Bethlehem Steel F. C. defeated Paterson F. C. by the score of four goals to nothing in the opening game of the National League at Bethlehem Steel Field on Saturday. Although the score looks one-sided, the visitors were often dangerous during the game and only the superb work of the Bethlehem defense prevented them from scoring on several occasions. Bethlehem showed clever soccer at all times.
Vandeweighe, of the visitors, got hurt in a collision with Forrest and had to retire. The visitors resorted to the one man back game and Bethlehem forwards were thrown off-sides on many occasions when they looked like scoring, and although the visitors only had ten min it was really a handicap for Bethlehem, as the forwards could make little headway with the one-back tactics of Paterson.
Bethlehem's first goal came after thirty-four minutes of play from a good shot from Ratican, his shot beating Healey all the way, clever work by Forrest greatly assisting the center forward. This success seemed to give Bethlehem new life and Fleming scored the second goal on a penalty awarded against Bleisch; time, 43 minutes. This ended the first half. Score, Bethlehem, 2; Paterson, 0.
After 5 minutes of play in the second half, Campbell passed to Forrest, who scored the third goal. Paterson threatened several times, but Bethlehem's back line played a great game and broke up all combinations. A pass from Butler to Forrest to Pepper made the fourth and last goal possible after 35 minutes of play.
Paterson -- Beth. Steel
Healey -- G -- Duncan
Murray -- RFB -- Fletcher
Bleisch -- LFB -- Ferguson
Meyerdicks -- RHB -- Kirkpatrick
Vandeweighe -- CHB -- Campbell
Broadbent -- LHB -- Butler
Garside -- OR -- McKelvey
Hunsicker -- IR -- Pepper
Shandholdt -- CF -- Ratican
Gradwell -- IL Forrest
Brown -- OL -- Fleming
Linesman, Garside. Referee, Kerr. Linesman, Morrison. Bethlehem, 4; Ratican, Forrest, Fleming, Pepper.
Bethlehem won at New York on Sunday, October 6th. The New York "Sun" reported the game as follows:
Bethlehem made its season's debut here at Lennox Oval yesterday and defeated the New York Football Club in a championship game of the National Football League, by 3 to 0.
The national champions practically were at full strength, only Murray and Murphy being absent. They have been drafted into the service. New York had four newcomers in line. After each side had scored a goal that was disallowed by the referee, Ratican of Bethlehem got through in a rush for the New York goal, the first half ending 1-0 in favor of the visitors.
Right after the change of ends Fleming drove in a hard shot from the left, placing Bethlehem 2 up. McKelvey shot the third and final goal from a mix-up with five minutes to go. Porter made a number of fine saves in goal for New York, as did Duncan for Bethlehem. The lineup:
New York -- Bethlehem
Porter -- G -- Duncan
Vandeweghe -- RFB -- Fletcher
Kelly -- LFB -- Ferguson
Koehler -- RHB -- Kirkpatrick
Adamson -- CHB -- Campbell
Petrie -- LHB -- Butler
O'Halloran -- OR -- McKelvey
Koelsch -- IR -- Pepper
Tillisch -- CF -- Ratican
Young -- IL -- Forrest
Brierly -- OL -- Fleming
Goals -- Ratican, Fleming, McKelvey, Bethlehem. Referee -- C. Scott, Brooklyn, National Referees' Association. Linesmen -- C. Ferro and J. Morrison. Time of halves -- 45 minutes.