FIRST A DIVISION

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 136, 10 June 1937, Page 24

FIRST A DIVISION

CAME OF LOST CHANCES

Maintaining their run of. victories, Petone took the winning points from Waterside at the Basin Reserve; scoring 3 goals to their opponents* nil-in agame of lost opportunities. Neither set of forwards worked efficiently, and when they did come within striking distance of the goalmouths they failed, with reckless and futile shooting. ,On a-slippery field the teams resorted to a long-passing game, which did -■not arouse a great deal of interest among the spectators. The teams were:— Petone.—Wickliffe; Dewar, Haines; Smith, Reid, Graham; White, Paterson; Leslie, Cullen, Craig. Waterside.—S. Ward; Hazel, Bolton; Anderson, Longbottom, Cocks; Walker, Thompson, Janes, R. F. Ward, Jeromson. Petone faced the southerly wind in the first half, and although they scored the only goal in it, they were more on the defensive than on attack. Waterside played more aggressively, and had the greater share of the ball, but were not so polished in their combination as their opponents. Walker actually netted for Waterside about nineteen minutes from the''-start,-.' but .his effort was nullified by off-side play. Immediately Petone attacked and White.was charged, receiving v -:-. an/., injury, which necessitated his ■removal' on a stretcher. Petone were awarded a penalty, for the incident, and Leslie netted. Petone 1, Waterside nil. Walker received a kick on a leg and went off both sides playing ten men for awhile until. Walker and White returned. Petone were lucky to be leading l-hiljatsth^Jchange-over. With the wind behind1 them in the second spell, Petone showed a definite superiority, /attacking persistently. Waterside made sporadic sorties, but in this half their vanguard{ ;was even more disorganised'than Petorie's, and they rarely .looked ;like v .'scoring. Twenty-three minutes from the kick-off the ball travelled ;down the Petone left wing and came across to White, who slammed it in from .close range, Petone 2, Waterside nil. The left was doing most of the attacking for the winners, and almost on time Cullen and Craig co-operated ■ again .:■ to ; pass' to White, who netted, 'this 'time'with "a header,: making the final score Petone 3, Waterside nil.

The referee was Mr. F. Chapman.

Davison took the ball right into the goal-mouth, and when he fell Tucker charged the ball into the net to equalise. Diamond 1, Institute 1. Two successive penalty kicks gave Institute the advantage, and play shifted to the other end of the field for most of the rest of the half.

Institute applied the pressure at the beginning of the second half, but Diamond were hard to hold and made several well-timed raids. Diamond then took a turn at forcing the pace, and hammered away for some time at the Institute defence. Both goalies were forced to save, and McNaughton netted when offside. Towards the end of the game the Diamond attack steadied ■down to a determined siege, which was raised only when Geddes scored. The game ended with the. score:- Diamond 2,-Institute 1.