SOCCER SIDELIGHTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 964, 6 May 1930, Page 13

SOCCER SIDELIGHTS

PASSING NOTES

(By PERSEUS.)

Tramways Checked.—After going through the whole of last season withcut a loss in either the senior championship, Falcon, or Chatham cups, the Trams were halted on Saturday by the Ponies, and went down after a gruelling contest by the odd goal in three. Not even the keenest gong-clanger will contend that there was anything of a fluke in Ponsonby’s clear-cut win. No doubt the fact that Christie and Spong Established undisputed alibis on Saturday was a factor in Saturday’s defeat, but with such finished exponents as Tinkler, McElligott and Watson returning to the game, the absence of the other two should not have proved fatal. Tinkler at the vital position of pivot did not dominate the play as Christie does, and when one down at half-time it would have paid, perhaps, to have placed McElligott there, with Tinkler in the firing line and Stretton at back, where the opposing left was rarely dangerous. However, Ponies well deserved their popular win, and proving that Trams are vulnerable, will stimulate interest in the game. The Ponies’ win was aitticipated here, and but for weak shooting the margin would have been more. McCosh shone out at back, and Ballocli was the best half on the field.

Young Men In Form.—The hoodoo which dwelt in waiting on the ManuKau side for Y.M. last year was settled effectively on Saturday, when the home side was routed by six goals to two, and but for Zuill’s brilliancy in goal the Y.M. might easily have notched a double-figured score. Young Men have serious designs on all the honours this year, and have the right stuff to work with. The front line was O.K. on Saturday, and not all Kay. Percy Humphreys christened his nice new colours with a snappy hat trick, and Chalmers sent them across to Kay for him to repeat his hat trick of the previous Saturday. The Flying Scotsman is still the most dynamic forward force in the game, but even if he is checked, as sometimes happens, the Y.M. line can still be relied on to keep up an effective attack. Ross has not settled down in the forwards yet, and Riddolls needs speeding up and nippier tackling tactics if he is to hold a wing like Innes and Forrester, or Spong and Davis. But it is going to be a lively clash when Y.M. meets Ponies and Trams.

A Wanderer Returns.—lt was pleasing to find the familiar figure of “Bill in the “Press gal.ery” on Saturday, although he was not on duty, having just blown back from an extended trip to the Old Country. Bill learned his Soccer in the North British capital, before joining up with Shore and, later, Y.M.C.A. here, and he was delighted to watch the Heart of Midlothian down the redoubtable Glasgow Rangers twice in the Scottish championship; but he considered the finest Soccer he saw was when Sheffield "Wednesday defeated Arsenal by 4—2 in the English league. The famous £30,000 forward line of Arsenal is a collection of brilliant individualists, and well adapted for knock-outs, as the clear cut win of the English Cup proved, but other clubs can show better team work iu their firing iifife* 2he

Soccer boom continues unabated in Britain, and when the wanderer saw Arsenal knock West Ham out the prices of admission had been doubled, but the gates had to be shut half an hour before the start.

Can Thistle Come Back?—With Trams, Ponies and Y.M.C.A. all making bold bids for championship honours, it would be a big boost for the game if Thistle could only get together again and maintain the improvement shown last Saturday. MeLeay and Gumming shone out in the forward line, and both Dick and

Wright were sound at half. Put tl*e back division needs improving, and more combination between the forwards and intermediate line is essential. The present indications are for some stirring struggles for top of the ladder betweeh the Big Three, while Corinthians and Onehunga will need to get busy to avoid relegation. • • • Australian Trip Off.—Advice has teen received by the New Zealand Council from the Australian Soccer Football Association that the propos* >3. tour of Australia by a New Zealand side has been abandoned. Although no further information has been furnished it appears as though the tour should not be made if its financial eucce-s could not be guaranteed. The abandoning of the tour will be a disappointment to Soccer followers in the Dominion. Files received from Australia indicate that tiie split in Soccer control in New South Wales continues, and v. in the rival associations still at loggerheads. the prospects of the tour were greatly jeopardised.

English Season Ends. —The English Soccer season has ended with Sheffield Wednesday top of the first ladder for ♦be second year in succession, anrl Derby County the runners-up. A desperate scrap at the bottom found Burnley and Everton the victims of re eeation. The season before last, with Dixie Dean at his zenith, Everton won the first division championship, and is one of the wealthiest clubs in England. Now. for the first time, it goes down a grade, while Blackpool and Chelsea move up. Chelsea has been tattling hard to get back to full seniority again and is at last rewarded. Notts County and Hull City go down to third grade. Port Vale and Plymouth Argyle winning their sections in the third grade, and qualifying for promotion. For six successive seasons Plymouth ran second in the southern seo-t-on, so its reward lias long been de- , la-jetl, V