Scoring a decisive 4-0 victory over the I. R. T. Rangers of New York City Saturday afternoon on Lehigh Field, the Bethlehem Steel soccer team moved into first place in the second half season, campaigning of the Eastern Soccer League. In losing to the local soccerites, the Rangers suffered its first defeat in eight starts since the opening of the second half of the Eastern League.

Playing on the windswept field the display of skillful soccer was hampered at times by the uncertainty of the wind. Bethlehem choosing to adopt a fast ground passing attack proved to be the better offensive team and New York, prone to defend more than attack, showed excellent strength in this phase of the game.

At halftime the Lewis clan was leading the New Yorkers by a lone tally. This goal came from the toe of Archie Stark, clever center forward for Bethlehem, who received a pass near midfield and in his characteristic style thrill the spectators by making a dash down the field, eluding the New York backs, juggling the ball in front of the goal mouth and finally driving it past the Ranger goalie. This goal came after four minutes of play. The opening minutes of the game were particularly interesting. Bethlehem playing against the wind started off with a rush and fairly bombarded the visitors’ goal. Four times in the first two minutes the Steelmen earned a corner kick but on the last one the New York backs sent the ball to midfield where after a minute of passing hither and yon, Archie Stark received the ball and made his dash.

Although outplayed the first four minutes of play the New Yorkers held the advantage the rest of the half. Choosing to concentrate on its defense and taking advantage of the stiff wind the play was kept mostly in Bethlehem’s side of the field for the remainder of the half. The scene of play was often directly in front of Bethlehem’s goal mouth, but the Ranger forward line seemed too anxious and quite frequently missed excellent chances to score.

In the second half Bethlehem with the wind in its favor again proceeded to start out well. After five minutes of play Gillespie, right wingman, shot from a difficult corner angle, Goalie Duncan of New York, stopped the shot and evidently it had too much steam and rolled out of his grasp into the goal. With two notches credited against them the New Yorkers played and succeeded in holding the Bethlehemites to the due score for the next half hour. Several times the Rangers advanced the ball to its forward line, but the forwards always seemed too anxious and soon lost the sphere. Once Jock Marshall was hurried from the backfield to shoot a free kick after a penalty but Jock could not get it past the New York goalie.

As the game neared its end Robertson, a substitute player holding down the outside left position, headed in a goal from close quarters on a long kick from the right wing. With only a few minutes remaining Stark reaped in Bethlehem’s fourth counter and his second when he kicked the ball past the goalie during a lively scrimmage in front of the goal.

Bethlehem Steel – I. R. T. Rangers
Beveridge – G – Duncan
Marshall – RFB – Rankin
H. Reid – LFB – Coleman
Maxwell – RHB – O’Neil
W. Reid – CHB – Terris
Allan – LHB – Stuart
Gillespie – OR – Campbell
Jaap – IR – McCullough
Stark – CF – McGivney
Rollo – IL – Herd
Robertson – OL – Moore
Goals scored: Stark 2, Gillespie, Robertson. Referee: P. J. Howley. Linesmen: Carpenter and Williams. Time of halves, 45 minutes.