Apparently assuming victory as a matter of fact and satisfied to glide along in easy fashion in the first half the Steel City booters were treated to anything but a pleasant surprise in the last stanza when the former Eastern Leaguers, the majority of whom were of robust physique, frustrated Bethlehem's efforts to open up and at times proved quite dangerous themselves. The visitors were gluttons for aggressiveness and speed and playing with reckless abandon resorted freely to vigorous body checking and tackling. The result was that at times the game waged quite hot and produced plenty of thrills for the enthusiastic spectators.
The homesters had themselves partly to blame for the close game when in the first half with opportunities galore they failed to produce. When they did take matters seriously they failed in their efforts, mostly due to the phenomenal work of Scullion, the visitors' goalie, and the splendid support he received from his backs.
Nothing short of an easy victory was visualized throughout the entire first half when Bethlehem was playing with the wind and sun at its back. But the aspect in the second half was materially altered and Bethlehem forced to extend itself to defend the one-goal margin established by Stark when he scored in the first half.
A bit of unusual excitement was injected into the game late in the second half when Rollo, who has substituted for Henighen, and Cairns, the visitors' right halfback, remained deadlocked after a collision and treated the spectators to a brief fistic display. Referee Johnny Walders banished both players and the closing minutes of the game were played with ten men.
The Hungarians flashed a short-lived attack at the opening kick-off and then went on the defense and remained there throughout the greater part of the first half. On one of Bethlehem's movements Stark was going through when fouled on the rim of the penalty area. Reid took the kick, the ball deflecting to Gillespie, who had an open goal but shot by. An instant later Gillespie centered and Stark fell down on an easy chance when his drive, too, went sailing harmlessly by. Then Scullion pulled down a terrific first time shot from Massie. Purgavie followed with a long drive that went by and a short time later it seemed as through Stark had forced Scullion back into the net before he cleared but the goal was disallowed.
The Bethlehem bombardment continued and after ten minutes, during which Scullion was the busiest and most harassed individual on the field, Stark placed a shot well out of the reach of the Hungarian goalie for the only goal of the game.
The visitors' efforts seemed exclusively concentrated on the defensive and one time when Stark again located the rigging offside was claimed and the goal disallowed. Before the half ended every Bethlehem forward had a shot at the net and several times Carnihan and Reid contributed to the bombardment but no further scoring resulted.
The lineup:
Bridgeport -- Bethlehem
Scullion -- G -- Beveridge
Scheel -- RFB -- Finlayson
Cairns -- LFB -- Gibson
Weidner -- RHB -- Reid
Schneider - -CHB -- Carnihan
Morris -- LHB -- Pitt
Kramer -- OR -- Gillespie
McKenzie -- IR -- Stark
Pipa -- CF -- Henighen
Szentinikilosy -- IL -- Massie
Ballie -- OL -- Purgavie
Goals, Stark. Substitutions: Rollo for Henighen, Robertson for Purgavie, Stevens for Pipa. Referee, John Walders, Philadelphia. Linesmen, Fred Pepper and J. H. Carpenter. Time of halves, 45 minutes.