SOCCER SIDELIGHTS PASSING NOTES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 692, 18 June 1929, Page 14

SOCCER SIDELIGHTS PASSING NOTES

-I (By

Perseus

A Fine Combination. —By its meritorious win on Saturday the Tramways Club proves itself a team of which the city may be justly proud, and if the filckle goddess of cup ties is kind to the gallant troubadours of the clanging gongs there is no team sinco that irresistible meteor, the Harbour Board team, which is better fitted to win the club championship of the Dominion and bring the Chatham Cup back to Auckland again. Five of the six Tramways’ backs have represented the province during the past two seasons in its unbeaten record for the Football Association trophy. and Spencer, at centre forward, showed on Saturday that lie is still the ideal front line pivot 'and without a peer in the .Dominion. What calls for more praise than any other feature of the Trams Club is the example it sets to younger combinations in training and practice. None of the team lias youth on his side, and the long shifts are tiring to the legs, but there is scarcely an afternoon when these matured enthusiasts may not be seen at practice on Victoria Park with all the keenness of schoolboys, with a rub down and shower at the Gaunt Street club room to follow and freshen them for the long night’s toil.

Thistle’s Doubtful Defence. —But if Trams have the outstanding back division of the senior clubs, one must hand it to Thistle for possessing the finest front line, and it is no disparagement to Innes or Webb to say that with Spencer linking up the Thistle right and left wings Auckland would need to look no further for the strongest firing line in the Dominion. Manv critics are surprised at Thistle’s lowlv place on the championship ladder, but the obvious weakness in the half and back divison has been the factor which has let the former champions down It has been unable to stop the opposing attacks and failed to feed its own formidable front line. The clever manner in which the front-liners overcame this handicap against Trams on Saturday was an object-lesson in tactics. Neither Chalmers nor Hision in the inside berths were ever up in the firing line or within shooting range, except perhaps for a corner placement. Both inside men played deep back and scouted for the ball to send it through the centre or to their wing men playing well in from the line. This strategy merely brought about Trams’ downfall, but the sagging of the Thistle back line failed to keep the fresh and fit transporters at bay in the fatal last quarter of an hour

Chatham Cup.—The Thistle and Trams teams will probably meet again in the local semi-linal of the Chatham Cup, and it should provide anothm* lively clash. Thistle stands in sore need of two wing halves, and it is most unfortunate that a finished player like Ferguson should be out of the game through injuries. This draws McCosb from his natural position at centre half, and compels Carter to leave the

wing and fill the pivotal position Thistle will meet Northcote by floodlight at Blandford Park tomorrow evenl ing to play the postponed Chatham Cup tie. and while the NorthcoteBirkenhead combination has built up a strong team of promising colts, the superior experience of the Scots should land them safely in the semifinal; though with the uncertainty and element of luck which is always associated with knockout Soccer the senior team cannot afford to take any risk*. The Talkies. One feature which frequently mars the enjoyment of a hard-fought game i& the tendency of a few players to lose control of their tongues, and it is not surprising that referees are beginning to frown severely on the argumentative type of player who will not conserve his often scanty breath for the purpose of playing the game. The rebuke of a naval barracker on the side line who inquired, sarcastically, of one nagging player whether he was “ir. training foi the ‘talkies’ ” was sufficiently crushing to apply the gag. and one player in the hard-fought game at Blandford Park on Saturday was fortunate in that his skipper wisely cut short an impassioned outburst by placing a friendly arm round the orator’s neck and gently but firmly muzzling him with an open palm as a silencer. This neat bit of muzzling saved a certain trip to the bank, and perhaps a lo?: game to the offender’s sice. With Qver three decades of playing and watching the game this despondent fails to recall a single instance in which a player has won an argument with a referee.

Ponpey’s Hard Luck: A naval enthusiast, who was formerly a popular figure on the Soccer fields here, mails the writer some details of Pompey’s hard luck in the English Cup final at Wembley. Bolton Wanderers were favourites in the betting, but Portsmouth seem to have the sympathy and support of the crowd, although the “Trotters” were followed by a big guard of cloth-capped lads from Lancashire. The liberal sprinkling of bluejackets, with the booming “Chimes of Pompey,” indicated a strong naval invasion.' and although no goals had been scored, Bolton appeared a beaten team at half-time. But the luck of the ICavy was out when their left fullback was knocked out in a crash, and returned to play a “passenger's” pan at outside left. Twelve minutes before time a hot shot from the weakened flank passed the goalie, and in a desperate attempt to kick clear, the other Pompey back crashed the ball to the post, and it turned into the net instead of back to play. That, ended Pompey’s hopes of a cup triumph, but bv a superhuman effort the blues el - ciiped from almost certain relegation to the second division, and a great season for the naval base ended happily.

Scottish Attack on English Cup: It is almost forgotten now that on two occasions the English Cup narrowly escaped being carted over the border to Scotland, and had the raids been successful, the whole history of Soccer in Britain might have taken a very different course. Queen’s Park, the famous Glasgow amateur combination, whose colours are borne by Thistle in Auckland today, was the club which made such a determined attempt to lift the Sassenach troph'*, and in 18S4 appeared in the final at the famous Oval cricket ground to meet Blackburn Rovers, who saved the day for England by the odd goal in three. Next ’•ear the • Spiders” again knocked out all opponents, to find the Rovers once more the stumbling-block, and another hard go on the Oval found them beaten pointless by two goals to nil. Then the Scottish F.A. placed an embargo on club affiliations with the F.A., and further raids on the trophy wer. banned. Side-line Sidelights: The latest Soccer fable is that of the centretarward who said: ‘‘Don’t allow that goal, Mr. Referee; I was miles offside!” It was related at Blandford 1-ark of a goalie from over the border who was hard pressed, and kicked into his own goal. When mildly reproached by Ms discomfited clubmates, he retorted “Weel, ye wouldna’ ha’e me give awa. a corner, yould ye?”