SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 227, 25 September 1928, Page 14

SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP.

NECK-AND-NECK RACE.

PONSONBY AND TRAMS LEVEL,

HARD OAM FS AHEAD FOR BOTH,

The position of the teams in the A.F.A. senior competition pivee rise to a very keen contest in the next two weeks. Trams, with 1C games played, have 24 points, while Ponsonby, with 15 pumee. played, aro two points less. Much will depend on matches with teams that have no chance of winning the championship, hut. who, nevertheless, will play an important part in the deciding of the tit It , for the season. Poneonby have yet North Shore, Tramways, Belmont mil Xorthcotc to meet, while Trams have to account for Belmont, Onehunpa, in addition to Ponsonby. The Ponies have the. harder tow to hoe. Within the next two weeks a decision ehould be arrived at, after which two weeks will be necessary to finish .off the Falcon Cup. Some."people- are already spotting Trams for the double. Some weeks ago mention was made in these columns of objectionable barracking of a certain player by a spectator at Blandford Park and some official notice should bo taken of the barracking of some referees that has been indulged in consistently of recent Saturdays. A holder of a New Zealand referee's badge, who is apparently anxious either to display his presumed knowledge of the game or to make the task of a co-knight of the whistle as difficult as possible, in addition to doing what he can to lower some officials in the public opinion, can be heard almost all over the ground indulging in the unpardonable practice of vociferous criticism ..along partisan lines. Such a habit calls for drastic action and it is up to the management to deal ruthlessly with β-uch cdnduct that tends to make the control of the game harder and to discourage men suitable- for the difficult task of referee ing. The clube are exerting commendable energy already in connection, with the Queen Carnival and it was reported on Saturday that Trams have a "tally" running into several thousand of votes for their candidate. The campaign is not yet in full swing, but the green and blacks hare certainly made a flying start. To-morrow night the A.F.A. dance will be held in St. Sepulchre's Hall, when a record attendance ie anticipated.

PONIES' PLUCKY FIGHT. The fight of Ponsonby to recover a three-goal deficit with YJM. last Saturday provided a most strenuous game. The turf was all against a stubborn and prolonged contest, but right to the close the pace was certainly remarkable in the circumstances. As was to be expected, the game was unproductive of much football of the finer class, but noteworthy for the decided swing of the pendulum, first against then for Ponsonby. On play a draw was a fair result and it would have been hard luck against either side had there been any other verdict. YJM. played, if anything, better football and were much better "balanced throughout than their opponents, Ibut in the second spell their defence wobbled and Ponsonby were not slow to take full advantage. There was a big improvement on the play of the middle line of the colours, but the conditions and the pace told their tale. Dick, as has always been contended in these columns, is far and away the best, ia, in fact, the only centre-half that _ Y.M. has and he < should be kept there. Thompson, the high school Tcp., : played like a Troi jan throughout, but | found the game too | much for him at I the close. Malcolm f was a steady plodl der throughout. The I forwards all worked I well, Grant and! < Chalmers giving the opposition no end of anxiety. McAusian ana wnaiey, too, did not fail their side and the latter scored a great §>al from an almost impossible angle. umphreys kept his wings well supplied with the ball. The conditions were quite evidently not to the liking of Otter and Mowatt, both of whom miskicked frequently. Paton could hardly be blamed for the goals scored against him. Ponsonby struggled through. And it was a big struggle.. Watts saved some hard shots and Williams was in his element. Miles, too, was resolute, but will persist in foolish handling. (He gave away a penalty on (Saturday, besides four other free kicks from any of which a goal might have been scored. It is time he kept his hands by his sides. Locke, a newcomer to Ponsonby, was introduced at back and gave a very impressive display. He showed commendable anticipation in tackling and care in his placing. He promises to prove an acquisition to the Ponies Morrison and McCosh had a hard task all afternoon, and we-re not sorry when the final whistle sounded. The forwards did not combine too well, but as an attacking force they showed vigour and dash that kept the defence of the YjM.C.A. always on the run. Towards the close they put forward desperate efforts, which gained their reward. Innes was a big factor in Ponsonby attack, and played with rare versatility. Stewart was always in the right place, but E. Williams has been more effective on drier grounds. Wilson was likewise not much of an amphibian. Balloch played a really plucky and determined game. The match was anius-1 ing as well as | exciting, and the players are due l 41l • » , great credit for <lcr smh

HAMILTON VISITORS. For a team that but a eeaeon or two back was in tlic lowest erade the diplay of Claudelands Rogers' ajtitt Shore m highly meritorious. Both teams played clever football, and th« passes adopted by each kept tfle game always lively and interesting to Haycock and Waters, both of whom *hould work well into the Devonport •ombinahon next season should recruits •e neceeary. ,

ONEHUNGA'S VICTORY.

