West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 6 July 1925, page 10


WEST'S NARROW WIN.

UMPIRE THREATENED.'

Apart from the fact that spectators witnessed a thrilling final quarter, in which a team strove time and again to score the coal which would mean victory

for them, the match between uest Perth and South Fremantle, on the Fremantle Oval on Saturday, was for the most part uninteresting. West Perth have a reputation fur being a team brilliant in the air, and their opponents, South Fremantle, iave many nigh markers. The day w:is ideal for clever overhead and conibiusitiou work, and yet the game was pretty much a scramble. Players of both sides seemed unable to mark with any accuracy, though some of West's players shone at times. The kicking -for goal of both sides was good, but the field passing, particularly when- drop-kicking was employed, was very bad, the ball ou innumerable occasions just roiling along the ground- from the player's boot. With a iuare six points separating the teams at the liual quarter, the mutch was not lacking in interest at that stage. South's were desperate, and attacked throughout the quarter. Three points were all that were added to the tallies, and South's ad-ded these. Wests failed to score during the ouarter. Their forwards had. done their work: it was now the backs' chance. Craig. Boyd, and the other back men worked in a wonderful manner, bnt South's attacks continued to come. Time and again West's backs would clear only to see the ball sent down again. There were occasions when Wests forced tiirough, and it wus at these times that Mahon and Lutey, 'jih'ying magnificently for the home team, showed out. The home team lost because they carried a nnmbc? of passengers. Players such as' Giles and Sunderlau-i. who played well throughont. would force the ball down only to s'-e the -:hance lost by bad pla «e:ir the goal. Four minutes before time Souths had a magniticent chance right in front, but failed to accept it. Wests, although their football w.-ts far from what it could be. were quicker to the hall, and kept their positions better. Oceawonallv they exhibited flashes of good team work. In the pivot position Gosueils shared t''1 honours wiih Hughes, fiotii players -1M well throughout. Taylor Biiyd and Craig were others who were itfrfu! ':?!! i'.-l v. .-inil Johnston !-e«t. his iri:iii jin'tntWs on the wins. F!--mniiu« w.:s n-.-nonsltle for six of West's goals, anil .!i:!' lii'-kins and marking were a fear ture of the came. He h::d seven shots and' scored six goals. In the last quarter Melbin piayrd a match-winn;ng s.ime. .i;ll w:;s rarely liealeif. For the losirs. Lui'.v. Mnhnn ami Ciirs stood out. Lutey being particularly brill::: lit in the last' quarter. B:-tem.in was responsible for several srem saves, and Sunderlanri put in good work in the nacks. Campbell was good in patches. An unpleas.-.nt incident occurred at the conclusion of ; ho game, when Cassey. who acted as central umpire, met with n hostile reception from a crowd. I A numb'r of civilians invaded the ground and .-iitemntcd to strike him. Cassey himself was responsible fur knoi-ting one (!(,.\h. IJoilce an;! piayon- protected him I to the dn-ssii'K-riioM. ;i:nid hoots and iu|i.i!is. II- h-'l a hard game to manage. ;:iiu. ill 'iish m.iiiy of his decisions appeared ?rroiiiidle.-i ami piizzleii spectators .-nnl ji-avrs alike, lie -liil fairly well. It is a tiling to 1'- deplored that football fol!ow-r- are so lacking in sportsmauship that they allow themselves to be drawn into demonstrations which only reflect discredit on the game and the State. The teams weret — Wo-t Perth. — fiosnell. Taylor. Bovd, Craig. Mi-Dairmid. Soutar. Sinclair. Meli bin. FiemmhiK. Ramki'l. Penton, Reardon. Fr;-. Sampson. Johnston. Moyle, McClemenK and Kelly. !-outh Fremantle. — Tuxford. Sunderland. Campbell. Fuhrmann. Mahon. MCIer, Edgar. (Jiies, I'ressley. Lawn, Fitzirerald, Hughes, Daly. Calder, Cla-ck, Bateman, Lutey. and Jennings. Play commenced briskly. Wests being in charge. Flemmins booted their first

goal, and soon afterwards notched; their second. At the other end Fuhrmann booted true, and then Gosnell sent# to Flemming, who raised bis third goal. Giles scored a sixer, and Campbell, from a free which seemed to be doubted by players, scored another. Gosnell was playing well, and the kicking of both teams was bad. McDairmid raised twin flags, £-nd at the first bell the scores were: — West Perth, 4.0; South. Fremantle. 3.1. Giles to Campbell, saw the latter raise both flags soon after the change over. Flemming scored the maximum at the other end, and Lawn, with a good kick, scored again for the home team. The football had improved, slightly, and play was more dashing. The long interval scores were equal, both teams being ii.2. Campbell was responsible for putting. Giles in possession in front, and the latter's clever play resulted iu a .goal. ' After Sampson had scored a goal. Lawn cleverly engineered another. Flemming, from a free, scored his fifth major, and soon afterwards, receiving from Gosnell. booted hiR sixth. Mtfhon. Gosnell, Sunderland. Melbin and Giles shone out during the quarter. The three-quarter time scores- were: — West Perth. 8.4; South Fremantle. 7.4. Excitement was high when Fry, in attempting to save, gave South's a point, and made . the- difference five points. Souths attacked strongly, and Lawn scored a minor. Campbell lowered the margin to three points, and his team missed a wonrVful chance throuob. bad forw»rd play. There was no further score,; and the visitors ran out winners *»? three points. Th-» final scores were: — West Perth. S.4 (52 points). South Fremantle, 7.7 (49 (points). The goal-kicker.s. were: — West Perth, Flemming (G). McDairmid. and Sampson: South Fremantle. Campbell (3), Giles (2), and Lawn (2).