Trams Triumphant

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 751, 26 August 1929, Page 6

Trams Triumphant

CHATHAM CUP COMES BACK

Falcon and Senior Knockouts

BY a convincing victory of four goals to nil tlie Auckland Tramways defeated SeaclilF. the South Island finalist, at "Wellington on Saturday, and brings back the national club championship to Auckland after showing superiority i n every department of the game. In the local cup-ties Thistle eliminated Ponsonbv from the Falcon Cup, 4—2 ; while Shore beat Onehunga 3—2, and Y.M. beat Celtic 2—o in the Senior Cup. College Day provided two close finishes after a clever display of fast and scientific Soccer.

WELLINGTON, Today. Auckland Tramways won the Chatham Cup for the first time in a most convincing fashion on Saturday against a team which included seven provincial representatives. The speed and rare combination of the Aucklanders weighted the balance in their favour from the outset, and in the second spell they made certain of victory by seizing the first two opportunities to come their way in the opening ten minutes. After that it was a desperate struggle by the Southerners to keep the score down, and to break their own duck. They failed to realise either aim. days’ rain had left the ground sodden, and over this tantalising surface the Tramwaymen flashed in neat and tricky moves which gave the large crowd cause for enthusiasm. Though all the five forwards of the Seacliff team have played for Canterbury and Otago, they showed nothing like the class of the Aucklanders, and were most of the time hopelessly bunched and unhappily attempting to find a gap which did not open up. Hooper, their centre, had a bad day, and with anything like bustling tactics should have finished with a couple of goals to his credit. The Southern backs, however, were very sound when ever they could get a foot near the ball and Anderson and Munsie were particularly hard to pass. But the Tramways’ speed made all the difference, and the forwards- always worked as a team. Both wingers did devastating work, Spong shining throughout the second spell, when he was made the popular idol for his pace and elusiveness. Dell’s acrobatic kicking and shrewd judgment were useful, and the individualism of Spencer and Williams was well-timed. Their passes to the wings, and the trappng of the ball, was excellent. No such combination has been seen in Wellington this season as was furnished by the Auckland five. Great solidity was revealed by McElligott, and Christie, and Batty, in flashes, showed that he is still one of the Dominion’s crack goalies. He played a lucky game, however, and several times was forced to drop the ball like a hot brick and scuttle back to his goal, in the face of fast following up near the goal line. The match opened with a raid and counter-raid, until Auckland’s score 15 minutes after kick-off. Then gradually Tramways worked into superior combination, and their opponents tired after starting badly on the heavy ground. The Northerners apparently grew to know it better than the Seacliff men, some of whom were run to a standstill, at the close of the game. Seacliff had long stretches of play their own way in the second half, but could not develop speed or nerve enough to take advantage of the openings as they arose. The crowd was laughing at the close when successive shots were missed, some from within ten yards of the goal. The Southern men were never able to place the ball as accurately as the Aucklanders, and the swiftness with which Tramways turned defence into attack often had their adversaries badly bustled. Even allowing for Seacliff* s missed chances, it is probable that the luck broke even, for the heavy ground robbed the winners of at least two more goals, both of which were to be had for the asking, if a man could have stood up long enough to boot the ball home. The ground cut up badly in the second spell, and some treacherous patches developed in front of the goal. It was often brilliant football, and Tramways’ win was thoroughly deserved. Auckland’s goals were scored by Spencer (2), Bell and Williams. FALCON CUP THISTLE OUTS PONIES Following the preliminary college games the cup-tie between Thistle and the Ponies was a very indifferent display, compared with the bright and finished football of the secondary school seniors. Play was willing enough, and both teams plugged away hard at it the whole time, but Thistle was shorthanded most of the match, with a very indifferent defence, while the Ponies' iront line, with the exception of Innes was a straggling and futile force’ " ktch compared very unfavourably with the finished footwork of the college lads. Thistle started two men short, Webb arriving late and then Ferguson turned out again from Jiis retirement to fill the vacancy caused by the loss of Chalmers, who is in hospital. There Vv as give-and-take play in the opening skirmishes, Ponsonby missing some early scoring chances, and Thistle adopted aggressive tactics as the best defence while short-handed. When Thistle settled down, a smart drive saw Kay dart in with a typical spurt and flash through the defence to draw first blood. Ponies retaliated, and after pressing without result, Innes away on his own and sent in to 11. Stewart at centre-forward for the colt to draw* the defence cleverly with a reverse movement, and give Rogers an unopposed opening, to w*alk past Gerrard with the ball. It was a wellworked goal and promised better tnings, but play again became very scrambling and ragged, with but little cohesion on either side. Thistle’s chances appeared gloomy when McCosh had to be carried off with ankle trouble after a heavy clash with Williams, but there was no further score when the sides changed over with a goal each. thistle forges ahead te . r v thc interval McCoah made a gallant but foolhardy attempt to re7 hlle .'imping heavily, and soon ? sain , leaving Thistle without offl nient king-pin at centre-half. i onios had ample opportunities of takmg the lead against the weakened deience, and Innes repeatcdlv fed the centre and opposite wing with easv openmgs but the finishing efforts of weak ther f° r wards were painfully With only four forwards, Thistle

