22 May 1912, Sydney Morning Herald

BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

BOOM IN STATE MATCHES.

THE DURATION OF A GAME.

Players and adherents of the game generally are now looking forward to next month, when the Queensland team is due in Sydney. The programme of inter-district matches arranged for June 3 will enable the selectors to judge whether any players from the South Coast and Newcastle districts are worthy of consideration for the New South Wales team. It appears certain that the South Coast can supply a few players of the right calibre, though this season's form is at present unknown. In and around the metropolis the members of the committee are carefully watching the teams in competition. We are apparently rich in half-backs, and each match seems to bring out some new player who attracts particular attention in the half-back line. In the Balmain-Glebe (Rawson Cup) match on Saturday, Oliphant was very conspicuous by the manner in which he checked the movements of the two forwards on Balmain's left wing, whom it was his special duty, as right-half, to watch.

Forrest, at left-half, tackled ably for Sydney against Newtown, and otherwise performed creditably. The Balmain trio, Moore, Byers, and Rose, are in good form, and Hllder (Granville), Meehan (Sydney), and Milner (Newtown) are also showing out prominently, so that the selection of the half-back line is already a serious problem. The task of choosing a satisfactory New South Wales eleven will undoubtedly be a difficult one altogether.

There is undoubted evidence of a boom in interstate matches, for the Tasmanians, who are enthusiastically endeavouring to attain prominence in Association football, are sending a team in July.

The movement for the formation of an association at Lithgow also furnishes proof of the growth of the "soccer" code into general favour.

COMMENTS ON GAMES.

Balmain were unfortunate in having to replace Ross in the second half against Glebe, though, as it happened, Glebe's scores were mainly the result of dashing play on their left wing. Christie and Carroll proved a fine pair in attack. It was certainly a wise move to bring Christie up from the back line, for at least two of the goals scored by Glebe could be traced to his left foot.

Chalmers also played well, and Teasel, as outside right, was quite equal to fending off Ferguson, who tackled the Glebe forward several times, only to meet with solid rebuffs. M'Donald was steady, yet sound, at fullback, while Storey guarded the Glebe goal as only a capable keeper can.

There can be no doubt Balmain's present weakness, when the team is compared with last year's, lies in the forward line. There are only two changes in the personnel, viz., Kelly and Charlton for J. Ferguson and Pryde, and it cannot be said that the alteration, have had other than a weakening effect in the attack. The reason for omitting Pryde from the Rawson Cup team in the first match of the season, and playing him in the Association Cup team, appears inexplicable, unless it was intended to make the two teams more even, or there was a possibility of the latter team being weaker than last year. Whatever the reason, the change was made at the expense of the Rawson Cup eleven, and Balmain must now realise that Pryde's dashing propensities as centre-forward would be of great assistance in taking the ball more frequently up to the opposing backs than is possible, judging from present appearances, with the player who has displaced him. Under the rules, however, Pryde cannot now play with the Rawson Cup team.

M'Donald and Robertson are as keen and nippy as ever. The former's fine centre kicks make trouble for opposing defenders, who would be still further harassed if Balmain had retained Pryde in the Rawson Cup team.

Sydney appeared to have the match against Newtown well in hand when the unfortunate stoppage occurred. They played with only four forwards for the first half-hour Nicholls (outside left) being the absentee, and Jenkins was then requisitioned. Herron, however, did some fine work as the single left-wing forward. His first goal came from a long, well-judged kick that drove the ball so accurately and suddenly that Mitchell the Newtown keeper, had not the slightest chance of getting to it.

Grogan was in his best form, shooting from the wing in great style. He was unselfishly assisted by Gallagher who, however, failed at times to pass with precision. With a little more match practice together Sydney's right wing pair should prove attractive and successful in passing movements. Hughes and Kirkpatrick shone in stopping the Newtown forwards' rushes, several of which, with Blake and Milton in the van, looked almost certain to end in a score.

Milner and Dennis were very sound and active in defence. The former also backed up well behind the forwards, and made dashes into likely openings for a score; tactics which are quite within the province of a centre half.

H.M.S. Drake's stock has gone up a little by reason of the draw with Granville-there was a slu**** ****r the Newtown match-but the naval team was still far from repeating the performances of the renowned eleven from H.M.S. Powerful. Both Granville and H.M.S. Drake have yet to win their first match. Granville forwards are likely to break out in a series of scoring expeditions at any time; they are well looked after by a fine half-back in Hilder, and a little more combination in passing should make them more effective.

The police team have apparently adopted 10 as the limit (maximum and minimum) for the number of goals to be scored against them. They play the game well, so far as footwork is concerned, but do not hustle enough, and dashing forwards like Dawson and Killian had no difficulty in manipulating the ball with telling effect in Saturday's match. The police have a fine ground, on which it must be a treat to play.

West Sydney were hard pressed by Northern Suburbs, Vandenreiche playing a great game in the forward line for the Shoremen. The match between Balmain and West Sydney, the leading teams in the Association Cup, will be played at Epping on Saturday next. It should prove a most exciting contest. Y.M.C.A. are still close to the leaders. They have a good scoring forward in Tolmie.

 

THE PERIOD OF PLAY.

A matter of interest to players, supporters, and administrators alike is the lateness of the termination of the second match on grounds where two games are played during an afternoon. If it were not a common occurrence there would be no need to refer to it. The reason is usually traced to delay in starting the first match, which is generally set down for 2 o'clock, and two years ago the management committee decided that the second match should commence at 3.30, irrespective of the time at which the kick-off took place in the first match. That is, the period of delay in starting should be deducted from the ordinary duration (three-quarters of an hour) of the first half. If the first match did not start until, say, 2.30, the first half would last only a quarter of an hour.

This instruction has been honoured mostly in the breach, and it has been urged, even by referees, that the duration of any game must be 90 minutes, in accordance with law 2, unless the captains consent to a reduction; and it they object to short time, full time must be played. This, however, is apparently a mistaken view of the accepted reading of the law.

Law 2 reads: "The duration of the game shall be 90 minutes, unless otherwise mutually agreed upon. There are official instructions to referees laid down in connection with this law, on one of which the referees evidently rely tor their guidance. It is as follows: "Unless a referee is notified to the contrary by the two captains he must under ordinary circumstances continue the game for 90 minutes." It is well to remember the words "under ordinary circumstances," for the following instruction to referees surely settles this point:-"There is no power to set aside the rules of cup and other competitions where the time to be played is specified." This evidently infers that bodies which govern competitions may fix the duration of games to suit their own convenience. This view is supported by Mr. W. Pickford, the well-known international referee, whose explanatory comments on law 2 may be of interest. He says: "In regard to playing short time, there are varying regulations in varying competitions. Circumstances do occur in the lesser important circles that render it advisable to play a Cup or League game of an hour's duration. 'If you wish to play short time,' say the authorities, 'the referee must be notified. This may only be done by mutual agreement of both captains'-and, of course, with the permission of the Cup or League rules that the match is played under."