League competition in the Atlantic Coast Soccer loop will be much in the minority over the weekend the schedule being curtailed to make way for the first round proper of the National Challenge Cup. All league teams will be involved in these league games but strange as it may appear not any are paired to meet each other.
Thus far only one game involving league opponents was played and in which New Bedford eliminated the Bridgeport club, the latter formerly the Hungarian F. C., of the Eastern League. The New York Nationals excluded in the cup layout for Sunday will instead meet Bridgeport in the only league encounter over the weekend.
The Bethlehem soccer team will take its first fling for the National title meeting the Newark Portuguese on the latter grounds on Sunday afternoon. Although the latter is not affiliated with the big loop, nevertheless, the Newark aggregation is perhaps one of the most formidable clubs on the outside and a team that is certain to give Bethlehem plenty of fight. Playing on the home grounds will e an added inspiration to the hopes of the Portuguese of winning this game.
Brooklyn meets the Montclair Camerons, New York Giants meet Hispano F. C., of the Eastern League, and Hakoah meets the I. R. T. Rangers, also of the Eastern League. In form the Atlantic Coast League clubs should win and any result to the contrary would be nothing short of a drastic upset.
Bethlehem players are taking their game quite seriously, realizing that the least slip may mean elimination in the advanced competition. Furthermore, the fact that Fall River has a substantial lead for the league title, the Steelmen are determined to break into the running for at least one of the major championships.
The individual league scoring today reveals that Archie Stark, in spite of the many games he was forced to be idle on account of injury, is again at the top of the ladder, tied with Patenaude, the young Fall River Frenchman, each with nineteen goals. This is the first time this season that Stark, always in the past a leading goal scorer, has reach the top.
The leading goal scorer are: A. Stark, Bethlehem, 19; W. Patterson, Providence, 17; w. Gonsalves, Fall River, 14; A. Dick, Bethlehem, 10; J. Best, New Bedford and Pawtucket, 10; G. Moorhouse, N. Y. Giants, 8; D. Brown, N. Y. Giants, 7; B. Patenaude, Fall River, 19; J. Nelson, N. Y. Nationals, 14; J. Nehadoma, Brooklyn, 11; R. K. Yule, Brooklyn, 10; T. Floria, New Bedford, 8; J. Harvie, Pawtucket, 8; B. McGhee, N. Y. Nationals, 7.