SOCCER SHOTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 60, 2 June 1927, Page 12

SOCCER SHOTS

THE CHATHAM CUP A START TO-MORROW A.F.A.’S SPORTING ACTION

(By

“Perseus.”)

Some day the Chatham Cup will become the premier Soccer trophy of New Zealand, and stand on the same relative pedestal in the Dominion as the English Cup now does in England and Wales, and the Scottish Cup in Scotland. In Great Britain these national cup contests for the club premiership always overshadow even International events and are followed with the keenest interest all over the world. The action of the A.F.A. in sponsoring the Auckland competitors will be greatly appreciated by all Soccer enthusiasts and should give a lead to other provincial associations and sub-associations. Last year only one club in the whole of the Otago district nominated for this national club trophy, and Seacliff had a walk-over for the provincial ties. Whether it was the guinea entrance fee or the prospective cost of financing a trip to Wellington which deterred the Otagans is not clear, but if every district were to adopt the encouraging policy of the Auckland management there would be no difficulties in getting every club to enter and take a pride in their progress in the competition, which is one of the finest tests of a team’s merits. As pointed out in last Saturday’s SUN, the financial strain in the final stages was far too severe for most clubs to stand and when the controlling body-—the N.Z.F.A.—decided last week that in view of the Canadian tour liabilities it could do nothing to guarantee the Chatham Cup contests, the outlook for the national club contest was very gloomy. Consequently when Mr. Menzies announced to the club delegates at Tuesday night’s meeting of the A.F.A. management that the local association would guarantee the local clubs 75 per cent, of their expenses in the finals, the offer was accepted with warm appreciation and alacrity, and all eight senior local clubs nominated on the spot. The “dinkum draw” for the first round was soon in hand and resulted in four very even contests for a start. TO-MORROW’S FIRST KNOCKOUT To-morrow, King’s Birthday, Ponsonby will meet Northcote at Blandford Park in the first of these “sudden death” series and a first-class cup tie should result. Northcote are a vastly improved team and last Saturday week they gave the Ponies the shock of the season by taking the full points off them, whilst last Saturday the J rammies could only scrape home against the Blues by the odd goal, after a hard ding-dong struggle. Ponsonby made a draw of it with Y.M.C.A. last Saturday and are dead keen on making up for their previous defeat by the strawberry growers, and with two such evenly-matched teams the spectators should be certain to get good value for their money. The naval brigade will provide an attractive curtain-raiser when the Stokers will meet the Seamen of the flagship in a challenge match for the Honolulu Cup. Strangely enough, the shovel engineers from below have often been able to show the gunnery experts what good shooting is with the round ball, and an extremely lively game is assured. A REAL TEST FOR THE CANADIANS

The bearers of the maple leaf won very easily again against Manawatu at Palmerston North yesterday, when they romped over the local eleven although keeping their best men in reserve for to-morrow’s game with Wellington. The Wellington reps, are the strongest team available and it contains a strong sprinkling of All Blacks, who should be able to check the victorious career of the Canadian visitors, or at least give us a good idea of their comparative strength. BROWN SHIELD MATCH AT HAMILTON The first challenge match for the Brown Shield will be staged at Hamilton to-morrow, when the holders, South Auckland, will be called upon to defend the trophy against a strong team from North Auckland. The main strength of the holders is drawn from the Huntly miners, while the Hikurangi miners are the dominant factor in the North Auckland eleven, so a hard and willing game should result. Mr. Phil. Neesham, Auckland’s sole selector, will travel down to witness the contest in search of any promising material in the minor associations which will help him to build up his Auckland team against the Canadians and to retain the English trophy in September.

CH RISTI E-WOOLLEY INCIDENT r ENDS On Tuesday evening Mr. J. Woolley attended the meeting of the management committee and explained his part in the affair. The North Shore secretary, Mr. G. West, was also present and both he and the club player were given an opportunity of replving to the inacurate statements which had been made and given unnecessary publicity. A member of the committee also took the opportunity to correct a wrong report of his remarks, and the chairman made it clear that on no occasion had the referee issued any caution to the Shore player. The incident then closed with the committee taking no action and both clubs would be wise to lt> the matter rest there.

BROWN SHIELD

BIG GAME AT HAMILTON (From- Our Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, To-day. The principal outdoor attraction here to-morrow (King’s Birthday) is the match between South Auckland and North Auckland for the Brown Shield, at present held by South Auckland, who defeated last season Poverty Bay, Manawatu. Wanganui, and North Auckland. The visitors have their strongest team available for the game tomorrow, and the local association has also a good side out to defend the holding of the shield, so that a great contest is anticipated. Curiously enough, both teams have a large proportion of the mining element in their ranks, and they are usually the cleverest exponents in New Zealand of this code. The opposing teams are: North Auckland.—Goal, J. Newton UVhangarei Y.M.C.A.); right back. K Taylor (Hikurangi); left back, A. Clapham (Whangarei Y.M.C.A.); right half, F. Mills (Whangarei Y.M.C.A.).; centre helf, J. Roclgers (captain), Waro Wanderers; left half, F. Keatinge (Hikurangi); outside right, T. Caldwell (Whangarei Y.M.C.A.); inside right, G. Wilson (Waro Wanderers); centre forward, C. Queripel (Hikurangi); inside left, J. Ackers (Waro Wanderers); outside left, D. Patrick (Whangarei Y.M.C.A.). South Auckland.—Goal, D. Hunter (Hamilton Wanderers); right back, J. Whitelaw (Huntly Thistle); left back, T. Dodds (Rotowaro); right half, J. Tait (Huntly Thistle): centre half, D. Buchanan (captain), Frankton Railways; left half, H. Taylor (Huntly Thistle); outside right, A. Black (Pukemiro); inside right, T. Chalmers (Frankton Railways); centre forward, A. Moon (Frankton Railways); inside left, W. Stacey (Hamilton Wanderers); outside left, A. Johnston (Huntly Thistle).

Refere, Mr. E. Parkinson (Auckland). Linesmen, Messrs H. Fearnley (Hikurangi) and Jus. Baillie (Hamilton).