Soccer TWO FRIENDLY MATCHES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28258, 22 April 1957, Page 7

Soccer TWO FRIENDLY MATCHES

Wellington Teams Beaten

Two friendly Association football matches between senior teams were played at English Park on Saturday in unpleasant weather. In both matches the Christchurch teams were successful, Shamrock beating the 1956 Chatham Cup winner, Stop Out, of Wellington, and Western beating Seatoun. SHAMROCK v. STOP OUT

The annual match for the Valmai Memorial Cup was won comfortably by Shamrock by 3 goals to 0. Notwithstanding the heavy rain, the ground was in reasonable condition, and Shamrock gave Stop Out a lesson in ball control. Although Stop Out was not al full strength, a better showing was expected. The halves and forwards, however, could not master the heavy going as well as then opposites. Shamrock was well balanced, and all the team played well. A strong defence was well led by P. Flynn at centre-half. P. Fiet cher initiated most of the attacks from the right-half position, and was ably assisted by the left-half. J. Cunniffe. Both combined well with the inside forwards, B. Nichol and J. Price. On the left wing B. Newsome was often a threat to the Stop Out defence.

The Stop Out rearguard had a busy day, and most of the defence fell on the experienced backs, F Jeromeson and J. Blair. R. Jackson gave good support at centre half, but the wing halves were often caught out of position by the fast Shamrock forwards. However, Stop Out’s main weakness was in the forwards. Only the right flank combination of W. Fahey and B. Mathews seemed capable of breaching the Shamrock defence.

The opening goal came after 15 minutes’ play when Nichol slipped through the Stop Out defence and scored with a powerful high drive. Ten minutes later Newsome centred well from a corner kick. Fletcher secured and slipped the ball to the centre forward, T Grice, who flicked a neat shot into the net. From the kick-off Shamrock returned to the attack and Newsome scored from close in. At half-time Shamrock led 3-0. Play was not as one-sided in the second spell, but neither team could score again before the final whistle. The referee was Mr J. Davidson. WESTERN v. SEATOUN Western narrowly beat Seatoun by 1 goal to 0. The score was a good indication of the run of play. The heavy ground and persistent rain hampered the players considerably, but a high standard of football made the match interesting and, at times, thrilling. Both teams were without some of their regular seniors, but the substitutes all fitted in well. Western was very sound on defence. J. Voogt, in goal, and H Langley, who took over in the second spell, both made spectacular saves. The centre-half A. Laffey was solidly supported by the backs M. Shardlow and J White. The wing halves P. Cole and R. Durant, kept their forwards in possession with welldirected passes. The Western front line did not work as smoothly as usual. At inside left K. Olley mastered the conditions better than the rest and combined well with his wing, H. Glass. D. Smith made some splendid saves in goal for Seatoun. W. King was sound at centre-half. The left back, E. Jeffrey, broke up many Western attacks, as did K. Gibson at left half. The former Technical winger, W. Logan, was the most impressive of the Seatoun forwards. The inside forwards, S. Goddard and R. Kearns, tried hard throughout.

Both teams attacked vigorously in the opening stages. Western gradually gained the initiative, and the only goal of the match came after 15 minutes’ play. The outside-right, W. Shannon, broke away down the touchline and centred beautifully. The inside right, A. McDonald, jumped high and scored with a neat header. Western maintained a slight territorial advantage for the rest of the match, but could not add another goal. An occasional break through by the Seatoun forwards thrilled their supporters, but the Western defence covered up well. The game ended in torrential rain without addition to the score. Mr M. J. Sheffield was referee.

Australian Offer To J. Aird

(New Zealand Press Association) GISBORNE. April 21 The former Burnley Club and Scotland Soccer player. John Aird. who is now playing tor the Gisborne Eastern Union Club, has yet to make

a final decision on an offer from a Sydney professional club, Hokoah. Aird arrived in New Zealand 18 months ago. having played for the English football club Burnley as a full-back. He was selected to play for Scotland in the 1954 World Cup competition in Switzerland.

Eastern Union, for whom Aird is player-coach, played him at inside forward last season, and he played in this position for the North Island in the inter-island game m Gisborne. Aird is playing this season as full-back for union. The Hokoah Club aISP wish him to play full-back.