Association Game

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16815, 18 August 1922, Page 2

Association Game

Comments by “ Nestor

THE CHAMPIONSHIP. FINAL TO-MORROW. By defaulting to Rangers last Saturday Ashburton enabled the Royal and Blacks tho two points necessary to tie with Sunny side at the head of the. championship table. The play off. which is scheduled to take place at English Park to-morrow, should provide spectators with some great football, and given favourable, weather a record crowd for the .season should assemble. It will be the first occasion on which Sunnyside have contested in the championship final since the club’s formation some twelve years ago, and it will also be their first match off the hospital ground. The advantage, therefore. so far as the venue is concerned, will bo in Rangers’ favour, for the play ing area at English Park is considerably longer than that of Sunnyside, and it may possibly take both the attack and defence of the hospital team some time to adapt itself* to the altered conditions. Both the teams may be expected to field their strongest sides, and if this is the case it should be a hard fought game. The teams have previously met twice in the championship, and on both occasions Sunnyside have appropriated the maximum points. So far as goal average reads, the hospital team has a considerable advantage, the figures being 13 goals for and only three against. This would indicate a much superior defence in the Green ranks to that of Rangers, and it will be this department, in the match to-morrow', where weaknesses will he sought by the Sunnyside attack. Rangers are undoubtedly superior in the forwards, and unless the Sunnyside halves can smash the Royal and Blacks’ dangerous combination te their fast wings the Greens may find themselves in difficulties. The final reading of the tables for both grades is as follows : A DIVISION.

B. DIVISION

NOMADS (2) v. WESTERN (1). The “ knock-out ’’ competition in the Canterbury Football Association senior grade clubs for the English Cup and medals was commenced on Saturday last. With nine teams entered a preliminary round became necessary, and the draw- matched Western with Nomads. The game was played at English Park, and much enthusiasm was shown by the spectators assembled. The ground was in splendid order, and an absence of wind made conditions ideal for fast football. Western were at full strength, but Nomads were without tho brothers Frickleton—a serious handicap to the Blues. As is usual in Cup football, neither side produced its best form. The game was fast and interesting, but it lacked the essential feature of combination to make it spectacular. Nomads showed a decided weakness at right back, and this should have been an inducement to Western to attack on the left. But the Blacks endeavoured to force play down the centre almost without exception, and so consistent were the inside trio in this method of attack that Cummins, the Nomads back, who uses his head before his foot, almost invariably countered the movement. Occasionally the wings, Falloon on the left and Perry on the right, would make a break, but instead of centring to goal and giving the inside trio an opportunity with a fast follow up. they put the hall almost square across, thus giving the Nomads backs time to clear or consolidate. The Western forwards-—fast an:l trained to the minute —could have run the Nomads defence off its legs if it had continually played to its wings. With

one. of the backs challenging a winger it is obvious that an opening down the centre would thus he more easily created. The feeding of the AA'estern halves also could have been improved. Durie was the only half to sSow to advantage in this respect. His transfers always went straight to the mark —low and sharp. AY hi Ist dealing with the halves—and this applies equally to both sets—it was remarkable that the referee (Air Geo Black) should show so much latitude in throwing in from touch. The number of foul throws allowed to go unchallenged was remarkable. Oi course, the advantage gained, if any, is unfinitesimal to the side committing the offence, but it is a breach of the rules nevertheless.

In the first half Nomads had easily the most opportunities to score, but the forwards almost invariably persisted in attempting to run the ball right up to tho goalkeeper before venturing a shot, with the result that the "Western defence averted danger. The Blacks scored first, and their goal came in the nature of a gift. Cummins badly missed a forward pass by Falloon, and Hoy, racing dp; gathered the ball with only Wilson to beat in goal. _ The teams crossed over with 'Western a goal to the good. The same style of play—hard kicking with little combination. characterised the opening stages, with fast end-to-end work. A breakaway by Woods ended in the winger putting in a fine shot from an awkward angle, which completely beat Andrews. Tlie scores remained level lentil two minutes from time, when Nomads were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area. H. M’Creanor undertook the responsibility, and he shot for goal hard and strong. It could easily have been cleared, but to the amazement of tlhe spectators Andrews made no attempt to clear. This gave Nomads the lead, and as time was called immediately AVestern paid the penalty of not being fully conversant with the rules, which distinctly state that a. goal may be scored direct from a free kick following an offence such as was committed last Saturday.

On the play Western were the better team, the pick of which were Hoy, Ellis and Falloon in the forwards, Durie at half, and Mitchell and Oliapple fullbacks. Spencer and Yates were Nomads’ best forwards. H. and F. M’Creanor, Cummins and Wilson were the pick of the defence. At a meeting of the C.F.A. executive held last Monday night Western wrote asking for a ruling as to whether a referee should signal that a goal may be scored direct from a free kick by blowing the whistle twice (as is usually done). The referee. Mr Geo. Black, was present, and admitted that he gave the ordinary signal. After considerable discussion the meeting finally directed that the match should count as a draw, and that the usual extra time—i.e., ten minutes each way—should be played next Saturday as a curtain raiser to the championship final at English Park. Anent thi6 above ruling by the C.F.A., “ W.S. ” (Spreydon) writes:— * 1 The question of the legality of the goal Nomads scored from the free kick on Saturday last was apparently not entered into by the letter received from the Western Club at the meeting of the C.F.A. executive last Monday night. I should be pleased if you could enlighten me, and possibly many others, as to what clause in the rule book the meeting based its ruling on.”—Under clauee 20 (by-laws) a club is entitled te protest on questions of interpretation of the laws of the game. As to whether AA’estern took advantage of this clause I am not in a position te state. In tho enso under discussion it is not compulsory for a referee to give any special signal. It is entirely at the referee’s option, but sudh a signal (i.e., two blasts on the whistle instead of one) has latterly been adopted, in order to prevent just such a misunderstanding as occurred on Saturday last. Tt is very doubtful, however, if the C.F.A.’s decision would stand the test of an appeal. A special meeting of the committee of Nomad’s Club was held on AVednesday night to consider the association’feruling. It wa.s decided that the Club could not agree to play the extra ton minutes each way ns provided in the event of a draw, but was willing to replay the match.

Goals Oh. Team. P. W. D. U. for. agat. pts. Snnnyside . 13 9 1 3 38 18 19 Hangers . • 13 9 1 3 38 25 19 Nomads . . 13 7 2 4 83 20 16 Western . 13 6 1 6 25 24 13 fit Albans . 13 5 2 6 32 28 12 Ashburton . 13 5 1 7 24 26 11

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