FIRST A DIVISION

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 35, 10 August 1936, Page 16

FIRST A DIVISION

DIAMOND DRAW WITH WATERSIDE

Waterside and Diamond had to divide the points in a-patchy game on No. 2 ground at the Basin Reserve, and the final score of 3-all was a fair enough indication of the merits of the teams, though considering their relative positions on the championship table the honours were diamond's.

Neither eleven showed anything more' than occasional flashes of combination, -and for the most part the play was of the kick-and-rush type, with far too much ballooning of the ba11... Admittedly the gusty northerly wind made ball control difficult, .but there seemed to'be little. concerted effort by either team to use the short low passes that would have brought success to whichever tried it. It was a dull and disappointing game, and Waterside will have to improve considerably if they are to give Auckland Thistle a worth-while game in the Chatham Cup semi-final next Saturday. That Waterside can do much better was shown by their meritorious play against Hospital

Diamond faced the disadvantage of the wind in the first spell but were one up before the spectators or the Waterside men had properly settled down to the game, Upchurch netting after an unlikely and straggling forward raid. Diamond 1, Waterside 0. For the rest of the half Waterside kept the play mostly in . Diamond's territory but so \ sound*- was the defence that it was nearly twenty minutes before Janes was able to bag the equaliser—a splendid shot after he had trapped the ball from a feeble-looking free ,kick. Diamond's vanguard were aiways more enterprising than Waterside's, and they gave almost immediate proof of it by forging ahead again, Upchurch beating Ward after a movement similar to that which got the first goal. . Diamond 2, Waterside 1.

Against the wind in the second spell Waterside played better,. after • scoring in the first few minutes as Diamond had done in the first spell. To Xongbottom really went. the credit of the equaliser, his speculator from medium range striking the cross bar and falling for Thompson .to force, it in. . Diamond 2, Waterside 2. Displaying plenty of energy both sides maintained a fast pace, with Diamond dominating the play with the' wind at their backs. Both sets of forwards lost chance after chance/in front of goal, and it was not until very near the end that Geromson and Janes combined for the latter-to place Waterside once • more ahead. Diamond were not to be denied, howjever, and almost from the kick-off•: D. Johnston, • Dyer, and Upchurch raced downfield for the last-named to equalise, making the final score Waterside 3,' Diamond 3. It,might have been anybody's game,; but Diamond ;impressed the more favourably.

The teams were:—

Diamond.—Ewing; Tucker, Cockburn; O'Leary, Geddes, Nicol; D. Johnston, Baker, Upchurch, Dyer, Bi Johnston. ,

Waterside.—Ward; O'Donnell, Topliss; Reid, Hazel, Cocks; Geromson, Thompson, Janes, Longbottom, Atkinson.

Referee: Mr. E. J. McQueen