ASSOCIATION GAME.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12067, 24 July 1917, Page 3

ASSOCIATION GAME.

(By CENTRE-FORWARD.) The second round of the League competition was concluded on Saturday under good weather conditions. The positions of the. teams are practically the same as at the conclusion of tho first round. Linwood Corinthians are still in the lead, with Nomads and Rangers United close up. Tho third round should prove of tho greatest interest, and great changes in the positions of the three leading teams are probable. Next Saturday's bout between Linwood and Rangers-United should have n. distinct bearing on the final result of tho championship.

Last, Saturday's games provided no surprises other than to show St Albans and Boys' Gordon Hall to be vastly improved elevens. Tho former went down to Linwood by G-2, while B.G.H. were defeated bv 7-3. The above scores at least indicate that the young clubs can successfully attack thr» fine defoncn of both the loading teams. The writer has consistently Revised more confidentplay by these teams, who appear to ■suffer from "stage fright." and only begin to play in real earnest after the match lias been lost to them. At Linwood Park tho Linwood Corinthians scored three goals inside of six minutes, and then did not again score till just on half-time. Better results would bo attained if these teams would set tin to their game right with tho first* whistlo. The following are tho positions of tho teams in the Senior League at tho conc.hision of the second round:

Xote.—Tho match Nomada v. B.G.H. ivas postponed as the ground at Linwood Parlt was umnarkod. For tho ivinuers of the Limvood-St. Albans gamo Pavlott, Hill and ITnrris wero most conspicuous. Each scored ■vrit-h good shots, and some of the combiuerl play was well worth seeing. Hill's pace, was too much for t.lic Saints' dofence, and he had matters much as he liked. Harris reverted to half-back after scoring, changing places with Newell.

M'Lachlan was the only forward wbo failed to register, but he had bad luck, as he struck tho crossbar with a sliofj that went like lightning. His work with Smith was not up to the usual high standard, many passes going astray.

Flood and Ensor played right: up to their high standard, and tho former attacked the Saints' citadel successfully. Macfarlanc and Randall are still inclined, to hang to the middle of the field too much, which throws double work on to the half-hack. Raid, Jewell and Mohan showed up prominently for the losers. Tho former scored with a, really fi.no shot, Bennett ha vino- no chance to save. Mollov -was weak. He would do well to discard his cap when playing. He" has no earthly chance of heading accurately whilst, wearing a cap. This was amply demonstrated on Saturday.

Shaw, at centre-half, was :right out, and played a strenuous gamo all through. He brought many likely rushes to a sudden stop. "Bill" Ramsay turned out for the Saints. The ex-Canterbury representative soon got into his stride, and what h 0 lost in pacei he made up with bis thorough knowledge of the fine points of the game. With Ramsay and Autlibert, St Albans have a very fair pair of backs. Ladbrook.s was up against it in meeting Hill and Co. for his first game, after a long spell. Nevertheless, he brought off some good saves. The match at English Park between Nomads and Boys' Gordon Hall was always full of interest, although the issue was never in doubt.

Mitchell and Grant played havoc with the younger players. This pair can shine in the best of company, so that Saturday's game was not a stiff proposition for them. Hawkings made his debut for tho Royal Blues, and quickly got into a scoring mood. He. should prove a decided acquisition to Nomads. Taylor and Wardell were again absent from the ranks of Nomads, so that this club wias not at its highest pitch. Watson and Swift proved as solid as ever. The kicking of the former has both power and direction, gaining much ground for his front ranks. Shurrock. turned out for Boys' Gordon Hall, making his first appearance; this year. He was playing well until an old knee injury gained tire upper hand >and ho had to retire.

Nicholson improves each Saturday. Ho ha.T plenty of pace and a fairly good command of the ball. Marshall proved a welcome addition to the E.eds. His work on tluj wing had tho stamp of quality on it. His* pace was too much for J. Grant, who was often left standing. Bruorton had some stiff shots to. <\csi\ with. Ho cloarod many in ftno style, but could not cover those that found tho net.

