Soccer Premiership

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 721, 22 July 1929, Page 7

Soccer Premiership

AUCKLAND RETAINS TROPHY Strong Challenge by Wellington AFTER a desperate struggle on a slushy surface, with rain falling heavily in the first spell, Auckland stalled off a solid challenge by Wellington on Saturday and maintained its unbeaten record in inter-provincial Soccer ever since the English Trophy was presented for competition. Despite the weather there was a record attendance for a trophy match, and the game was fought out at high pressure from start to finish, with many thrilling movements. Thanks to a “hat trick” from Kay, Auckland won by four goals to two, but the issue swayed in the balance until the last quarter of an hour.

rpo preserve the ground for the big 1 gam% the preliminary junior representative match was abandoned, but the early crowd filled the stand to overflowing before the time for starting was reached, and a welcome diversion was a programme of popular musical items from a powerful panotropc generously lent by the Farmers Trading Company. Before the teams tiled out the terraces were also thickly lined with the umbrellas • >f a big crowd of enthusiasts who later welcomed the cessation of rain and appearance of the sun. There was a great cheer for both sides as the holders and challengers appeared for a preliminary loosening up. and Wellington seemed a much Auckland. The teams took the field as advertised, and were obviously in the pink of condition for a gruelling duel on the sodden turf. The original referee appointed. Mr. A. E. Parkinson, had control of the game, officiating as usual without glasses and giving general satisfaction with his decisions, although Kay’s third goal was hotly challenged for an off-side infringement. OUTSTANDING FEATURES The outstanding features of the game were the brilliance of Innes m the Auckland attack, clever opportunism of Kay as a dynamic j scoring factor, and the great defensive display by McVean in the Wellington goal, which saved the challengers from a more decisive defeat. In spite of‘the conditions the foot- I work of both sides was of a very high j order. with many nicely combined ' movements in attack. The state of the surface called for “driving ahead” j movements. and close-passing team work was impossible. Preconceived plans in strategy and tactics necessarily had to be abandoned, and Auckland showed superior adaptability in this respect, the local attack possessing greater accuracy and more powerful thrust. As an indication of the run of play erritorially it was noted that Batty handled but twice in the first half, and Auckland only took two goal kicks, but secured three corner ones against Wellington. In this spell McVean handled seven times, and Wellington took nine goal kicks, but forced two corners. In the second spell Batty handled three times, took four goal kicks, and there were five corners against Auckland, while McVean handled ten times, took three goal kicks and Auckland forced corners on four occasions. A clear illustration that there was nothing in the nature of a fluke about the holders’ two-goal victory, and that Auckland held the upper hand. WELLINGTON’S GREAT RECOVERY The game was fortunately free from severe injuries; Leslie, Hanlon J -‘- n d Righv were temporary casualties, but Auckland players escaped entirely except that Kay was held up with an eyeful of mud, and although the game was keen and hard it was clean in sporting sense—if not from a laundry point of view. . . , There was a scare tor Auckland earlv in the game when Leslie sent ahead to give Ron McLeod and Rigby an open goat on his right, and McLeod banged the ball past Batty’; but in cutting in to tackle Leslie, Gerrard had put the Wellington right flank out of action and a free to Auckland lor offside resulted. The feature of the first half was the way in which Innes broke through repeatedly with determined runs on Auckland’s right and fired across some splendid centres: but McVean was safe while Gibb and Guest smothered up well. It was not until a strong straight pass from Innes found the defence faulting that Kay cut in to score in the goal-mouth and smash home to the net. Half-time found Auckland leading by a goal to nil and both sides welcomed a hose-down. A LIVELY SECOND SPELL The appearance of bright sunshine improved matters on resuming, and the attacking forces on both sides showed out more forcefully with goals at frequent intervals. Soon after the restart Christie drove a long pass to Dunsmore. who sent Innes away on another swift gallop, and the Pony express slammed hard and high to the target. McVean palmed the ball away, hut Kay bad cut in at topspeed to net a first-timer before the goalie could recover. There was a strong claim for offside, but even had Kll y got ahead of the bail the goalie had put the scorer in play again. This woke Wellington up and Bird set Ron McLeon off with a dashing run which finished with a swift centre across the goal-mouth, where Leslie clashed with Ratty and Smith secured the ball to score unopposed. WELLINGTON DRAWS LEVEL Leslie went down in the crash and had to be removed for first aid. but was cheered for a speedy recovery when he changed places with Gibb at fullback. The Wellington skipper at centre-forward rallied his firing line in good style, and nearly netted when heading just over the bar. Wellington was slinging the ball about with more confidence and a lightning run by Craig on the left outpaced both Tinkler and Reid, a strong centre flyins: right across to Rigby who beat Ratty with a close-up first-time connection, and there was a roar of cheering for the challengers’ plucky fight in drawing level. A GRIM AND GRIMY DUEL There was high tension and keen suspense among the big crowd as both mud-spattered sides tore into it with great gusto, and the ball flew from end to end with the issue in the balance. The Wellington defence was the first to falter, and a melee in the visitors eighteen saw Spencer blocked, but he cleverly tipped the ball over the defenders’ heads to Kay on his left, unmarked, and the flying Scotsman bagged his hat trick with a terrific drive. The goal was certainly a doubtful one but it all happened so suddet\]y that only’ the referee could decide the point, and he did not think it recess ary to consult his linesmen before ’uling. The challengers struggled

