The San Francisco call., 1908-03-22
Two Soccer Teams
Closely Matched
Friends of Thistles Not Read,
TO Concede Supremacy of
Ropers
BY Bob Shand

The soccer game last week between
the Thistles and Albion Rovers has
produced a prolific aftermath. and the
consensus of opinion seems to be that
in another game the Thistles might be
able to reverse the result. On the play
last week the Rovers were easily the
better team, but in the drawn game
of the previous week the Thistles had
the hardest kind of luck in falling to
win. Last weeks contest was without
doubt one of the best exhibitions of
soccer seen here since the game was
started. Both teams played the wide
open game, the forwards lying apart
and keeping we'll in their positions to
receive passes. As a result the half
backs had little difficulty in locating
their forwards and some pretty placing
was witnessed.
There is feeling among the fans
that 1t is too bad to allow a crack
team like the Thistles to retire from
the game for the season at this early
stage. The Scotch team is just now at
the top of its form and can give as
pretty display of the soccer code as
any team in the business. 1t has been
suggested that post season series be
held among the leading clubs. and there
is little doubt that such a competition
would be financial winner. The reg
ular season will be over in a month,
provided all the games are settled at
the first attempts and no protests arise.
After the conclusion of the cup COM
petition the Rovers will meet an all
star eleven picked from the other
teams In the league.
A near international game was
played by the Saturday leaguers at
Freeman park last Saturday between
teams composed of British and Ameri-
can players and, to the CONSERVATION
of the Englishmen. the natives got
away with the long end of a three to
one score. The natives showed them
selves adept at the game and outplayed
their opponents at every stage of the
game. There is now some talk OF
forming an all-American team to take
part in the league series next year.
The first of the semiinals in the cup
competition will be played at Free
mans park this afternoon. where the
Independents and Robert Burns will
contest. The Independents have a long
record of victories in this competition
in previous years and won the cup on
three successive occasions. This is the
Burns first year in football, and the
management is putting forth every ef-
fort to perpetuate the team by captur-
ing the trophy.
The postponed league game between
the Vampires and Hornets will be
played at the Alameda grounds at IL
o'clock this morning 1t was originally
intended to play this game after the
cup competition had been finished. but
in view of their contest with the AL
bfon Rovers next Sunday the Vamps,
were desirous of engaging in a game
today to timber up the players. This
will be the Hornets last appearance
this season. they received their
quietus in the cup competition several
weeks ago. and the management is
particularly anxious to record q win
before evaporating. The teams will be
as follows: Hornets-McRitchie. Wac
ber, Lynch, Tolley, Duncan, Cullen,
Sharpe, Mortimer, Edwards. Askham
and Pomeroy. yampires-McFarlane
Peterson. Hunter. Scott. Middleton.
Lees, Singer, Bernard. Robertson. J.
Mckenzie and A. Mckenzie