SOCCER SIDELIGHTS PASSING NOTES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 716, 16 July 1929, Page 16

SOCCER SIDELIGHTS PASSING NOTES

(By

Perseus)

Auckland Meets Wellington. —The challenge match for possession of the handsome English trophy is exciting great interest locally, and there is every prospect of it drawing a record crowd, as there is no special counter-attrac-tion being staged by the other codes. A fast and even game is assured, and, if it is of the same thrilling type as last year’s two meetings, the spectators will be treated to 90 minutes of thrills from start to finish. Auckland has never yet been beaten in playing for the Football Association trophy, either here or in the South and it stands to the credit of Mr. Neesham, the sole selector, that his elect have never let him down, and this season the handsome piece of plate still stays in Auckland. The feature of the Auckland team last year was not the brilliance of its individual units, but the perfect understanding, combination and team* work made it an ideal side who knew each other’s play from goalkeeper to extreme wings. The result was that in Wellington the Auckland eleven ran rings round the local, giving a display which the critics described as dazzlng, and the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, in handing back the trophy, which had been on loan for exhibition purpose, said that it was the finest game of scientific Soccer he had seen since he left Scotland. Wellington’s Chances. —When Wellington came up for the return challenge, Auckland fielded the same side, but the black and golds made several changes. The game proved a terrific struggle between evenly matched teams, and could only be described as a continuous thrill while the ball flew from goal to goal in desperate attempts to drive home the winning point. A draw was a fitting finish, and now Wellington is first in with another challenge to upset Auckland’s unbeaten record. This year there have been drastic alterations in the Wellington side and the great majority of the players are new to representative honours. Two or three probables intimated that they would be unable to make the journey if selected, but Mr. Hicks, the Wellington selector, has had the advantage of trying out his players in two interprovincial games, and a Possibles V. Probables trial match, and the more responsible critics in the local Press are fully satisfied that the team will do credit to the province and make a bold bid to shift Auckland’s tight hold on the trophy. Mr. Neesham has only had the match against the Navy to guide him in his choice, but his selection has been most favourably received. Reed, Kay, Hislop and Dunsmore have returned to the official fold and will again don the blue and white, and the forward line is expected to be stronger than last year’s, although the firing line then worked like a piece of, smooth-running machinery, with no outstanding individual unit. Wellington’s Hopes. —lt was only to be expected that the two strongest clubs in the Wellington competitions should provide the majority of the players, and Petone has been drawn on for five—McVean (goal), Campbell and Hanlon (halves), Leslie and Craig (forwards). Diamonds supply four members in Guest (back), J. McLeod

(halfback), R. McLeod and Smith (forwards). Gibbs (Hospital), back, and Rigby (Y.M.C.A.) complete the side, with Marshment (Marist) as emergency.

The Petone players are known to the local crowd who saw the “Pets” knock our Y.Mjp.A. out of the Chatham Cup at Blanajprd Park last year, and they are all <|iwigerous men in their positions. McVean is a finished goalkeeper, while Gibb and Guest are strong fullbacks who may prove more effective in holding the Auckland line than McGirr and Steel did last year. Campbell at centre-half we know as a fine heady pivot for any team and his wing supports are spoken of as clever halves who play with their brains as well as their feet. The forwards are described as a fast, trick and hard-shooting quintet, and none of them can be called selfish or likely to start any gallery stunts. There is a fear that Ban Jones’s knee may keep him out of the Auckland side or Saturday, and Fyvie or Jock Morrison may be called up to fill the vacancy; and Dunsmore is also reported to be a doubtful starter, in which case Chalmers would probably reappear in the Auckland line without in any way weakening it. Control of the Players.—The roundtable conference which was held last week between representatives of the Control Board, senior and junior divisional committees, Referees’s Association Judicial Committee, resulted in clearing the air and arriving at a unanimous agreement as to future procedure in dealing with players for disciplinary offence. The Control Board had written the Judicial Committee intimating its intention to change the previous methods of disposing of referees’ reports on players, and also to limit the scope of the Judicial Committee’s functions, and to this the committee had replied defining what it considered its scope and duties under the constitution, also making some suggestions for the future handling of offences against the laws of the game. The Control Board withdrew its letter, and a full discussion of the situation was followed by a complete agreement, so that in future there will be no misunderstanding in dealing with the vexed question of “cautions” to players. In future the referee will notify the player and report the fact to the Judicial Committee. The player’s club will also be notified, so that an appeal may be made against the caution being regarded if such action is considered warranted, or the club may take action itself. Navy Soccer. —The French Consul in Auckland, M. Paul Serre, was approached by the A.F.A. with a view to arranging a match between the visiting French cruiser Tourville and a team from the New Zealand Navy. M. Serre has received radio advice that our visitors will be only too pleased for arrangements to be made for the game, and as JrI.M.S. Biomede will be back from Australia to meet

the French man-o’-war, the Navy can rely on being strongly represented on August 3 in what shoyld prove a more than usually attractive feature The local final for the Chatham Cup is also set down for that date, and the dual programme should mean a gala dav for Blandford Park.