The Globe -- Bethlehem
Monday, November 17, 1924
STEEL WINS FROM BROOKLYN
Saturday's Game Results in a 6 to 1 Score But Return Match
ON SUNDAY WAS A TIE

by Tom Jenkins
Displaying an attack that overwhelmed their opponents in all departments of the game, the Bethlehem F. C. soccer team smothered the Brooklyn booters in an American League soccer game staged on the steel field Saturday afternoon by a 6-1 score.

So completely did the Steel players outplay the New Yorkers, particularly the forwards, that only once could the Wanderers sift through Bethlehem's defense to a position that enabled them to attempt a shot at the goal and that in the last minutes of play when the Steel players assumed a contended attitude with their six goals and slowed up in their attack. Otherwise it is an accepted conclusion that the visiting clan would have been forced to leave the field with the proverbial whitewash applied to their day's efforts.

On the other hand Bethlehem with its sweeping offense tore through Brooklyn's defensive backs repeatedly and throughout the entire one-sided contest literally showered the New Yorker's goal with dazzling shots, only six of which, however, carried the direction necessary to find the net. In accomplishing this Bethlehem's entire eleven worked in seemingly perfect coordination, with probably the forwards outstanding. Granger and Stark were continually fed with well-placed passes by Goldie and Turner that, after receiving some clever dribbling at their feet, placed the oval in the shooting position.

It was this team work that enabled Granger, inside right, to open up the day's scoring twenty minutes after the beginning of hostilities with a cleverly headed shot into the net following Goldie's cross. Five minutes later Stark counted for another when he kicked successfully from scrimmage near the mouth of the goal. The last of the three goals scored in the first half was made by Granger in his second tally of the day when he received McDonald's beautiful cross perfectly and headed straight into the net. In the remaining minutes of the first period Bethlehem cleared or shot by no less than four times.

The Steel Workers' bewildering attack in the first forty-five minutes of play told effectively on the Brooklyn booters in the second half when within the short space of nine minutes Bethlehem scored their remaining three goals of the contest to swell the total to six.

Turner, the Steel Workers' outside right, received a save by Smith of Stark's close shot, in front of the Brooklyn goal and booted it in before Smith could regain his balance. Stark, however, was rewarded on his next attempt from scrimmage and placed the ball neatly toward the side of the net. Maxwell, Bethlehem's inside left, who played the brilliant role throughout, scored the Steel players' final tally, beating Smith out on a speedy shot following a cross from Goldie.

In this period Brooklyn three times threatened to score, twice on penalty kicks by Yule and Maranall, and a third on a cross which Yule placed successfully in the New Yorkers' only score of the day.

Although to the 600 spectators who witnessed the tilt it appeared one-sided, fast play characterized the clash throughout. In addition it served to demonstrate a bewildering attack that the Steel booters have been slow in developing and which through Saturday's victory advanced their league standing to a comfortable margin over the Brooklyn club. The lineup:

Bethlehem -- Brooklyn
Highfield -- G -- Smith
Young -- RFB -- Marshall
D. Ferguson -- LFB -- Fleming
McDonald -- RHB -- Shortt
MacGregor -- CHB -- Mor[...]
Robertson -- LHB -- Calderwood
Turner -- OR -- Hogg
Granger -- IR -- H[...]
Stark -- CF -- Nelson
Maxwell -- IL -- Curtis
Goldie -- OL -- Yule
Goals: Granger 2, Stark 2, Turner, Maxwell, Yule. Referee, J. Kerr, Philadelphia. Time of halves, 45 minutes.

In Tie Contest Sunday

Bethlehem Steel F. C. passed up an opportunity to ascend to the topmost rung in the American Soccer League race on Sunday afternoon when held to a 1-1 draw by the Brooklyn Wanderers. The day previous the Steel Workers vanquished the Greater New York dribblers by the score of 6 to 1.

The game was played on a dust-laden field and with a brisk wind sweeping across the patch, blowing a gale which increased in velocity as the game proceeded. At times in the swirl of dust, players were hardly discernible half way across the field.

Bethlehem had the advantage in the first half of winning the toss the team played with the wind to its back. Almost continuous throughout this period did Bethlehem press and only occasionally did the Brooklyn forwards break away with a movement that was usually frustrated before it passed the halfback line.

Rollo and Forrest, playing the Bethlehem right wing, seemed at a loss in understanding in the opening period, this duo passing up many good opportunities to annex counters with shots that went sailing by by wide margins. The Bethlehem left wing with Goldie and Maxwell was more steady but had to contend with the veteran Jock Marshall, who in yesterday's game was probably at his best.

Throughout the entire first half the Steel Workers beat a steady tattoo against the visitors' goal, some of the parting shots accurate to the mark but frustrated by the brilliant saving of Smith, reputed as one of the best goal keepers in the circuit, while other went wide by a big margin. One of the best shots in this period was a terrific drive from Forrest which struck the cross bar squarely in the face and then slid over the top. An instant later Smith saved on a wicked shot from Goldie. With time fast waning Bethlehem made a desperate effort to score and so intense was the attack that Shortt, the Brooklyn right halfback came near notching a tally for Bethlehem when in clearing with his head the ball struck the cross bar. The scrimmage in front of the Brooklyn goal mouth ended the half with neither team able to score.

Wanderers Score First

When the teams turned around the gale had developed greater velocity and heavy wind driven clouds of dust were brushed down the field into the face of Bill Highfield the Bethlehem goalie.

Getting the kickoff at a time when the gale was blowing the hardest Hogg and Hosle eluded the defense and came down the field slightly toward the right wing enveloped in a swirl of dash and with the wind causing the forward progress of the ball probably more so than the efforts of either of the forwards. They remained boxed with the ball in their midst until they reached the goal mouth where a deft touch by Hogg carried himself, Hosle, the ball and Highfield into the goal. So quickly was this tally scored that the four thousand or more spectators had hardly realized the success.

Bethlehem Equalizes

In spite of the determined attack Brooklyn retained its one goal lead until ten minutes more to go when Maxwell, who played brilliantly and a continual source of concern to the Brooklyn defense, got possession. He eluded the Brooklyn halfbacks and then passed the ball to Stark. The latter neatly touched it ahead and then beating out the backs beat Smith with a shot that tied the count.

The lineup:

Wanderers -- Bethlehem
Smith -- G -- Highfield
Marshall -- RFB -- Young
Murray -- LFB -- Ferguson
Shortt -- RHB -- McDonald
Moore -- CHB -- McGregor
Calderwood -- LHB -- Robertson
McAvoy -- OR -- Forrest
Hosle -- IR -- Rollo
Hogg -- C -- Stark
Curtis -- IL -- Maxwell
Yule -- OL -- Goldie
Referee -- E. McCabe. Linesmen -- W. Morrison and J. Evans. Goals -- Hogg and Stark. Time -- 45 minutes halves.


1924-1925
Bethlehem Steel Soccer Club