to wait more than twenty minutes for the referee, after which the match should be declared void.

A delegate i Then a lot of New Plymouth games would be void! The chairman said they sometimes had to make allowances when a southern team was late in arriving. Mr. Cuff denied he had awarded Albion the points. He had simply blown the whistle and the team had kicked off. Both letters before the meeting contained a suggestion to that effect and he asked that they should be withdrawn for that reason. He would have been prepared to referee the match if both teams had agreed.

Mr. R. Bell (Caledonians): You awarded Albion the points by giving them the game? Mr. Jackson: Let us be fair to him, I was there at the finish. He did not award points. I told him I thought he was wrong Mr. Smith (Albion): Caledonians say they had a team and were prepared to play, but they had seven men only. Mr. Fawcett (Caledonians): So we were, with seven men. We are prepared to play Albion with seven men any time and have done It before.

The chairman said the point was that according to the rules? the game could not go on in the absence df the referee officially appointed without the consent of both teams.

Mr. Cuff maintained that if both teams agreed a referee could be chosen from the spcctatdrs. He again asked'that the letters should be withdrawn as they reflected on him.

Eventually both the Caledonian and Albion delegates agreed to withdraw the parts of their letters in question. Mr. Seeats moved that the game should be replayed on August 16. Mr. Smith: That can’t be decided by th ; s meeting, only by the Taranaki Football Association. Mr. Seeats: The Taranaki Football Association has given this sub-division full power to deal with all northern cup matters. We would be pretty weak if we could not deal with this. Mr. Anderson seconded the motion. Mr. Smith moved as an amendment that the matter should be brought before the Taranaki Football /association. Mr; Cuff seconded. Mr. Seeats: I take that as an insult to this body. . ,A Caledonian delegate: We will go one bdttcr and take.it io the N.Z.F.A. The amendment'was lost and the. motion was carried. Mr. Smith: I shall have to consult my chib before accepting that decision. Mr. Seeats: Then you defy the northern division? ' Mr. Smith: I am very sorry but those .iRF. e HIX 1.0 >uoq t<o