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INTERPROVINCIAL SOCCER

OTAGO AND CANTERBURY DRAW VISITORS HAVE BETTER OF COLOURLESS GAME It was a lucky Otago team that withstood Canterbury’s challenge for the J. E. Jones Cup in the return match at Logan Park on Saturday. The attendance, numbering 1,000, saw a game devoid of exciting incident and football well below representative standard. Canterbury was indubitably the better side, and except for half of the first spell held a decided territorial advantage throughout and fully deserved to win. Two of Otago’s three goals were extremely lucky, the ball in both cases being deflected by a defender into the not. On the other hand, each of Canterbury’s throe goals came as the result of derisive play. The visitors’ attack was nicely organised in the second spell, the directional force being Sutherland, who was the cleverest player on the ground. Balk, the Otago captain, saved the day for the home eleven, the equalising goal coming seven minutes before time, he netted in the first spell and played a prominent role in paving the way for the other goal. The ground and overhead conditions could not have been better for a fast game, and the- crowd was obviously disappointed with the display. Mr J. E. Jones, the donor of the cup, which was initially won by Otago at Christchurch earlier in the month, presented it to Balk at the conclusion of the game. THE TEAMS. OTAGO. Goal.—L. Holden. Full-backs.—G. Taylor, J. Pickorill. Halves.—A. Stcnliouse. A. Brown, A. Sutherland. . Forwards. —L. Smith, W. Rogprs, G. Henderson, J. Dalziel, H. Balk (captain). CANTERBURY. Goal.—M. Mitchell. Full-backs.—S. Cawtberay (captain), R. Pilling. Halves.—A. M'Miilan, A. Sutherland, A. Ellis. Forwards,—F. Craggs, C. Shair, G. Cullen, J. Souter, R. Pattinson. A DRAB OPENING. The only interest that hinged on the first 10 minutes’ play was the time both teams took to settle down, the ball being kicked about in rather aimless fashion. Twice it was evident that the Otago forward line was weak on defence, once when Cawtberay neatly trapped a long kick by Taylor, and sent on to Sutherland, who immediately impressed as a heady centre forward by using limited space well and finding the homo side’s quintet out of position; and the other occasion when long stab passing from the visitors’. halves to their forwards gained a useful strip of ground. Otago gradually worked the ball dowufiekl through a long kick by Taylor, and Smith snapped up picely, ran down the line, and shot from a most difficult angle. His’ essay went well wide of its mark. It was certainly not Soccer over which to enthuse. Canterbury were facing a dazzling sun, but Otago made few' opportunities of ballooning the ball —a tactical factor that might have, had fruitful results when within striking distance. So far Sutherland was the spearhead of a, now more zestful Canterbury attack, and his resourcefulness was the cause of an incursion that penetrated deep into Otago’s territory and ended inside the penalty area, from whore Craggs drove mildly after receiving from Ellis, Holden having no difficulty in clearing. Then Otago went ( away, Balk kicking hard inwards from a well-directed placement from Brown, centre half, who had taken the goalkeepers clearance. A melee occurred right inside the Canterbury goal, and Dalziel sent inwards, Mitchell saving by fisting over the top'after the referee had awarded the defenders a penalty for handling. It had appeared a rosy chance for Otago of obtaining first blood.

OTAGO ATTACKS PERSISTENTLY

So for, it was Soccer without sparkle, characterised more by patchy individual brilliance than by any smoothlyorganised combination. Otago’s defence was very shaky, both the fullbacks, Taylor iind Pickerill, especially the former, being spasmodically unreliable, though it was in the forwards that the real weakness lay, Balk and Dalziel being the only ones to display football of representative standard. Smith was doing a lion’s share of the work, and he robbed Cawtherey and Graggs in turn for possession to give tho home eleven the territorial advantage. A succession of long kicks followed, from one of which Taylor headed down Held. Rogers carried on' in dribbling that gained finite a lnrg<? piece of ground. Henderson took a centred pass, but was ruled off-side, and more ragged play followed. .Up to this stage territorial honours favoured Otago, who showed better thrust. Graggs and Cullen were the mainstay of the Canterbury forwards, and together with Sutherland, who was giving a fine exhibition, both on attack and defence, they were the only players of the visitors who infused any sparkle into their game. Mitchell was again called on to clear, which he did well with a powerful kick, when Dalziel sent in a smart drive from 20 yards' out from a centred transfer from Stenhouso. OTAGO SCORES. Then the unexpected happened to revive interest in a contest lacking in anything spectacular. Balk blocked a clearing kick in the centre of the field, went away in nippy solo dribbling, worked himself into position, and sent in a hot drive. The ball was going clear of the net, well outside, as Mitchell stepped out to intercept, but a Canterbury defender unintentionally deflected it, and Otago had scored an extremely lucky goal. Otago 1 Canterbury • ... 0 ANOTHER LUCKY GOAL. i Immediately following Canterbury’s kick-off, Otago ' increased its lead in just as unexpected and as lucky a fashion as the first goal was gained. Balk was again tbe destroying agent. This time tbe ball went from the far side of the field, and his kick went right across. Smith dashed away and shot inwards wildly. The full-backs bad meanwhile rushed back, and as Pilling went forward to intercept, bo ■touched the ball, which found a corner of the net with .Mitchell too far away to have any hope of getting across his goal mouth to save. Both goals came after 35 minutes’ play. For the remainder of the spell Otago pressed, except for. an incursion of. Southerland’s making which ended in Souter piloting tbe ball over tbe bar. Taylor was injured in ibis bout, but returned to the' field after half-time,‘ when flu; score was:

