24 June 1912, Launceston Examiner

BRITISH ASSOCIATION. NORTH v. SOUTH.

A splendid crowd turned up at York Park on Saturday to witness the first North and South "soccer" match played in Tasmania. The majority of the spectators had up till then never seen the game played, and it was amusing to listen to the remarks of those along the touchlines.
Soccer is played with a round ball by eleven men a side - a goalkeeper, two full-backs, three half-backs, and five forwards. The positions on the field are exactly the same as in hockey, which game it resembles very much, with the difference that the ball in hockey is propelled by means of a stick, whilst in "soccer" the feet and head are used.
Although the game is known as British Association, it is really international, being played in every European country as well as in America and the East. Over 200 clubs are playing the game in New Zealand, and every Saturday about 100 clubs meet in competition in and around Sydney. Victoria has also teams playing, as have South Australia and West Australia.
To Mr. J. B. B. Honeysett, a gentleman well known in rowing circles in Tasmania, belongs the honour of introducing the game in the South, and Messrs. N. and R. Vincent and H. Richardson were mainly responsible for its inception in the North.
No comparison can be made between the Australian game and British Association. They are totally different, each having good points, as well as weak ones. The former is the more strenuous of the two, the latter making up, perhaps, what it lacks in that respect by being more scientific. In the Olympic Games programme this year "soccer" is the only class of football catered for, the Rugby code having been dropped. This in itself proves the international character of the round ball game. It is the popular winter pastime in England and Scotland, and the contest between these two countries this year at Glasgow drew a crowd of 127,000 spectators. The record "gate" is in the neighbourhood of 200,000.
North were unfortunate in losing the services of their left back (Ziebiele), who was out of town; Powell took his place. South also had a change, Fry taking the place of Kirby on the half-back line. The teams as altered were: 'North. - Goal, Tisshaw; backs, Davis and Reid; half-backs, Rose, Coombes, and Powcell; forward, R. Vincent, Roberts, N. Vincent, Armytage, and Campbell. South. - Goal, Reid; backs, Fletcher and Cracknell; half-backs, Lovett, Perry, Fry; forward, Hudson, Jones, Honeysett, Pratt, Benson. N. Vincent skippered North, and J. H. Honeysett South.
Vincent won the toss, and took ad vantage of the sun. Honeysett kicked off, and South forwards made an invasion of North's territory. Coombes relieved, and forwarded to N. Vincent, Fletcher intercepted, and cleared nicely. North's wing men were rather slow in falling into position when the ball came forward, and chances were missed. The game was fairly fast, and both sides were working hard. Tisshaw was tested, and saved the shot, but a good clearance not being effected, Hudson dashed in, and banged the ball into the net. Armytage had a try for North, but Reid easily saved. Roberts, from whom a lot was expected, was far from holding his reputation, and was not doing justice to the passes he received from the centre. N. Vincent had an excellent chance, but failed. Fletcher was doing excellent work for South, and Perry was very sound. Honeysett was keeping his forwards nicely together, whereas the North forward line repeatedly crowded on their back division, and when the ball was sent well up by the full backs they were missing. N. Vincent was inclined to roam, due no doubt to the weakness of his wings. Honeysett could perhaps have given his right wing a bit more to do. Tisshaw was performing well in goal, and Coombes was the star of the half-back line. Little Rose was game as a pebble, but 13.4 was a bit beyond him. Davis was clearing nicely, and his timing and kicking were good. The combination of the South was superior to that of North. The first half ended in favour of South by one goal to nil.
South were the first to attack, Pratt, Benson, Jones, and Honeysett being conspicuous. Tisshaw saved a shot from Hudson, and Davis sent the leather out of the danger zone. N. Vincent secured, and with the assistance of Roberts and R. Vincent the ball was brought within shooting distance. Reid and Fletcher, however, were safe. Lovett and Fry, although not so brilliant as their centre half, were doing nicely, and through their agency the forwards were enabled to make a nice combination run, ending in Honeysett beating Tisahaw with a hot shot right out of reach. Northwere palpably tired, but stuck to their work like Trojans. Reid was a surprise. N. Vin cent put in some tricky work, and got right into the opposition's goal area. It looked a guinea to a gooseberry on his scoring, but he lifted the ball over the crossbar. South were pressing when the final whistle went, and a splendidly contested game ended in favour of the south. ern men by two goals to nil.
Mr. Alex. M'Millan (Hobart) acted as referee, and gave entire satisfaction.