Chatham Cup Soccer

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 745, 19 August 1929, Page 6

Chatham Cup Soccer

TRAMS FOR THE FINAL Lucky Knockout Penalty IN a keen and exciting semi-final Tramways, the Auckland champion, knocked out the Wellington winner, V.M.C.A., by the odd goal in three at Blandford Park on Saturday before the largest crowd this season for a club match. The Wellington side had the better of the first half and led bv a goal to nil, hut Trams recovered brilliantly. After equalising they secured the winning point with a penalty kick when playing a man short, thus qualifying to meet Seacliff, the South Island winners, at Wellington next Saturday for pos. session of the national trophy.

After the few days’ fine spring weather the ground had dried in splendid order, and for the first time for several weeks the dry ball ran fast and bounced high. Possibly alter a. sodden ball and hard slogging through the slush of recent Saturdays, this contrast in conditions affected the Auckland champions more than the Wellington representatives, who had been favoured with good ground surfaces this winter. Certainly Trams failed to produce the clever combined work seen in the other games and although battling hard and willingly n the first spell, the Wellington Club held the advantage in both defence and attack, and on the run of the game Trams might easily have been more than one down at the change round. GO-AHEAD YOUNG MEN The Wellington Young Men had only arrived in town by the fh st express on Saturday morning, giving the impression they were y° UI >S, men in a hurry to rush up here, collect the Chatham Cup ticket, and tear back home to meet the Southern champions next Saturday. But an 18-hour journey through the night, in a crowded express, is not a good preliminary fora strenuous knock-out struggle, and Is more likely to leave the venturers somewhat rattled in muscle, nerve and br A?'it was, they put plenty of pep into their play in the opening h^ lf * and held a big advantage territorially, but the tough Trams’ defence, held fairly sound, and only once did a. sweeping movement from McGirr at back to the outside rtght swing in to McLeod at Centre, t-"- 1 »•“ tnrouga, leaving the backs standing and Batty beaten. Then Ballard and Kigbv had good attempts at scoring, but Batty was not to be beaten again, and Simpson, Trams captain, was always tearing intc it tirelessly to sten: the lively Y.M TRAMS’ WEAK FIR The Trams’ front line has never before appeared as futile as in the first spell on Saturday. For some reason the forward line formation had been transformed from a “W” one to an “M.” with the two inside men playing upfield ahead of Spencer, and the wings, instead of being well behind both and feeding to wings or centre according to the goal range. The result was that Spencer was back foraging and tussling with Armitage, the Wellington centre-half, for the ball, when he might have been up between the backs exploiting any snapshooting opportunities. Stretton and Williams, on the left wing, were lost: Bell was bullocking around with his head down, doing nothing. Worst of all, Spong had suddenly developed a disconcerting trick of stopping in his tracks, and turning back to beat his man before centring, instead of flying down for dear life and then hitting a right footer on the run for a shot or a centre. The disorganised Tram line gave McGirr and Trott an easy first spell. TRAMS WAKE UP Fortunately Trams changed tactics in the second half, and although the front line formation was still imperfect, there was better control of the dry and flighty ball. It was booted about with a speed which soon had the Wellington backs “duffing and fluffing,” and Lucas in goal, under high pressure. The harlequin colours showed signs of flagging, and the , Trams’ condition stood them well in : some fierce exchanges. A nice opening by Christie saw Spong slip past the defence and put a rare right- | footer across which Spencer timed to a nicety, to head past Lucas, and there j was a strident clanging of tram gongs | to welcome the recovery. But even if some of the Young Men’s elan had evaporated they still had some punch left, and it was some time before the , winning goal came. In the meantime some strong raids by the Y.M. forwards were only checked by desperate smo thing up and rugged tackling, which might have meant disaster with a strict referee. AUCKLANDER ORDERED.OFF It was a thrilling scrap for the lead and there were visions of extra time, with the score level and only a quarter , of an hour to go. It was then that a melee in the Wellington eighteen found Stretton trying for a little knockout on his own. Trott, of Y.M., and the referee intervened in the interests of law and order, inviting the Trams’ winger to view the finish from the bank. Mr. L. Parkinson had not been unduly harsh in his control of the game, and if the booing of the onlookers was meant for the official it was quite unwarranted. The mortifying episode, instead of braking the Trams, seemed to accelerate them, and in a few minutes the Y.M. goal was literally bombarded from all angles, but it bore a charmed life until McGirr handled in a despairing attempt to clear, and Spencer sent the penalty shot flying past Lucas. It was unfortunate that so important an issue hung on a penalty kick, but Trams’ second half play fully warranted a win for them. WINNERS AND LOSERS There were hearty cheers for both winners and losers as the tired teams filed off after a hard-fought and even knock-out, and if the game was not a high-class exposition of Soccer, it was typical cup-tie play, which always tends more to the individual than to team work. The form of Trams was disappointing. but the improvement in the second half was a promising sign for next Saturday's final against Seacliff, as the side showed good stamina and determination. The failings of the forwards have already been noted, but the half-line was very solid. Fyvie had ” n™ur watch in Worth and Rigby, but was very nippy with his spoiling work. He was the most effective half on he field, but some of his tackling was doubtful, and he will need to watch his step with a stricter referee. Christie worked hard, while Simpson saved his side repeatedly. Batty was as cool and

safe as ever in goal, and there was not a weak joint in Trams’ armour. For .M. the familiar figure of Lucas In goal was unchanged in his red

sweater, and he saved as cleverly as old in some tight corners. Me? 0 ' and Lock were an impressive fullbacks, who made the Tram?f ft C ‘ wards look very ordinary in th« i. half. McGirr was the more spectaS* l L ar * his free h?oting fleanSSL* but Trott was safer and defence. r Armitag© was conspicuous at cent*, half in attack, and was effective • smothering Spencer. Boe and wJ* held their opposing wings well w were not so effective in feeding’thrown forwards. Ballard showed tb* speed and trickiness in the first which gained him All Black honours but was more subdued in the lat period. Worth and Rigby were ai ways a dangerous wing, and McLeod led the line in a determined fashbn his goal being the result cf the be'team work of the day. Mr. E. Parkinson was an admirable referee, and wisely let the game run its course without undue interference until one player exceeded the limit * SCHOOLBOYS AT PLAY The curtain-raiser provided an j n . teresting display by the primair schoolboys selected to represent Auckland in Wellington Next week, agai a representative team of secondarv school players under eight stone. Th* Auckland primaries played clever and sparkling Soccer against their old*" opponents, and ran out winners b three goals to nil after a bright game The spectators showed their appreciation of the boys’ good form by contributing nearly £8 toward the cor of the trip to Wellington, where the lads should shape well in their venture to retain the North Island school premiership for Auckland. SENIOR B STRUGGLES The result of the senior B championship bouts finds the positions of Manurewa and Philomel unchanged a: the top of the ladder, Manurewa just scraping home against Northcote' by the only goal scored in a hard tussle Philomel on a dry dock ground- made a meal of Metropolitan, and won comfortably by four goals to nil. Corinthians, after catching up to the “Phillies” on the ladder, received a setback when Bon Accord staged rv come-back and romped home winner by four goals to one. The battle between Tamaki and Newmarket was a dogged affair, the dairymen winnimr from the brewery district by the odd goal in five.