The Globe-Times -- Bethlehem
May 3, 1926
STEEL SOCCER TEAM OUTCLASSES BOSTON
Score of 4-1 Registered on Home Field Saturday -- Fleming Notches For Losers.
BETHLEHEM GAME SPEEDY

 Flashing the form that carried them to victory in the national championship the Bethlehem soccer team, Saturday afternoon on Lehigh field, on Elizabeth avenue, easily defeated the strong Boston F. C. by the score of 4 to 1. Two goals were counted in each half, Granger and Stark registering in the first frame and Jaap and Granger coming through in the second. The visitors' only goal came toward the close of the first half when "Whitey" Fleming, former Bethlehemite, took a cross and shot a vicious goal, which Carson had no chance to save.

Start With Rush
Bethlehem took the offensive with the opening whistle and it was early apparent that unless the red jerseyed athletes suffered a complete reversal of form later in the game, Bethlehem would be victorious. They displayed the greater skill in handling the ball and put into motion one movement after another toward goal. It was only the excellent work of Steel, for Boston, between the uprights that prevented several more goals in the opening canto.

On the kickoff, the Steelworkers took possession of the ball and maneuvered it into position to score, but failed when Stark headed the leather over the crossbar. Boston then assumed the aggressive and carried the ball into Bethlehem territory, forcing a corner kick, but Fleming's boot in was pounced upon by a Steelworker, who booted the ball out of danger.

Bethlehem then started another movement toward the Boston goal and again the ball was carried down to the mouth of the net. There was a brief scrimmage here which culminated with a beautiful try at a goal by Stark, who with his back to the citadel, shot over his head, but the goalie cleared.

The locals continued to press, however, and a few minutes later Goldie crossed beautifully, but Jaap, in an effort to count, headed the ball over the crossbar.

"Whitey" Works Hard.

The ball see-sawed back and forth, the playing on both sides being fast and furious. The Bostonians kept feeding "Whitey" Fleming, but the fleet blond outside left was completely covered by Berryman, who broke up movement after movement directed toward his side of the field.

Bethlehem missed a number of opportunities to score before the first goal was registered. The locals got their first goal about twenty minutes after the half began and came as the result of penalty. McMillan handled the ball and the penalty kick carried the ball to the very mouth of the goal from which point Granger, with a deft tap of his boot, flicked it into the corner of the net so neatly that Steel was completely beat.

This one goal handicap seemed to spur the Bostonians to greater efforts and they made a determined advance toward Bethlehem's goal, only to be repulsed by the backs who were playing a sterling defensive game. They inaugurated still another goalward movement, which went the way of the first and then the Bethlehem machine got working.

Stark Scores.
Harris got possession of the ball just a bit beyond midfield and dribbled it to within striking distance of the goal, when he centered and the accurate boot of Archie Stark caromed it into the net for the second counter of the afternoon.

On the replay, the ball went back and forth until just before the close of the half when the goalward movement was brought to fruition, when Fleming, on a short cross from the center of the field, caught the sphere squarely with his educated left foot, and sent it hurtling into the net.* Carson never had a chance to deflect it.

Bethlehem started off with a rush in the opening of the second half and within a minute, had registered its third goal. Jaap booted this one in from a scrimmage in front of the goal. Play see-sawed back and forth for quite sometime until finally Granger headed in a boot from Rollo for the fourth goal and put the game definitely on ice.

With the scoring of the fourth goal, Bethlehem eased up on its offensive play and the visitors realizing they were beat, and with both teams feeling the effects of the warm sun, the game slowed up. Bethlehem, however, continued its clever defensive tactics and most of the visitors' shots at goal came from more than ten yards out and Carson had no difficulty in handling them.

The lineup:

Bethlehem Steel -- Boston F. C.
Carson -- G -- Steel
Berryman -- RFB -- McMillan
Allen -- LFB -- Young
Harris -- RHB -- McIntyre
Carnihan -- CHB -- Priestly
MacGregor -- LHB -- R. Ballantyne
Jaap -- OR -- McNabb
Granger -- IR -- Galloway
Stark -- CF -- Blair
Rollo -- IL -- J. Ballantyne
Goldie -- OL -- Fleming
Goals -- Granger, 2; Jaap, Stark, Fleming. Referee, Mose Bloom. Time of halves, 45 minutes.

* While the text here says that Fleming scored this goal, the remainder of the text clearly indicates that it was Stark who scored.

Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club