AUCKLAND UNBEATEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 231, 30 September 1929, Page 13

AUCKLAND UNBEATEN.

WIN OVER WELLINGTON.

COMFORTABLE VICTORY. F.A. TEOPHY EETAINED. Though Auckland defeated Wellington on Saturday in the F_A. trophy challenge match by 4—2, the same score as in the match in July, the two games were vastly different. On the more recent occasion Auckland's superiority was decisive and clear from the first few minutes, and the two-goal win was more flattering to the visitors than their play merited. While on the former visit of the men from the capital there were occasions when Auckland was seriously troubled, such was not the case on Saturday last, and in all departments the. home side outplayed their challengers for the premier honours of the code in the Dominion. Once again the basic principle for which Sole Selector Keesham has always striven was strikingly demonstrated by Auckland, and the team work of his side made the local reps, always masters of the situation. The result of the game should silence for all time critics who clamour for individualists, losing sight of the absolute essence of success in any ' side —understanding and cohesion. Auckland's selector has always had the courage of his convictions, and in no more convincing manner could this be emphasised than in the team lie has got together and moulded into a perfect working machine, retaining the premiership of the Dominion since ever he was appointed. Outstanding individualist players have failed to obscure the main essential of Mr. Neesham's ideal team, and he has, with admirable consistency, kept together the players who, he has long since decided, will work into each - other's parieular \ Soccer styles and \ idiosyncracies with I the best results. It j was apparent six I minutes after the I start of the game I on Saturday that i; Auckland had a :■ finished, harmonisl ing side, and the % three goals that % Spencer so cleverly ; scored ere the game was 20 minutes old, was the fruit of in aste rl y team ■work, understanding and combination. Throughout, the match was a contest of cohesive effort, as against forceful, fast perfection, it seemed as though the Welbeen used by southern scribes regarding the Wellington side, but their showing on the field only went to demonstrate that the all-star aggregation of players is not necessarily the wisest choice. In the Auckland side there was only one experiment, J. Morrison, of Ponsonby, being given a chance at right-half to prove his qualifications as a probable successor to Jack Tinkler, who has served Auckland loyally and with credit. Morrison justified the selector's action. He was ont a sensational, instantaneous success. He gave a •- — , resourceful, almost :• unostentatious, but \ highly effective dis--5 play, and he dove- \ tailed into the \ scheme of play of \ Auckland from the ; outset. Much faster :■ —p roba b1 y the \ speediest player ; wearing the blue ; and white -— than I Tinkler,- he has ad- ' mittedly not quite the field . craft of the Tramways wing-half, but he has youth and he has fitness. He also proved on Saturday that he has the big match temperament. Undoubtedly Morrison earned his. : spurs. Otherwise the Aucklanders played their usual skilful, steady, spectacular game, brainy in conception and precise and clever in execution. There were many pretty moves. The salient feature, however/ was the complete outrnanoeuvrin of the opposing attack hj the home 'defence. With a strategy. worked to but disjointed play. Superlatives had lington players were always passing to an Aucklander—and therein lay the greatest compliment to the sound teambuilding of Selector Neesham and its successful operation by the chosen players. It was the fruits of perfect position play and clear-cut, decisive scheming that nullified and neutralised Wellington's efforts. Batty, in Auckland's goal, probably for the first time since his selection, conceded an unaccountably soft goal. He had little enough to do otherwise. Gerrard, with the exception of a bad miskick in the second spell, was sound, reliable and always enterprising. Behind the newcomer, Morrison, he played with perfect confidence, and each adapted himself to the game of the other from the start. Reed was the cool, calm, skilful veteran he always is; still showing a remarkable turn of speed when necessity demands a.dashing clearance. Auckland's half-back line was wellnigh faultess in its tactical work. Defending and attacking, the trio were the mainspring of the side, and behind every action was a constructive, progressive idea. Christie was well up to standard, though it must be remarked that he indulged at times in more ballooning that is his wont. Jones footwork was sheer artistry, and he can still be regarded as the best left-halt New Zealand has to-day. The forwards were too much for the opposing deienee taken as a whole. Kay's position ra football to-day, club or interprovincial, is no "enviable one. He takes the field in every game a marked man, and it was obvious on Saturday that Auckland were camouflaging the left-J" , bv playing to the right. When the ball was sent Kay wards, the Aucklander was surrounded by opponents who adopted a stop-him-at-any-price policy with nearly complete success! While the Thistle flyer was not on the goal scoring list Jβ nevertheless served a very useful purpose in that he occupied the attention of at least one player all to Jim* f and sometimes two., but eveni that.did. not prevent the elusive Scot from being the principal contributor to one of Auck land's goals. There were times «ben one felt the winger should havei adopted other methods to overcome the opposi tion confronting him-when it seemed h s play was becoming wmperaxnental-but it must be conceded that his task was a most trying one throughout. -

