One point in the American Soccer League race was the fortune of the Bethlehem Steel F. C. on its weekend invasion of New England, sharing the full allotment that goes for a victory in a game with Shawsheen at Andover, Mass., on Saturday afternoon. The game ended in a 2-goal draw.
Shawsheen, a newcomer to the ranks of the league this season, has seemingly played its best against the pennant contenders and certainly has played havoc with their aspirations for championship honors. The club is the only team in the league that has thus far this season administered a defeat to Fall River and then on Saturday afternoon forced Bethlehem to share the points after threatening serious to win the game.
Bethlehem ST eel was also scheduled for a league game against Fall River on Sunday, but on account of field conditions and a pouring rain, the management of both clubs mutually agreed to go through with the contest as an exhibition game, instead of a league affair. The Steel Workers lost, 3 to 2.
Shawsheen Piles Up Lead
Starting with a rush, Shawsheen in the first thirty minutes of play had the Steel Workers trailing behind a two-goal lead. In this period Shawsheen did most of the pressing and several times carried the ball close to the Bethlehem citadel. Carrie notched the first goal for Shawsheen and a few minutes later Smith added the second.
From then on Bethlehem was the aggressor, fighting hard to gain the advantage. The Bethlehem defense tightened and opportunities for Shawsheen were few and far between. Pressing hard toward the close of the period, Shawsheen, in defending, handled the ball in the penalty area and Whitey McDonald, taking the kick, placed it in the net, well out of the reach of Murdock. The half ended with Shawsheen leading, two goals to one.
Bethlehem again had much the better of the play in the second half, Shawsheen seemingly resorting exclusively to defensive tactics to protect the one goal lead. In this the team was successful up to the last ten minutes of play, when Archie Stark breaking away, equalized with a pretty shot. The lineup:
Shawsheen -- Bethlehem
Murdock -- Highfield
Thompson -- RFB -- J. Ferguson
Turner -- LFB -- D. Ferguson
Lorimer -- RHB -- McDonald
Wilson -- CHB -- Carnihan
Watkins -- LHB -- Allan
Cook -- OR -- Goldie
Dixon -- IR -- Robertson
Carrie -- CF -- Stark
Smith -- IL -- Purvis
McGowan -- OL -- Forrest
Goals: Carrie, Smith, Stark, McDonald. Referee: G. Lambie, Newton. Linesmen: Duncan and Ness. Time of halves, 45 minutes.
Because of the muddy condition of the field, Referee Bloom, of Pittsburgh, assigned to referee the Fall River-Bethlehem Steel setto, at Fall River, called off the league game and the teams engaged in an exhibition contest that ended in favor of Fall River 3 to 2.
Purvis tallied five minutes after play opened in the first half. Croft equalized for Fall River after five minutes of play in the second half. McGregor lobbed in a goal from eighteen yards out, following a corner kick in the second half. The gal should have been saved, but Kerr's view was blocked. McKenna, dashing in about ten minutes later, kicked a ball off the ground that Highfield was attempting to pick up and the score was evened. Croft planted the deciding goal just a minute before play ended. The lineup:
Fall River -- Bethlehem
Kerr -- G -- Highfield
Tate -- RFB -- D. Ferguson
Martin -- LFB -- Allan
McPherson -- RHB -- McDonald
Fryer -- CHB -- Carnihan
Coyle -- LHB -- McGregor
Campbell -- OR - -Forrest
Croft -- IR -- Purvis
Brittan -- CF -- Stark
White -- IL -- Robertson
McKenna -- OL -- Goldie
Goals: Croft 2, McKenna, McGregor, Purvis.
Referee: Bloom, Pittsburgh. Linesmen: White and O'Dell. Time of halves: 45 minutes.