Otago , 2 Canterbury 0 Canterbury took .immediate-command of tbe ball at the start of the second spell, Sutherland robbing Brown anu sending a long kick that found Craggs receiving, beating Rogers badly, and, directing a at goal, a certain score being saved by a post, CANTERBURY SCORE. Canterbury’s forward line was a different one in 1 comparison with that of the first spell, and time and again it functioned to some purpose with clever play. Of the halves, M'Millan and Sutherland wore outstanding, with the latter directing the attack every time he received the ball. Otago were being run olf their feet now, and _ several times tbe visitors did everything but score. At length, however, Cullen received in a promising position and crossed in a handy position to Graggs, who boat Smith by' means of clever footwork and drove fiercely, the ball striking an upright and Hashing off into goal. If was the culmination of a pretty effort, Otago v - 2 Canterbury ... ... 1 THE VISITORS EQUALISE. From the preceding play it was evident that Canterbury had Otago’s measure, the home eleven not performing as well as in the early first half. The ball' was mainly' within striking' distance of the penalty area, with Canterbury doing the bulk of attack. Sharr, a half with a good sense of positional play, was a valuable link between the forwards, and with a short-lived Otago incursion nipped in the bud, and a pass from him received in a favourable place by Cullen, the Canterbury forward accepted a royal chance and found the net from close in with a hard drive. Canterbury .... 2 Otago 2 CANTERBURY TAKE THE LEAD. Sutherland was easily the ‘best player bn the ground, his all-round work being of a high level. He paved the way for another Canterbury goal by' shooting, Holden saving by fisting out. Pattinsou was handy, and he snapped up, assailed the «et with another drive, which Slum- intercepted and tapped into goal. Canterbury 3 Otago 2 VISITORS’ SUPERIORITY. The game at this stage held some interest, mainly because of the closeness of the scores, which were nearly further changed on numerous occasions because of the visitors’ aggressiveness. Otago was a properly disorganised team, and only occasionally impressed as likely to hold the much stronger Canterbury side. Balk was noticeable for excellent solo work, and it was only a great save by Mitchell that stopped a header finding the net after the Otago captain had shone by eluding Pilling by means of nippy footwork. The home side’s full-backs were displaying better form, while tbe halves appeared more decisive. It was mainly in the forwards that Otago were being so clearly overshadowed, however, off-side play being a result of that weakness. Canterbury kept the ball inside the penalty area for 10 ’minutes, during which Otago •onceded two corners and kept out a hot drive by Soutor. Then Otago went away in a hot movement, Smith, Dalziel, and Balk being associated .in the prettiest piece of passing by the home team of the afternoon. Balk evaded Cawthcray and cannoned .in a great drive. Canterbury strove hard to score, but Otago made a final effort to stem every likely movement. The last 10 minutes’ play was striking for excellent offensive thrusts by Balk, and a shot from him that shaded the goal. Pattinson was nearly through towards the close, and the visitors were attacking wh6n the game ended: Canterbury 3 Otago 3 Mr A. Riach was the referee.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19350930.2.121

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Evening Star, Issue 22147, 30 September 1935, Page 14

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,588

INTERPROVINCIAL SOCCER Evening Star, Issue 22147, 30 September 1935, Page 14

INTERPROVINCIAL SOCCER Evening Star, Issue 22147, 30 September 1935, Page 14

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