f Hislop, besides giving the most finished and skilful display of ball control on tie field—Jones was nearest him, and Campbell (Wellington) probably third—Avas the most adroit and baffling manoeuvre!". The manner in Avhich he endeavoured to lure out of position the vigilant backs keeping guard over Kay, was a treat to watch, and his tactics in feeding the ball to the team mate best situated to receive it was a classic exhibition of an in-side-forward's real function. Spencer, Auckland's sole goal scorer, was in his element. While he seldom shone in vigorously tackling an opponent, he showed great judgment of his wingers' intentions Avhen goal scoring was to be done. The right wing, Innes and Dunsmore, stood out throughout the match. It has never been contended in these columns that Dunsmore was Auckland's, most outstanding insideriglit, but only a purbling, biased, and uncompromising club partisan would argue that he was not the only player in the city to combine with Innes and fit into the "studied methods of the Auckland reps. Without a doubt the Bon Accord .inside-right ie the only player for the position, and his display on Saturday should silence critics for all time. Innes was at 'hie best. Another player on the field came north reputed to be New Zealand's best right-winger, but there can 'be no doubt on the matter now. The home side Avere never stretched, and must be said to have won comfortably. The visitors brought an eleven compoeed of very last, capable and generally experienced players; with three exceptions, Avhat was considered to be the best side Wellington could field. Much was accordingly ekpected from them, but disaster met them from the start, and they never settled down, only rallying in the closing stages when Auckland had more or lees eased up. The team were individualis'ts purely and simply, and it was seldom that constructive, combined work was seen. The players kept to their positions, though they did not mark their men with expedition and care at touch, corners or free kicks as they might have, and their display from the first to last was conspicuous 'by a lack of concerted effort. McVean was reliable in goal, though he did not reproduce the brilliance of his previous visit. The backs, Hopper and Guest Avere vigorous in their tackling, lusty in their clearances, but often found the opposing forwards too nim'ble and elusive at close quarters. Nevertheless, they Avere a solid, pair. In the half - backs Campbell 'was head and shoulders above 'his team mates. The exLeith Athletic ipivot strove manfully to get his forwards to Avork up a combination, but he seemed in strange company, and in constructive work played a lone hand. Only in the accuracy of his placing was he Aveak at times, but he gave a commendable display of dogged determination in a heavy uphill struggle, Lambert left-half, could make little of Innes and Dunsmore. He was outplayed. Jeffrey shadowed Kay throughout, and certainly was the means of causing an alteration in the tactics of the home side.. If his methods to this end were not always within the four corners of the law, he 6eemed to be fulfilling the duty assigned to him. One cannot deal with the Wellington front rank as an attacking unit for there Avas unity least of anything. There were five thrustful, speedy and always dangerous players, but their efforts were minus cohesion, if not concentration. Barton, Condon, MacLeod, Marshment and Craig were each and all willing, hard-Avorking, go-ahead individuals, but they were not a success as a combined attacking force. This Avas the element absent from Wellington, but omnipresent in Auckland, and it was the factor that won the match. It is not customary in these columns to refer to the control of Soccer matches or to the efficiency of any particular referee, but exception must be made in regard to Saturday's game, which Avas conducted by Mr. J. W. Pikesley, E.N., with rare discretion, commendable precision of rulings and to the complete satisfaction of players and spectators alike. It is a matter for sincere regret that New Zealand Soccer will to-morrow lose Mr. Pikesley's services.