Special to The Inquirer
BETHLEHEM, Pa., April 6. – Bethlehem, by defeating t he Homestead soccer team in Taylor Stadium at Lehigh University this afternoon, 4 goals to 1, qualified to enter the final round of the National Challenge Cup tie. A crowd of nearly 4000 persons saw the contest. Bet it said for Homestead that the Western players put up a plucky game. They lacked endurance, however, and showed poor combination work.. Campbell received a broken nose, early in the game, but doggedly played throughout.
While Bethlehems was able to keep the ball in the visitors’ territory time and again, opportunities to score, through bad cross shots and wide drives, kept down the score. Homestead’s goal and one scored by Bethlehem had a large element of luck to them.
Homestead won the toss and was the first to score, Bethlehem being caught napping. Following an unsuccessful corner by Fleming, the Homestead men worked the ball down the field, Ratray finding an opening and Young scoring.
Bethlehem attacked viciously from the kickoff and Millar, Fleming and Ford drove the ball at Goalkeeper Brown, in quick succession, but he made splendid saves. A moment later, Left Half-back Leith was caught handling the ball in the penalty area. Fleming’s drive hit the upright, but luckily caromed into the net. Shortly after this Millar got the ball and made as if to shoot thereby drawing in several Homestead players, but instead he cleverly passed to Ford, who stood clear and the latter’s drive completely beat the goalkeeper.
Homestead did not, with the exception of one corner, have a try for goal in the second half. In this period Ford’s work and two goals earned for him chief honors of the game. Homestead grew noticeably weak as the game progressed, yet they managed to stave off Bethlehem’s hard attack for thirty minutes, during which Bethlehem narrowly missed scoring several times. Ford’s two goals in this have were shot from difficult angles, Fleming feeding him the first and Millar the second.
Homestead. – Position. – Bethlehem.
Brown – Goal -- Duncan
Henney – Right full-back -- Fletcher
Howe – Left full-back -- Toole
Hulme – Right half-back -- Campbell
Lumsien – Center half-back -- Clarke
Leith – Left half-back – Morrison (capt.)
Crawley – Outside right -- Ford
Young (capt.) – Inside right -- Murray
Ratray – Center forward -- Millar
Lowther – Inside left -- Pepper
Paterson – Outside left -- Young
Goals – Ford 3; Fleming, 1 (penalty), Young. Referee – E. Smithson, New York. Linesmen – James Walters and George Young, of Philadelphia; William Palmer, of Philadelphia, delegate of the U. S. F. A. Time of halves – 45 minutes.