The Globe -- Bethlehem
Monday, January 14, 1924
TWO VICTORIES FOR STEEL ELEVEN
Brooklyn is Defeated in League Game and Bedford Eliminated in American Tie
SCORES, 3 TO 0; 6 TO 1

The Bethlehem Steel soccer team continued its dizzy pace over the weekend winning its league game from Brooklyn Wanderers on the Steel Field on Saturday afternoon by the score of 3 to 0, and on Sunday afternoon advanced another peg in the American Cup competition race by easily defeating the Bedford F. C. of Brooklyn, N. Y., in a third round game by the score of 6 to 1. The game was played on the pitch at New York Oval, the same field on which Bethlehem, two weeks previous, engaged in the bitter struggle with the New York F. C., in the replay of the fourth round National Cup.

The Bedford F. C. an amateur aggregation, was completely outclassed by the Steel Workers and after the latter had assumed a commanding lead, merely toyed with their opponents. However, the game was not uninteresting for the two thousand or more spectators who turned out, for after Bethlehem had pulled to the front, the patrons were treated to probably the prettiest football ever witnessed with the Bethlehemites as the chief actors.

Apparently the New York field is made to order for the Jackson brothers for in the previous cup game Walter Jackson, the Bethlehem's brilliant center forward, experienced the unique distinction of scoring three successive goals. This accomplishment was against one of the strongest teams in the East. In Sunday's tilt, with Bedford, it was Brother Alec who starred, counting the first three goals for Bethlehem in the opening fifteen minutes of play.

The younger member of the Jackson clan was shifted to outside right in the game with Brooklyn, but yesterday was back at his former inside position with Turner on the outside wing. Highfield, who remained idle on Saturday, was in goal and Oellerman, the other Bethlehem goalie was doing duty as a linesman.

In the opening minute of play it became glaringly apparent that the Bedford eleven was no match for the well operating machine of the Bethlehem Steel Workers and this was borne out by the rapidity with which the points were rolled up. At the end of the first half the score stood 4 to 0 in favor of Bethlehem. A like number, if not more, could possibly have been added in the second half, but the forwards simply refused to try for any more, contenting themselves with passing and clever football. The two additional goals counted were off the toe of McGregor and Robertson, defense men.

The lineup:

Bethlehem -- Bedford
Highfield -- G -- Adamson
Young -- RFB -- W. Gallagher
D. Ferguson -- LFB -- Fleming
McGregor -- RHB -- McKensie
Carnihan -- CHB -- McCann
Robertson -- LHB -- T. Gallagher
Turner -- OR -- Flynn
A. Jackson -- IR -- Donally
W. Jackson -- CF -- Rew
Maxwell -- IL -- McChester
Goldie -- OL -- Crann
Goals: A. Jackson 3; W. Jackson, McGregor, Maxwell, Bethlehem; Donally, Bedford F. C. Referee, J. Hayes. Linesmen, A. Oellerman and J. Turner. Time of halves, 45 minutes.

Saturday's Game

Bethlehem's superior football was pronounced throughout the entire game Saturday although in justice to the visitors the Brooklyn Wanderers, they came here with a cocky and scrappy little team and in flashes it played a flock of real football.

Time and again that quintet of Bethlehem forwards building their play around Walter Jackson, maneuvered the ball up the field toward t he visitors' goal only to have their final shot go by when a score seemed inevitable. And just as often when the Bethlehem forwards tackled when ready to drive for the net. Then, too, Surgener, the visitors' goalie was in his element and turned back many shots that seemed inevitable goals with brilliant work between the sticks.

The Steel Workers lined up with a slight change in the forward line in which Alec Jackson, the junior member of the Jackson duo, played an outside right instead of inside while Jack Rattray assumed the inside jot on the same wing. In placing the latter the management surely made no mistake for Jack was in his element, contributing materially to the many forward movements initiated. Jock Ferguson, complaining of a heavy cold, did not don his uniform, and Jock Young, paired off with Davy Ferguson as the backs. The change in the lineup did not in the least impair the strength of the team but rather the last minute substitutes acquitted themselves in a style similar to that of the players they replaced.

While Bethlehem won the visitors at all times were full of fight and this was more emphatically illustrated in the second half when the count of two goals against them Brooklyn played their best football.

For thirty-five minutes at the start Bethlehem pressed hard but in spite of these efforts could not locate the ball into the net. Then came the break that scored first blood for Bethlehem. A pretty movement up the field participated in by the Jackson brothers and Rattray left the ball in possession of Alec Jackson wide on the right wing. The latter carried it closer and then centered with Rattray and Walter Jackson in the midst of a crowd of Brooklyn defenders. The cross was pretty and dropped close to Rattray, who without a minutes hesitation shot it into the net.

The minutes [...] first half were fast waning and [...] five more to go when the Steel Workers added to their total with the prettiest shot of the day. On a pass from Rattray, A. Jackson carried the ball through and from a difficult angle drove high into the corner of the net. The ball passed far out of the reach of Surgener.

Bethlehem's third tally resulted from a penalty when Robertson was detected handling. Rattray elected to make the try and with great accuracy drove the ball low, locating it in the corner of the net far out of the reach of the visiting goalie.

Bethlehem - -Brooklyn
Oellerman -- G -- Surgener
D. Ferguson -- RFB -- Wilson
Young -- LFB -- Robertson
MacGregor -- RHB -- Calderwood
Carnihan -- CHB -- Forrest
Terris -- LHB -- Nicol
A. Jackson -- OR -- Hogg
Rattray -- IR -- Cosgrove
W. Jackson -- CF -- Docherty
Maxwell -- IL -- McKay
Goldie -- OR -- Curtis
Goals: Rattray, Alec Jackson, Rattray (penalty). Referee: Young, Philadelphia. Linesmen: Mercur and Walters. Time of halves: 45 minutes.


1923-1924
Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club