Canterbury Scores 12 In Soccer Massacre

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31079, 7 June 1966, Page 15

Canterbury Scores 12 In Soccer Massacre

With the time, and the scope and the space all denied to it by Wellington on Saturday, Canterbury overwhelmed South Canterbury, 12-0, in their senior representative soccer match at English Park yesterday.

Five goals were scored in the first half, seven in the second, and it was only the gallant goal-keeping of V. Gray that prevented Canterbury’s forwards from trebling the tally.

The opportunity was taken to introduce new players into the Canterbury team—l. Marshall in goal, R. Binns at right-back, A. Caine at centreforward and C. Hicks on the wing.

Also, K. Pahi returned to the senior side for the first time since the beginning of last season and T. Conley moved from inside-forward to left-half and continued to play his role as the link man between defence and attack Thick and Fast

It was a different kind of team from the one that lost to Wellington, but it was also a different kind of opposition it received from South Canterbury. There was only a short period at the start of th: first half when the visi-

tors looked likely to provide any real opposition. But once Canterbury had scored its first goal, after five minutes, they came thick and fast for the rest of the match. Caine celebrated his senior debut with a hat-trick and Hicks got one. A. Gowans, released from the necessity of playing a defensive rob. as he • had to against Wellington, cracked three unstoppable shots past Gray. R. Taylor ■ added two and C. Martin, Pahi Sand Conley one each. Impressive Play

Caine’s was an impressive performance, even considering the weakness of the oppo--1 sition. He took his three goals calmly and quickly, hit a post | with a magnificent header and paid on passes that brought two more goals. Although small and slight for a centre-forward of the old mould, he packs a punch in his shooting boot that no other player in Canterbury can better. Even more important, his sho*> are usually on target. Gowans was a new man: he !did what comes naturally to ihim and his first and second

goals went into the net with tremendous speed. Martin, too, did many of the things that he failed to do against Wellington, and it was not only because the opposition was so slight. Instead of trying shots from impossible angles he squared the ball to colleagues and was responsible for two of the goals. Courageous Gray South Canterbury’s one hero was Gray, although the centre-forward, R. Thow, the inside-left, W. Taylor, and the centre-half, J. Wooders, a former Western player, did their level best to stop the deluge. But Gray made saves when all seemed lost and he took a terriffic pounding with g -'at courage and devotion. Canterbury’s defence spent a quiet 90 minutes, but there was enough going on to be impressed with Binn’s solid tackling and quick, accurate distribution of the ball, and G. Griffiths’s command of the middle.

Probably Canterbury would have served the game, its supporters and South Canterbury better had it been represented by a second eleven. Such beatings may spur South Canterbury to do better next time, but few people can be happy with a massacre, not even those administering it. Teams:

Canterbury.—l. Marshall: R. Binns, A Hawthorn; A. Gowans, G. Griffiths, T. Conley; C. Martin, R. Taylor, A. Caine, K. Pahi, C. Hicks.

South Canterbury.—V. Gray; T. Speirs, M. Brown: B. Stack, J. Wooders, S. Newman; F. Stack, L. Blackburn (replaced by J. Ryk), R. Thow. W. Taylor. A. Dyne.

Referee: Mr L. J. Tointon