The weekend invasion of New England netted the Bethlehem Steel soccer team one point in the second half schedule race, annexing the lone tally by drawing with New Bedford at the latter place on Saturday afternoon. In the Sunday game, the Steelmen showing the effects of the grueling grind the day previous, lost a close game to Providence by the score of 3 to 2.
New Bedford and Bethlehem battled to a scoreless draw in a sensational and hard fought game featured by the spectacular work of Dave Edwards, local custodian, and Tom Blair, of New Bedford.
Time after time when it seemed that each goal would surrender in turn, the guardian of the net would appear on the scene and frustrate or tap bye the many drives directed at the net. Blair repelled fifteen labeled shots while Edwards turned aside an even dozen. The goal tenders were equally at home to low or high drives and at times seemed to bob up from nowhere to get in the path of some wicked shots.
Bethlehem played the two games minus the services of Archie Stark, center forward, and the veteran Robert MacGregor, star halfback. The absence of Stark forced a rearrangement of the forward line in which Johnny Jaap went to center forward and Granger assumed his former position at inside right.
In addition to these changes the Steelmen fielded a club with two new men in the lineup. Watson, quite recent acquisition played on the halfback line in place of MacGregor and Haist, a wing forward who made a favorable impression against Coats the week previous, was in Goldie's position at outside left.
The lineup:
New Bedford – Bethlehem
Blair – G – Edwards
McMillan – RFB – Barrie
Hunter – LFB – McMeekin
Maxwell – RHB – W. Reid
Montgomery – CHB – Carnihan
Stewart – LHB – Watson
Chedzgay – OR – Gillespie
Ballantyne – IR – Granger
Paterson – CF – Jaap
Asadan – IL – Rollo
Best – OL – Haist
Substitute: Stevens for Assdan. Referee: A. W. White. Linesmen: J. Stirrup and T. Boyce. Time, 45 minute halves.
Looseness in the defense cost the Steelmen the game against Providence on Sunday afternoon, losing by the score of 3 to 2. All of the scoring was done in the first half.
Bethlehem was sorely handicapped by the small field but at that gave as good as they received if not slightly better for the losers did most of the pressing. Their combination work which has featured the last several games was practically impossible on the small sized pitch and passes which ordinarily would have been perfect sailed out of bounds.
The game was hard fought with probably more casualties on both sides than any other game played this season. OF the most serious was Almer, the Providence back, who in a collision with Gillespie on the side of the field went sprawling on the board track surrounding the enclosure and sustained a dislocated shoulder. The Providence pitch is in the cyclodrome.
Bethlehem's defense was weak in the first half but after Allen was substituted pulled together. However, the damage was done by the three goals scored in the first half. The lineup:
Bethlehem – Providence
Edwards – G – Kenaway
J. Barrie – RFB – Almer
McMeekin – LFB – Gibson
W. Barrie – RHB – Campbell
Carnihan – CHB – Finlayson
Watson – LHB – McIntosh
Gillespie – OR – Beattie
Jaap – IR – Maguire
Jackson – CF – Florie
Rollo – IL – Auld
Goldie – OL – Hogg
Goals: Florie, Hogg, Auld, Jackson, Goldie. Substitutions: Allan for McMeekin. Referee: Rose. Time of halves, 45 minutes.