gamely to get even again, but lianlon had to retire with injured ribs a few minutes before time, and a final streak. s down the line by the indomitable Innes ended with another crashing: shot which s McVean partially cleared, but it rebounded from McLeod and trickled over the line to give Auckland a great victory after an epic, if somewhat sticky, struggle. TWO SOUND TEAMS fc Criticism of occasional faulting by u individual players on both sides would be unfair in recalling the wonderful : work they all did under the conditions J prevailing, and the only general opin- c . ion expressed was one of deep regret that the teams could not have been seen in action on a fast surface with a i dry ball. As it was. the local side showed ' out the better in both attack and de- ] fence. The four fullbacks were admir- j able exponents of defensive tactics, but Wellington’s last line was weakened 1 when Gibb went forward to relieve the injured Leslie, although the exchange \ increased the challengers’ attacking force. Bird and Christie, the opposing centre-halves, were about equally matched, and got through a tremendous lot of spoiling work, in addition to proving more effective feeding factors than the wing halves. Both Wellington wing-forwards showed glimpses of great pace, clever ball control and accurate centring, bur. Innes was easily the outstanding forward on cither side. Credit is due to Kay for being the man on the spot to display intelligent anticipation, and add the finishing touch to three strong forward movements in which he played but little initial part. The centre and inside forwards had all the worst of the sloppy going, and Spencer w o r k e d hard throughout to get the ball out to his wings, where the going was comparatively good, and his unselfish policy was a profitable one for Auckland. Uunsmore and Hislop played well back in the inside positions, and did a lot of efficient scouting to secure the attack for the front line. It was a great game to watch, and on Saturday’s showing Auckland should be able to look forward to the next challenger from Otago with every assurance of the handsome gift of the F.A. remaining here for another year. A PLEASANT TRIP After the game both teams lined up for the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, to hand back the trophy to L. Jones, the Auckland captain. After briefly congratulating both the holders and challengers on the stirring display given, the Mayor called for cheers for both winners and losers, which were heartily given. The teams and the local executive dined together at the Imperial Hotel after the game, and McVean’s great display of goal-keeping was fittingly recognised by Mr. A. J. Harding, presenting him with a gold-mounted fountain pen. Mr. Andrew Menzies presided at the dinner when the only official toast was that of the Wellington Football Association. The Auckland executive chairman eulogised the challengers for the plucky and persistent way they continued to come up here smiling and determined to loosen Auckland’s hold on the Soccer premiership. Mr. W. Hicks, chairman of the executive of the Wellington Football Association, and also sole selector of the challenging team, responded, and congratulated the holders on a welldeserved win, but declined to express an opinion about the influence of Auckland’s climate on the result. The Wellington lads always enjoyed the trip up and the hospitality extended to them. Some day they hoped that enjoyment would be completed by boxing up the trophy for a trip to its proper home. Yesterday the visitors were entertained with a motor run around the environs of Auckland, and were given a cheery send-off by local enthusiasts as last evening’s express j drew out.

R. Innes