Next Saturday's qualifying match, St Albans v. Boys 1 Cordon Hall, should bo most interesting. Thesrteams have mot twice, and claim a. ■win each, so that a-n exciting pa mo is bound to result. The. winnow qualifies for the -English Cup competition. JUNTOTI NOTCS. Nomads mot Sumner at South Park, and after a very uninteresting gann.dof on tod them by two goals lo one. Xomads did not show their usual speed and clever footwork, Passniorc. and Fanner alone playing up to customary form. Sunnier played well at times, but their forwards wre slow to iakc advantages given to them by th e lihu* vangi'iard. Williams and O'XeiH pla.ved well, but were not properly c;ipported. Nomads would do well to remember that can be ouly one captain, and that ho directs the play. They might also boar in mind th.it solo efforts are not usually regarded as good fool ball, and seldom succeed. Western, at North Park, alter an interesting game, beat St Albans, who had trouble to secure a team, by threo goals to nil. Dobbs, Kirk, and Howden were worthy of special mention.

Tlip following tablo shows tli(> position-; of ilie teams in tiiis tri'.-iclo to tiatc: -

THIRD GRADE. Chief liuen-st, in this grade centred in the giiinc between St Bedo's and Nomads H. 1 lie- latter avenged themselves of a former defeat by substantially winning by nix goals to one. In the first ,-rjeK. Nnsiads, by judiciously kicking with the wind, scored four goals. After changing over, the Saints did not make the best use of the wind. They made repeated efforts to score, breaking away timo after time, but the BlucvS' rearguard, was almost impenetrable, only two chances being given .throughout the second spell. Silvester, {/Connell and Watte bore the brunt of the game, while Gillespie, Foster and Muir placed well for. tto

Blues, and O'Reilly, Badland, Shaw and Perkins played well for St Bedc's. This match created rather a surprise in Association circles, as it was thought that a. very even -game would result instead of a runaway. St Alhans, at North Park, defeated Nomads C by three goals to one. The match was uninteresting, as play was almost eonfinpcl to the Nomads half. For St Albans, Young, Keys and Richards played wall, as did Brough and Flaherty for Nomads. St Albans wcre> much the bigger team, and should have registered, a larger score, as tho Bluos' kicking was weak at timesThis win places Nomads A so far in tho lead that they can hardly fail to, win the Third Grade.

Some teams in this grade have shown an unsportsanlike manner in defaulting ; on the other hand, the lowest

team on the list, wrich hn.s not won or even drawn a game, always turns out with a full team. This sporting spirit is to be most highly commended. Tho following table shows tho positions of tho teams in this grade to date :—-

"Spectator" writes to the Editor:--"Your writer of Soccer notes cannot be congratulated on the tone <>f l lis comments, it is very evident that he sees the game only through green spectacles, and i.s quite oblivious to any other colours playing the game, except to compare at a disadvantage with the faultless Linwood team. A fair and favourlcss criticism is a player's just due, and it is time 'Centre-Forward' exhibited a broader intelligence in his conception between right and wrong on tho field of play."

"Spectator'' asserts that T suffer from the malady of seeing only through green spectacles. T fancy ho lias a bad attack of the "Blues." If " Spectator " had formulated a definite charge ] should have had more to go on; but lie only hits off in generalities—which, cut no ice. His sarcastic, reference to the "faultless'' Linwood team is too absurd for comment, other than to advise hinii to re-read last week's notes, where "Centre-Forward" named a.Linwood full-back, who was responsible for Rangers' first goal by crowding in on Bennett —surely an Irishman's flattery for a full-back. Similar references have been made when occasion demanded. Comments in this column from time to time have been mad© impartially, and any worthy effort recorded. "Spectator's" flattery, however, caused me to look up the performances of the "Green" team, and I must admit that T received a surprise, for I found that right through the first round only one point had been scored against them —a. good performance. If the " Greens " have had favourable comment, they surely must havo merited it, their ]yo&u tion at the top of the League table/ hoaring this out fully.

