Entertaining soccer match drawn

Press, 9 April 1979, Page 3

Entertaining soccer match drawn

By

DAVID LEGGAT

After scoring two fine goals in the first half, Trans Tours United finished its Rothmans Soccer League match against Blockhouse Bay yesterday at Queen Elizabeth II Park with only one point and in danger of conceding both points. The final score was 2-2 land United had ruined all its ■good work of the first 45 minutes. It had handled the greasy playing surface better than its opponents and had blotted out most threatening moves effectively. However, Blockhouse applied considerable pressure, through its hard-run-ning, determined midfield players, and the aerial power of its two strikers, Mike Farac and Peter Mazany. In the second half, particularly the final 20 minutes, Blockhouse played some excellent soccer and made more use of the wings. Both teams had been guilty in the first half of not stretching the opposing defences. United had a new-look defence with Ross Durant and Paul Bradshaw in the middle and Tevor Reece and Colin Curry on the flanks. Durant and Bradshaw had satisfactory games and Curry had a good first half.

Blockhouse’s back four contained two young Christ-church-born players, Glen Adam and Adrian Kersten, who impressed as being among their team’s best players. The match began dramatically with Curry and Kevin Mulgrew being cautioned by the referee (Mr Harry Videler) within the first 10 minutes. Later Willie Clark, the

Blockhouse winger, and Richard Muligan also earned the yellow card. Rain began to fall soon after the start and players had difficulty in keeping their footing. Johann Verweij, who scored United's first league goal of the season last week-end, had a big part in United’s two goals. In the eighteenth minute, he moved in a. few metres from the left, and from 28 metres his strong right foot shot rammed against the cross bar and Richard Mulligan put the rebound into the net. Two minutes from halftime Verweij scored with an angled drive from an indirect free-kick 25 metres out and this fine effort should have been the springboard for United to press further forward. United continued to assert itself after the interval, but after about 10 minutes, Blockhouse began to force errors from United. What may well have upset United was a 10-minute spell of dreadful soccer from both teams, beginning about 20 minutes into the second half. Aimless kicking, poor tackling, team-mates getting in each other’s way and a slippery ground all combined to

infuriate the good-sized crowd.

After 32 minutes, just when Blockhouse desperately needed a goal, it was awarded a penalty when Farac was brought down ju-t inside the penalty area. Farac scored himself and this seemed to refresh Blockhouse’s players and, at the same time, signal a slump in United’s fortunes. Mazany, unmarked in the six metre area, headed just over the bar and Farac hit the post from an awkward angel five metres out. The equalising goal, eight minutes from time, was a strong, low drive from Kersten 26 metres out and the jubilation on the Blockhouse bench was understandable. Blockhouse now moved the ball about swiftly and accurately and had a great chance to win when Farac rose above the defence and headed the ball powerfully down towards the bottom right corner of the net from three metres range. Peter Moot, who has come in for criticism for his early season form, pulled off an excellent reflex save and, in the process, prevented Blockhouse from taking both points in what was an entertaining match.