Frigid temperatures and a bitter cold gale sweeping down the field contributed to discomforts braved by a real good crowd but did not in the least mar the fast and aggressive game waged by the rival teams. Bethlehem was the smarter of the two clubs, outplaying their visitors throughout the entire first half and more than holding their own after the rest interval when playing with the wind against them.
Bob McGregor and Finlayson, halfbacks, were the players assigned to relieve the emergency in the fullback department and each acquitted himself in fine style. They ably supported Tommy Fraser, the Steelmen's goalie, who gave another remarkable exhibition between the uprights.
Bethlehem scored one goal in each the first and second half, the first coming off the boot of Alec Dick and the other notched by Tommy Gillespie. The visitors lone tally was registered close to the finish of the game, a header by the aggressive Florie.
Peculiarly enough Bethlehem seemed to play its best game against the wind. This may have been due to a change on the forward line in which Tommy Gillespie swapped positions with Dick at center forward or perhaps after the experience of the first half were better able to adapt their play to meeting the existing conditions. There was seemingly more cohesion in the entire team and passes which for the most were high and carried wide by the wind in the first half, were kept low and on the ground.
It looked as though the teams might turn over without a score for it was late in the first half when Dick counted his tally. A cross from the wing was taken by Massie whose shot appeared to be a miskick, slipping by the back and leaving Dick with no one but Harper to beat. He placed his drive well and far out of the reach of Harper.
Immediately with the kickoff at the restart Bethlehem initiated a movement which lost its sting when Jaap, with an excellent chance, narrowly missed. Bethlehem continued to press and was rewarded eight minutes later when Georgie Purgavie made possible the second score. Neatly tricking the defense, the Bethlehem left wing centered beautifully to Gillespie whose shot was another of the unsavable variety.
Matters were fairly even from then until the last fifteen minutes when the visitors in desperation launched a determined attack. New Bedford swarmed in the vicinity of the Bethlehem goal and it was during these attacks that Fraser proved his merit more than once. On the shot coming from Florie the Bethlehem goalie dove headlong to bat the ball away but was forced to concede a corner. A short time later Fraser again saved on a torrid shot from scrimmage close to the net, and again conceded a corner.
It was this corner that was productive, the ball sailing clear to the goal mouth where Florie went into the air to head it into the net. Inspired by the success, New Bedford monopolized the play for the next few minutes but to no avail when Bethlehem again assumed the aggressive and shared the play during the few remaining minutes.
The defeat was the first administered to New Bedford in the new league and avenge the 1 to 0 setback served Bethlehem in the Thanksgiving Day game in New Bedford. The lineup:
Bethlehem -- New Bedford
Fraser -- G -- Harper
Finlayson -- RFB -- McMilan
McGregor -- LFB -- Hunter
Reid -- RHB -- Barrie
Carnihan -- CHB -- Montgomery
Pitt -- LHB -- Clutow
Gillespie -- OR -- Chedzoy
Jaap -- IR -- Granger
Dick -- CF -- Florie
Massie -- IL -- Tollan
Purgavie -- OL -- McEacheron
Goals: Dick, Gillespie, Florie. Referee: P. Howley, Philadelphia. Linesmen: Horace Williams and William Forrest. Time of halves, 45 minutes.