Close Soccer Games

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 395, 2 July 1928, Page 6

Close Soccer Games

TRAMS AND “PONIES” TIE

Belmont’s Odd Goal Victory

CLOSE finishes were the feature of Saturday’s Soccer contests. Tramways and Ponsonby finished level after an exciting struggle for supremacy, while Belmont surprised Y.M. at Devonport by scoring an odd goal victory. Onehunga at home were too good for Shore in a gruelling game with a big crop of goals. A lively naval duel at Blandford Park saw the H.M.S. Dunedin notch a win over H.M.S. Philomel by the odd goal in five.

HP ME RE was a good muster at headquarters where the spectators were augmented by a large sprinkling of the silent service enthusiasts, who were keenly interested in the meeting between the flagship Dunedin and the naval depot ship Philomel. The engagement proved a keen curtain-raiser, and after holding the lead for a while the Philomel went down to the senior ship, following a gallant battle by three goals to two. “PONIES” v. “TRAM M I ES” As anticipated, the struggle between the two leading teams was a very even and hard-fought match, which had the spectators on the tip-toe of excitement from start to finish. It was a see-saw struggle with play swinging swiftly from goal to goal, and plenty of fast, clever and forceful football. Ponsonby ran into the lead early as the result of a long swerving cfentre by W/son, which found Batty hesitating for a fatal second between kicking clear or conceding a corner, and Innes dashed in smartly to settle all doubts. Then Wilson showed out again in fastening on to a long kick by Wright and passing for his partner, Williams, to draw the defence and give Stewart an open target. TRAMMIES’ UPHILL STRUGGLE With a two-goal advantage the Ponies’ supporters were on good terms with themselves, but the Corporation men settled down with grim determination to wipe off the deficit. The Ponsonby defence was hard pressed but Roberts and Miles defended doggedly, and Wright’s snowy head was in the thick of the struggle. Both teams .missed some good openings through over-anxiety in front of goal. Ponsonby broke away with occasional speedy rushes on either wing, but Trams pressed persistently, and Spencer looked all over a scorer when pushed to earth by Miles. The centre made no mistake from the penalty kick, and exciting exchanges saw the teams change over with Ponies one up. A DING-DONG DUEL Both teams were soon at close grips in the final spell, the Ponies battling hard to hold the lead and Trams exercising most of the early pressure. A nicely-worked combined move on the Tramline's right saw Spong get clear away on the wing, and when about to be tackled he centred accurately for Spencer to take up the running, and streak past the defence for the equalising goal. Then play became hard and whiling, Ponsonby abandoning safely tactics to regain the lead, and Trams replying with vigorous counterthrusts. "Wright was a temporary casualty after a. heavy collision, but returned to the fray. Ponsonby missed some glorious chances by blazing wildly at the goal when a wise placement was all that was needed. At the other end Watts was whistled up for “carrying.” and the inevitable muddle resulted about the rights of the defenders to line their goal. In the end something like a loose scrum ended in Ponsonby smothering the kick and streaking to the opposite goal, where Batty cleared miraculously at point blank range, time sounding with a hard-earned point to each side. HONOURS EASY The Trammies put up a great fight to beat the leaders and only just failed, the draw being about a fair representation of lost chances by both sides. Both goalies put up a fine exhibition of keeping, some of Battv’s saves being as brilliant as ever, while Watts was cool and safe throughout TfS without Williams at fullback, but the veteran Roberts plaved a great game, and stuck out a solid 90 minutes with an astonishing reserve of pace and pep. Miles worked hard to check the onrushing Trams, dieswhe h P a° ne t 0 des P e »’ate remedies when hard pressed. Wright waded into the thick of it with his usual aban-

don, and paid the penalty once in encountering a knock-out jar. Wilson and Williams were again in evidence as a clever wing, but Innes saw less of the ball than usual. Simpson defended resolutely in Trams’ back line, and Reed showed amazing staying power in playing his usual finished game at centre-half after a hard game in the naval preliminary bout. He proved a glutton for work after three hours of it on a holding surface. Spong, Spencer and Simm shone out in the Tramways’ van, but reckless shooting on both sides missed many scoring chances. BELMONT AT LAST Belmont continued to maintain its marked improvement at Devonport, and dashed Y.M.’s hopes of recovering the leading position by inflicting an odd-goal defeat after a g#me which was marked by more bustle than science. The youngsters again exploited the hustle and bustle free-boot-

ing game which has stood to them so well in the last three matches, and after having a meritorious win against Thistle washed out by the withdrawal the Belmont old boys are now on the up grade again with the victory on Saturday. Y.M. missed Humphreys in a game of this type, and further experiments in the front line formation were not very fruitful. The clever studied play of Grant and Chalmers was rudely upset by the close attentions of the Belmont back division, the defenders playing right on top of their opponents and bustling them off the ball by methods which may have been primitive, but were certainly effective. Chesney had a cool time of it in the Belmont goal, the only score against him coming when he was baulked by one of his own backs. It was unfortunate that the deciding goal should have come from a very dubious penalty decision. In defending, A. Riddolls at fullback drove the ball hard against his brother at centrehalf, the ball striking his arm as he endeavoured to side-step, and a penalty for “intentional handling” in such a situation was absurd, but it gave Belmont the full points by the odd goaj in three. Both the back line and halves played consistently well in the Belmont defence, while Hamilton and Penning formed an effective leftwing in the attack. Trewhella showed plenty of speed in his flashes along the line, but his finishing centres were often erratic. Bick stood out in the Young Men’s defence, and A. Riddolls proved promising as a vigorous fullback who should improve with* experience. The meeting of these teams in the Chatham Cup knock-out on Saturday should provide another lively tussle. ONEHUNGA’S BIG SCORE The Shore journeyed to the Manukau ground with a decimated team and arrived without a goalie, Ponting, an eleventh-hour recruit, being secured as fullback, and Peter Gerrard filling the vacancy in goal till half-time when he relieved the substitute at back. The game was a willing one throughout, with play more of the individual type than of a cohesive nature. Onehunga’s defence was weakened by the absence of Who well, the club captain, and Wo*fenden from the fourth juniors completed the front line. The teams turned round with the score at two all after an even first half, Woolley scoring a brace of neat goals for Shore, and Rivers retaliated by assisting Onehunga to the same extent. Play was hard and fast in the second spell, when Gill put the home team ahead and Bradshaw equalised. Finally both Whimster and Wolfenden found the net to give the Manukau side a total of five, and the game ended with the home winners of an even struggle by five goals to three.