MEETING OF MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

There was a largo attendance of the Management Committee at its usual fortnightly meeting, held at the Y.M.O.A. last evening. Mr Bunt presided, in the absence of Mr 11. English.

The Canterbury Football Association has been granted the use of the Woolston Park, for Association football. A donation of £1 Is was received from the Referees' Association towards the English Park fund. The St Bodo's Club wrote) asking for the transfer of W. J. Mullan to its third grade team, and a letter Avas received from Nomads requesting tho transfer of a player from tho Boys' Gordon Hall Club to the. Nomads team. Both applications wore referred to the Classification Committtec. The chairman of the Match Committee intimated to the General Committee that the former body proposed an extra round for it ho I/eaguo competition, previous to the English cup, and suggested that St Albans and Boys' Gordon Hall play a qualifying match, to eliminate the bye. _l T pon being put to the meoting the proposal was agreed to. Mr Dugay, secretary of the schools' competition, presented a report showing that there were twenty-two 'teams'playing in that competition. Tho speaker stated that tho refoweing had been satisfactory. Mr Dugay also stated that satisfactory arrangements bad been made with regard 'to collecting the fares for the boys' team from the schools which will shortly visit Dunedin.

Tho question of the association becoming affiliated with the New Zealand Sports' Protection League was referred to the Finance Committee to report at nexrJ meeting'. It was dtocided to refer tho question of a picture benefit to the Finance Committeo for roport at next meeting. It -was decided that a resolution be forwarded to the RefereW Association asking that body to dtrictly enforce tho rule~that no spectators bo allowed on tho oval at English Park during tho progress of a match. The Match Committee met at the* Y M.C.A. last 'evening to make the draw for tho final round of the League, competition. Tho draw is as follow: .Tulv 28.—'Hangers t. Linwood, at English Park." 13.C1.H. v. St Albans, Linwood i ark. Nomads a.- bye. August 4.-Rang«B v. 8.G.H., +*&** Park? Nomads v. St Albans, English Park. Linwood a. bye. . August 11- —St Albans v. Rangers, Linwood Park. Linwood v. Nomads, 'English Park. B.G.H. a byo. Aliens) 18.—Linwood v. 8.C.1T., Lmwooci Park? Xoniads v. .Rangers, English Park. .St Albans a bye. August 25. —Linwood v. St Albans", Linwood Park. Nomads v. 8.G.H., English Park. Pangers a bye.

Team. i rt E a 0 t: m & Q "s • S * i ,0 Goals against. . , Points Liivwood 8 6 i 1 30 3 13 Eangers1 RO 11 Unitod fi 5 2 7 Nomads 7 5 2 0 29 .10 30 Bovs' Gordon Halt 7 1 6 ft 11 36 o St Albans S 1 ~ 0 9 44 2

a ei t? Cy □ J c ft rl C £ •j, c « J, «.2 <*> J* 0 2 c rfl O a P, AOtlKK'i 7 G 0 J l."» 6 lj Wwicfil . 7 1 •J J j:; n « St Albans . 7 ■j •) J.". 7 6 Sumner 7 0 2 8 M 6

Team. i, p-, d 0 £ J 5 H i Q_ *3 . C c.2 J ™ c o'S kl. • m £ a rt O Q Cm .Nomads A . ID 9 0 1 47 9 i J St Bedes 10 l> 3 1 :w 1 ■? i <i "* Noiuaele 13 . 10 r» 4 n '28 33 St Albans A !l 4 3 2 JO j 4 Bays' G.H. 10 -i 4 0 21 13 10 Western 5 o 3 0 7 21 4 St Albans B 4 0 4 0 2 21 U Nomads C . 10 0 10 (> 3 57' 0