Outdoor sport of any kind was more of a trial than a pleasure on Saturday, and it was a tribute to !both players and spectators that there was a "working muster" on the bleak banks of the Manukau Harbour when Onehunga and Belmont met. ° _ Rain fell pitilessly. It was impossible to find a scrap of shelter out on No. 2 ground and nobody was sorry when the half-hour-each-way tussle came to an end. Matters were not improved by the fact that, owing to the referee being delayed, the match could not be commenced at the advertised time. However, a start was made at 3.35, and the match was well and truly decided. The plucky determination of both sets of players to fulfil the fixture was seconded with equal sportsmanship by members of the committee of the home club, one of whom, Mr. A. Insley, was unanimously accepted as referee. Fortunately, however, the official referee arrived, and everything was carried out according to plan, save for the fact that short time was played. The reason why the principal ground could not be used must surely be unique in the annals of the code, whether in New Zealand or elsewhere. One of the great macrocarpa trees which line the field had been blown clean from its roots by the force of the gale the morning, and the fallen giant lay with more than half its length on the playing piece. A wag was heard to suggest that the match should be played despite the obstacle, the players to run round it, and the onlookers to shelter behind it. Needless to say, the suggestion was not seriously made. Considering the conditions out on No. 2 ground the standard of play was, on the whole, creditable, and the heroic knot of spectators who braved the elements were rewarded by a match which was by no means uninteresting. Onehunga were one man short, owing to the absence of Peterson, and in view of this handicap they are entitled to every credit for a 3-1 win. The secret of their supremacy lay in two factors, a vigorous and clever half-back line and a well-balanced and thrustful line of forwards. An outstanding figure in attack was Rivers, who led his colleagues in dashing style, whilst Gill was always ready to accept his passes and Jones, on the extreme left, dropped in many excellent centres and frequently beat the opposing half with a tricky and determined run. Mellor, the handy man of the side (he has played in both attack and defence), made a useful deputy goalkeeper. The hero of the visiting side was Chesnoy, who kept a great goal and could not be blamed for any of the shots which beat him. He has had a bad time during recent weeks owing to the necessary operations of the dentist, and it was plucky of him to turn out. Cleal, formerly of (North Shore, did well at outside right, and Robertson deputised quite promisingly for Hamilton at inside left, though he missed one giltedged chance in the second half.

DACRE CUP TIES. The Dacre Cup match between Philomel and Manurewa provided a hard and fast game, with a sensational finish. With the score at two goals each and aquarter of an hour to go the Philomel defence went to pieces and Manurewa rattled on five goals, eventually winning by seven goals to two. Up to this stage it had been an evenly-contested game, with neither side holding any advantage, although the Manurewa forward line was more thrustful and stronger in front of goal. This advantage was offset by the solid defence of the Philomel backs, until they collapsed. A fast pace was maintained throughout and this told its tale at the finish, when Manurewa were still going strong and their opponents were done up. In spite of the atrocious weather conditions both forward lines brought off some pretty combined play, but the Philomel five wre weak in front of goal, many chances being lost through hesitation when in a good position. Palmer, late of North Shore, turned out on the right-wing for Manurewa and played a good game, while Williamson and Lees were also outstanding. For Philomel Hall and Curnock were sound, rainier. until the pace told in the second spell, while Black, in the forward line, was a trier all the way. The Dacre Cup game between Newmarket and Corinthians was typical cuptie football, being hotly contested and played at a great pace from start to finish. Newmarket started off in great style, and attacked strongly for the first 20 minutes, their bustling tactics preventing their opponents from settling down. The solid defence of the Corinthian backs kept their goal intact and they gradually sattled down and commenced to get their share of the attack, eventually leading at the interval by one goal. On the run of the play they were lucky to be the leaders at half-time. The pace was maintained in the second spell, when Newmarket put on two goals, one of which was due to a misunderstanding between the Corinthian goal-keeper and full-back. This spell was very evenlycontested, neither side claiming much advantage. Newmarket, however, made the most of their scoring opportunities, while their opponents missed several, one in particular being put outside the post from a yard out. Newmarket adopted tiia long passing game, while their opponents inclined to the short passing game, and their forward line were very often crowdcd together on the attack, which enabled the defence to cover them easily. Potts, at fullback for Newmarket, was the outstanding back on the field, liis defensive work being a feature of hi* play. A. Blocking a v' Bl °ckley also played well KL > eWU , ,arket - F °r Corinthians, Fittrni 6 " 5 I ,Ve< ! a da<shin g game, while wing gaVe U ever <lis .P la . v on the left-