Sparkling Soccer

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 981, 26 May 1930, Page 8

Sparkling Soccer

PONIES DRAW WITH Y.M. Celtic Down to Trams Y3I.C.A. received its first cheek on Saturday when a fast • and sparkling game with Ponsonby ended in ;. a exciting draw and the honours evenly divided. Celtic also put up a gallant battle against the more experienced Tramways team, and solid defence on both sides found the score-hoard blank at half-time. Although a man short Trams made more use of openings in the second spell and won a good game by three goals to nil. Thistle proved too strong for the home team at Onehunga, and returned victors by four goals to one. Jlanurewa failed again, and went down to Corinthians 3—o at Devonport.

the season at Blandford Park when the four leading clubs were engaged in battling for the top of the championship ladder, and the early birds were rewarded with easily the best match of the season, when a thrilling go between Y.M. and Ponsonby. with many sparkling flashes of good Soccer, saw the Ponies take the first point of the season from Young Men. Both sides went at it with a will from the first to the last whistle, and a draw fittingly represented the run of the EVEN FIRST SPELL The ground was in perfect order for the opening spell, but a heavy shower made the going somewhat treacherous in the second half. The pace was a cracker from the start. as attacks were repelled and countered with reprisals. The wing men on both sides were flying down the line in gre t style, but sound defence kept both goals intact for the first quarter. Then Chapman drove in a long-range pile driver which Surtees tipped to the crossbar, and Humphreys snapped up the rebound smartly to net from close in. A reply raid from Ponies’ right saw Forrester draw the defence out of position, and at half-time the pegging was level, with one all and Ponsonby pressing strongly. A DING-DONG FINISH Ponsonby changed its forward formation in the second spell. Innes going tb the centre, with Simni taking the outer right position. Exciting play continued with both goalies clearing under pressure, until Kay drove in a typical low shot from an acute angle, which just found the net between Surtees’s finger tips and the uiTright. It was one out of the bag. Ponies came back with a rush, when ?*lcCosh passed through the centre to Innes, who streaked for goal. Drawing the backs he swung the ball out for Simm to bit a perfect first-timer on the run. and McMillan finished off a thrilling piece of team-work with a neat header to the net. Both teams went at it hammer and tongs for a winning goal, but both defences were sound, and an exciting finish ended in a draw with Y.M. pressing hard. CLEVER FORWARD PLAY The feature of the game was the brilliant play of the outside forwards, Kay, Innes, Chalmers and Simm all being at their best, and but little to ’loose between them. Their line work and centreing was of the highest order, but tjiey frequently outpaced the inside men. and good crosses went bogging through -lack of n connecting

link to finish oft". Humphreys kept his line well together, and showed out l better than Stewart, opposite him, but ; McMillan and Forrester, of the Ponies, ; were better than Whaley and Jay. with j their inside play. Chapman was the j outstanding half, and shone out both in defence and attack. He spolt the* opposing forwards repeatedly, and fed j his own with clever judgment GOOD DEFENSIVE WORKERS Morrison was busy marking the elusive Kay. and came through the task with great credit, as the “Flying Scot” got but few openings of escaping bis shadower. Malcolm kept his Ponies’ wing well in check, but at times Riddolls was overwhelmed by Innes and Forrester. Otter was outstanding among the four fullbacks, and his strong tackling with clean, clearing kicks, frequently converted attacks into counter-raids. The going and wet ball did not suit Mowat. and at times he showed a preference to go for his man instead of the ball. Peterson and Bentley were safe without being brilliant, and both goalies gave a first-class display. It was difficult to see why Innes went to centre-forward in the second half, to find himself cramped and crowded, and it weakened the Ponies’ thrust. Mr. R. M. Beswick was an admirable referee, and wisely adopted a tolerant policy of not checking a hard and speedy struggle with undue interference. A few more such games would soon double the gate at headquarters TRAMS RECOVER FORM Although the principal game was not so fast or thrilling as the early one, it was a hard tussle with the issue in doubt until well into the second spell, when Trams drew first blood through Mill. The Celts had missed some great chances of scoring, and Trams forged ahead with one of those unwarranted penalties which now seem inevitable. Celts had an opening to make up leeway when a similar gift was awarded them, but failed to turn it to account, and another good goal from Mill placed the issue bevond doubt. The transporters were unlucky In losing the services of Evan Williams in the first half, when he was carried off with a sprained ankle, and in the second sx>ell Simpson shone out in playing a solo game at fullback, so that the attack should not be weakened. He tackled splendidly and drove back the invading Celts with some well-judged kicking to his wing wingforwards. Christie was a stumbling block in the Celtic path at centre, and opened up the gam© well for -iiis own forwards, while Fyvie kept the right wing opposite him in check. Ratty was as safe as ever in goal, but Spencer was too well shepherded by Grant to be as dangerous as usual, though he fed his wings well. Spong showed a welcome recovery of form, but Mill was the shining star in the Trams’ van, his neat dribbling along the line and strong finishing shots being mostly responsible for Trams’ victory. CELTS’ GALLANT SHOWING The Celts were by no means three

