TOURISTS WIN WELL

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

TOURISTS WIN WELL

CHRISTCHURCH GAME

COURAGEOUS HOME SIDE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) ; CHRISTCHURCH, June 9.

.-: .Th.e.tpuring,..English.Assocjatipn,foot- /- -ba^:i.'tearay.tod'^;•■.:defekted.■•a■.■;:coslbihed 'Canterbury and"" Westland" side :by' 7 goals to 1. Against the faultless combination and almost uncanny ball control .of the Englishmen, the CanterburyWestland representatives did extremely well to hold the visitors to a six-goal margin. The match aroused high enthusiasm in the crowd of 6000, which appreciated the courage of the Canterbury defence no less than the brilliant attack by the Englishmen. Canterbury scored in the first few minutes, this being the first goal registered in New Zealand against the visitors, but the Englishmen, with fine combination and swift, accurate short passing, went to a 4-1 lead at halftime. After half-time, Canterbury played with courage and enterprise, keeping England from scoring for the first 25 minutes. However, the visitors added three more goals by excellent combined play, though the English goal was several times menaced by swift Canterbury raids. The scorer for Canterbury-Westland was R. Smith. For England, Eastham (2), Parr, Matthews (3), and Davis scored. -■' The main features of the game were the fine goal-keeping of Mcßae (Can-terbury-Westland) and the remarkable play of the English captain, Joy, at centre-half. Outstanding players • for England were G. R. Strasser (right' full-back), S. Eastham (inside right), and F. A. Davis (outside left). Joy's defence'was almost impregnable, but the Canterbury centre-forward, G. Smith, made him work hard, and once or twice tricked him with .agile footwork. Joy's height was of the utmost value in heading the ball away, and his judgment of the fun of play was never at fault. Strasser had a great deal of work, for the main thrust of the Canterbury attack was along the left flank, but his speed, cleverness, and coolness were all that could be desired. Eastham and Davis were two of the fastest men on the field. Davis was particularly hard to hold in the first spell, for the backs were using his flank a good deal to initiate attacks. . Honours of defence for Canterbury were shared by Mcßae, S. Cawtheray (right full-back), and M. Gordon (centre half). Mcßae was in grand form. He was bombarded with powerful drives from all angles, and made some glorious saves. It was the best game of his career. Gordon more than maintained his reputation as one ofthe soundest defensive players in New Zealand. He kept the English centre-for-ward, R. Matthews, well in check, and constantly' made openings for his own centre-forward, G. Smith. Cawtheray. with play coming to his flank a good deal, came through the match with credit, likewise Smith, C. Crowe (outside left), and R. Scott (inside left). Both the latter are West Coast representatives, and were the spearhead of most of Canterbury's attacks. They combined cleverly to score Canterbury's only goal.