With New York F. C., booked to entertain against the Bethlehem F. C., on the Steel Field tomorrow afternoon, starting at 2:30 o'clock, all eyes of the soccer world will be focused on this city. Many critics contend that on the outcome of this game will rest the winner of the league race and that if Bethlehem should down their Gotham rivals their place at the top of the list will be almost as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar.
By virtue of their victory over Fall River last Saturday, Bethlehem tops the clubs in the American Soccer League, according to the standing announced today. The Steel Workers, however, are only one point to the good but points loom up big at the present time for with the leading teams evenly matched that one point might just about be sufficient for Bethlehem to nose the rest of the clubs out of the race in the stretch run.
And furthermore Bethlehem's chances of winning are more promising than during early season. The teamwork of the clan has developed to a state of perfection and apparently Dan McNiven, the center forward has found his stride, for in the last two games he scored possibly more goals than he did in all the prior games combined. Then there's Carnihan, the center half, and Davey Ferguson, traveling at top speed, both of whom are proving a power of strength to the defensive makeup of the team.
Bethlehem's chief fault early in the season was attributed to the lack of finishing and the inability to score goals. This is without a doubt eliminated with the recent acquisition of Tom Maxwell, former Third Lamark star, who makes his debut with the Blue and White clad players tomorrow afternoon.
The importance of the contest tomorrow afternoon can be gleaned in the comments of Levi Wilcox, a Philadelphia sports critic and recognized as an authority on soccer. He refers to the game with the following:
"The Bethlehem-New York game, while it will not decide the title, nevertheless will give the winner such an edge on the race that on present dope the winner of this match looms above the horizon as the new champion of the American League.
"New York, even with its well-balanced team, will find this Bethlehem aggregation tomorrow afternoon the strongest they have tackled this season. The Steel Workers, through the progressive methods of the management, through improving their lineup since the beginning of the season, have gotten together a mighty strong combination.
"from the center forward to the backstop Bethlehem sports a team at the present time that it is very remote question even if the great combination sporting the Steel Workers' colors of other years could equal. Even the loss of Harold Brittan, whom many opined could never be replaced in the center forward position long ago, has been forgotten Bethlehem way because of the wonderful game that McNiven, the Scotchman, is playing in that position.
"while the old Bethlehem machine had more than one star in the lineup it does not compare with the present machine, however, because the latter has not one player who stands out ahead of his conferee. True, there are some brilliant players in the lineup. But as the team works together as one unit Bethlehem is better balanced than any other professional team that we have lamped this season in the American League."