Skills interior on the run of the plav, and but for missing some easy openings for scoring in the pointless first spell, the story might have been different. Hall again put up a splendid performance in goal, and Peter Kav improves with every game at fullback, but Mooney found Mill a slipperv handful to check. Grant flayed a masterly game at centre-half, and did not suffer by comparison with Christie, but his forwards failed to take full advantage of the many good openings he created for them. Celtic’s weakness lay in the weak finishing power of the front line. Time after time Gavan broke away and ran through brilliantly, only to fail at the critical moment when it came to shooting or crossing. The brothers Hunter wen? the best of the front rank, but were not provided with many scoring chances by their wings. Mr. Campbell had the game well in hand until the middle of the second half, when two very dubious penalties for hands evoked hostile criticism. CORINTHIANS* SUCCESS In spite of a sevet-e handicap, due to the absence of Hilton. Innes and Harvey, Corinthians showed excellent form in the game with Manurewa at Devonport. There was quite a happy understanding between forwards a rC halfbacks, which was disastrous to rr disorganised Manurewa team. in fact, it was not until the second spell that Manurewa indulged in anything like combined tactics, with the result that Corinthians had a strong lead which, despite all their efforts, the Manurewa forwards could not reduce Lyons, in goal for Corinthians, played like a man possessed in the second spell. Under fire for a great part of that spell, lie brought off some brilliant saves that were well nigli impossible. L. Williamson, of Manurewa. shot repeatedly at goal, but Lyons’s charge was invincible. In the first spell, when Corinthian? were definitely on the aggressive. Woods, at outside left. engineered some very pretty attaeks. G. Anderson, the Manurewa custodian, was not so safe under pressure as was Lyon? at the other end. but. nevertheless, he averted further arrears for Manures* a number of times. It is rather peculiar to note that although near the end Manurewa wa? pressing desperately in its efforts to score, and. in fact, had the Corinthians bottled up in the goal-mouth no goal was forthcoming, but in o rare Corinthian burst, just on time Ansteed got away to score yet a«rai , ‘ for the “Lily Whites.” THISTLE BACK TO FORM Not too solt owing to recent rain the Oneliunga ground was in good condition for play on Saturday. But ir. spite of this, the match in its earliei stages was nothing to grow excited over. True, the Thistle forwards were combining well at times, but the players lacked spirit and dash. Later on. however, especially in the second half, the play livened up and there were a number of thrillins episodes, tfie most thrilling, perhaps being the surprise goal scored by Clarke for Onehunga immediately after the recommencement of the second half. This goal, the result of a sound strategic movement, heartened the Onehunga players, and had it been followed up there would still have beer time to reverse the ultimate decision But, taking the game as it was, and not as it may have been. Thistle outplayed Onehunga, especially forward and in the half line. The Onehunga forwards have not v’et learnt the value of combination; and, indeed, the whole team is like an army without a commander. The individual units, in thl? case the players, can and do work well, but there is no one who can keep them together to make each man realise hi? dependence upon the rest of the team—to make each player work as though he were merely one part of a machine. The best player was Clarke, the centreforward, but he received little support except rrom Whimster, who himself played well at times, although his shooting was not very good. Zuill was unlucky in not being able to play owing to a twisted ankle, but May*, who kept goal instead, played a sound game and Onehunga’s defeat was not his fault. The Thistle side played well, although it was not showing the standard it has reached in recent year** In the forward line Hislop possible played the best game, controlling the ball in fine style and often feeding the wings. of whom Gumming. on the right, was the best The two backs proved stout defenders. while Gerrard was responsible for some good saves. A remark may be made regarding the referee who a times was over-strict in awarding free kicks when in some cases there was no intended offence on the part or the player at all. Strict judgment such as this acts as a damper on the men * spirits and should not he looked upon with favour. SENIOR B MATCHES The senior B games provided soio* good struggles, and at the Boo* ground Philomel retained its unbeaten record after a stubborn resistance by Rangers, winning by 3—l at the finish The local Derby on the Devonpon Domain drew a good crowd, but Shore proved too strong for its _ Belracm neighbours, and ran out winners 3 goals to 0. Playing at home Nev: Lynn-Bon Accord won in a fashion by 7 to 0 over Xorthcote. at* Tamaki surprised Metro- College b? * 4 to 1 decision. The bottom rankers. Newmarket and Technical Old Boysenjoyed a ding-dong go which endec in a draw of two goals each.