The Globe-Times -- Bethlehem
February 23, 1927
STEEL SNOWS UNDER THE N. Y. GIANTS, 6-1
Snow Removed From Field But Champs Shovel "It" Back and Bury Visitors
STAR GIANTS ARE DIMMED

Slipping and slopping on a muddy field, Bethlehem Steel F. C., proved better mudhorses than the New York Giants and the close of the forty minutes hostilities saw the national champions winners by the score of 6 goals to 1. The game was an American Soccer League contest and by virtue thereof the champions annexed the two points and climbed a peg closer in the percentage column in clinching the league title.

Sun Softens the Pitch

The Bethlehem management did a good job in clearing the pitch of the deep snow drifts as a result of the weekend blizzard. But the management did not figure on the spring like rays of Old Sol, boosting the temperature for the day, and leaving a quagmire on which to play the contest. At some spots the players were ankle deep in mud but in spite of the heavy and slippery going the contest was unusually well played with Bethlehem holding the upper hand throughout.

Brown is Boxed

The speedy and dangerous Davy Brown, top high individual league scorer was as docile as a lamb and was curbed in his aspirations to plug the net for a couple of counters by "Bill" Carnihan and his mates, MacGregor and McDonald, on the half back line.

One of the surprising features of the Giants' style was the short passing game they resorted to. The Giants, as a rule, are the kick and rush type of players, swinging long drives to the vicinity of the goal and hoping for a forward to be in the vicinity for a parting shot at the net. The heavy fall might have been responsible for the absence of this rush style of play for the long drives were few and far between.

Geudert Helpless Too

Even the great Geudert, the New Yorkers' goalie, who on his form in previous games in Bethlehem and against Bethlehem in New York gave phenomenal exhibition as a custodian could not frustrate the attacks of the Bethlehem forwards. The shots he was called upon to handle were such that no other goalie could have saved.

Stung by a goal in the early minutes of the game the Steelmen put on pressure and from then on to the final whistle the visitors were mostly a defensive team. The Giants opened the scoring when a drive from the left wing struck the upright and rebounded in front of the net. Before Bethlehem could clear Schwartz was on the ball and converted the break into a goal.

Archie Stark, playing inside right instead of center forward, put Bethlehem in the running with the equalizer to which McDonald, plying in his usual good form, contributed. The goal come on a free kick when Geudert fizzled in handling the ball and Stark took advantage of the opportunity to place it in the net.

Gillespie Scores Three

Tom Gillespie, back at the center forward berth, counted three of Bethlehem's six tallies. The aggressive front liner was at home in the going and always hovering close to the goal mouth had several passes to convert which he did and with Geudert completely beaten. Johnny Granger, playing a new position at outside left, and "Whitey" McDonald, contributed one each to the Steelmen's six goals.

McDonald's goal came quite unexpectedly when Bethlehem was awarded a free kick from thirty or more yards out and close to the side line markings. McDonald drove hard, the ball sailing high. Geudert, apparently misjudged the direction, believing the ball would go by made a feeble effort to save and the ball just about passed under the cross bar into the far corner of the net.

The lineup:

Bethlehem -- N. Y. Giants
Edwards -- G - -Geudert
Barrie -- RFB -- Tandler
Allan -- LHB -- Reynolds
McDonald -- RHB -- Pollack
Carnihan -- CHB -- Guttman
McGregor - -LHB -- McKinney
Jaap -- OR -- Schwartz
Stark -- IR -- Hamesler
Gillespie -- CF -- Brown
Granger -- IL -- Hierlander
Goldie -- OL -- Greunwald
Goals: Gillespie 3, McDonald, Granger, Stark, Schwartz. Referee: Bloom. Time of halves: 45 minute.

1926-1927
Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club