continued to harass the Ponies* defenders with lively raids. X. Cummin' being prominent in attack when Kav was well nursed on the opposide side A plucky dive by Lyon failed to coi lect the ball, and Webb nipped in score, but a free to Ponies a few fee* from Thistle goal was wasted, and I Gumming finished a solo run with another goal to Thistle. Tired of wastl ing passes on his forwards. J. Morrison tried a long pot at Thistle s goa l and was lucky to see it deflected past Gerrard. On another scrambles from a corner kick Webb netted again for Thistle, and Ponies were knocked out in a disappointing cup-tie by four goals to two. Ponies’ play was far below par, Williams and Lornie being noticeable in the defence, while Innes battled gamely in the front row* with no assistance. Gerrard gave a good display in goal for Thistle, and Ferguson was as sound as ever after his long spell. Kay wag not so much in the limelight after hie first goal, being too carefully nursed to be dangerous, and Norman Cumning was outstanding in the attack, with Webb a keen opportunist when chs.nees came his way. SHORE RECOVERS FORM Shore showed a welcome recovery of form by journeying to Onehunga and knocking the Manukau-siders out of the Senior Cup after a lively bout by gaining the advantage of the odd goal in five. After losing to Onehunga at home in the final championship game. Shore’s chances did not look very bright, as the West Coasters are a tough proposition on their own ground. But so willing did Shore make it that it held a two-goal lead at halftime. a position which was flattering on the run of the play. An accident :n defending had made them a useful gift of a goal. Onehunga set to work in the second spell and drew level at two-all as Mays made amends by netting both goals, but Shore outstayed the homesters and the knockout blow came with a good goal from Whitley, which glanced off the upright and gave Zuill no chance. WEAKENED CELTS DEFEATED Celtic fielded a sadly depleted team against Y.M.C.A. on the Domain, the majority being junior players and lastminute substitutes, but they put up a stubborn resistance. By dogged defensive work they succeeded in keeping Y.M. out in the first half, but the Celtic forwards could not make much impression on the solid Y.M. defence. After a dull opening Y.M. brightened up for a while in the second spell, and Bartley opened the scoring with a neat goal, but sound clearing work by Had in goal checked any further scoring until nearing the close when a hot ground shot by Humphreys was too warm for Hall to hold, and Y.M. ran out winners of a somewhat tame knockout by two goals to nil. The results leave Shore, Y.M.C.A.. Thisfie and Ponsonby in the Senior Cup. BRIGHT COLLEGE SOCCER The initial College Day at headquarters was a conspicuous success, although the attendance of college supporters was not quite so large as anticipated. In both games the gave a splendid exhibition of fast, hard and clean Soccer, which brought general gratification to the large crowd as a healthy sign for the future of the code in Auckland. Many of the lads would prove a welcome acquisition to some of the jaded senior clubs at the present time. The interprovincfal matches here between two teams from the Auckland and Wellington colleges during the present vacation should afford an interesting comparison oi the development of the code in the two principal centres. AN EXCITING KNOCK-OUT Tho opening game was the senior knock-out final between Auckland Grammar and Takapuna Grammar. After Auckland’s surprising knockout of the previously undefeated Mount Albert the parent school was expected to prove too strong for the youngest of the secondaries across the harbour. However, the North Shore colts made a great recovery* after being two goals down and drew level only to go down in the final seconds of the match h> the odd goal in five. There was not a weak link on either side and honours were even at the finish after a thrilling contest. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL The senior championship final b** tween Mount Albert Grammar ana Technical College provided an ®Y en better display, the physique, condition and cleverness of the contestants caning for general admiration and frequent applause for brilliant individual ana combined play. Mount Albert h 3O come through undefeated with Technical, only having had one loss to tn light blues, and a draw to the would have secured championship honours. In the first half Mount Albert mao« the most of scoring opportunities in a even game, A. Rogers netting c ,® ve * ;» with a neat piece of head work an again with a smart snapshot, "Williams was unlucky in swinging ball just over his goal line in sa™"® under high pressure. Tech, had scor with a splendid left-foot drive fr<#» Crooks, but were two down on t change round. The greens set out a determined style to make up deficiency, a perfect sweeping mo ment being nicely finished off by < sloa and there was a burst of c “ ee „ when fine team-work swept tnro * the Grammar defence again Rogers to equalise. , In a ding-dong finish a pert n £ s placed corner by Meehan found uro on the spot to head like a veteran the net. The result brackets Albert and Tech. equal as seai champions. CAPS FOR PRIMARY REPSDuring the interval in the Cup match, the Auckland pr>® school representatives were line« , in front of the stand and introa by Mr. H. S. W. King, member oi “ Education Board, and presented handsome blue-and-white caps foj journey to Wellington last mgn take part in the primary school c pionships in Wellington this w The caps were given by Mr. * Ritchie and the Auckland boys - h given an encouraging cheer to them good luck on their journ i defence of the Webster Shield. •, iio^d Sharland’s Egg Preservative 1 * by thousands of thrifty house * f Put down eggs now.