ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18469, 22 May 1928, Page 6

ASSOCIATION.

BRILLIANT PLAY BY SCOTLAND. ENGLAND COULD NOT CHECK ATTACK. (Special to the “Star.”) LONDON, April 5. It was believed that Scotland’s Association football, always notable for its science and craft, was passing through a lean time. They had gained many thousands of pounds by allowing players on transfer to cross the Border, but the game had suffered irreparable injury. This was suggested by the hollowness of the victory of the English team over the representatives of the Scottish League. In that game only men engaged in Scottish football were eligible. But for the international match, in London, all the Scots now members of English clubs were available, and as many as eight were called on. Still there was little faith in the side. Scotsmen themselves said the odds were three to one on an English victory. The forwards formed perhaps the smallest line that had ever been seen in such an important game. Jackson, the outside right, was sft lOin, but the others were a head smaller. The defence, too, was an experimental one, a *id—well, England were sure to win! As was foreshadowed, it was a onesided match, but, confounding all their critics, it was Scotland who made it so. In brilliance nothing like it has been seen in England. Indeed, if the England team were really as good as they were thought to be, the side that ljeat them were the best that have ever represented Scotland. Scotland’s team of 1900 had always been regarded as perhaps the best, and strangely enough ten members of it were present on this occasion. On the previous night they were entertained at dinner in London by R. S. M’Coll, the master centre-forward of those davs, who is now the managing director of a confectionery business with thirty shops, and, after watching England outplayed and beaten by five goals to one, they generously admitted that the side of to-day were every bit as good as that which they formed in 1900. The game was watched by eighty thousand people, and it began with a thrill. In the first minute Smith, the England outside left, broke away, and, running straight on to goal, seemed certain to score. His aim was good, but the ball struck the post, and came back into play. Almost at once the game swung back, and in three minutes Morton centred from the left, and Alec Jackson headed through goal. From that score Scotland took command, and gave an amazing exhibition. It is commonly supposed that Scottish football is slow, but on this occasion, though it was seldom necessary for the men to run, they raced their opponents off .their feet. The exactness with which they passed was wonderful, and the men seemed just to stroll about, • taking up position to be put into possession. Once eleven passes were made without an English player being able to get within a couple of yards of the ball. The crowd laughed. It was audacious, almost cheeky, as though the purpose was to show up the feebleness of the opposition. But it was also effective, as will be realised from the scoring of five goals. Three of these were obtained by Jackson, perhaps the most brilliantly unorthodox footballer in the game. The plight of England was distressing. They had no effective reply to all the scheming of the Scots, who during most of the second half did almost as they liked. England’s fatal weakness was at half-back, for not only did the trio never get a grip on the Scottish forwards, but they did little to assist their own attack. Jackson, as has been said, was the match-win-ner so far as the goal scoring was concerned.