Y.M.’s Soccer Triumph

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 993, 9 June 1930, Page 6

Y.M.’s Soccer Triumph

TRAMWAYS OVERWHELMED A Convincing Victory THE first round in the Soccer championship finds Y.M.C.A. on top •with a clear lead of three points and still undefeated. By a marked improvement in all departments the Y.M. ran all over Trams on Saturday, and after a lively tussle won handsomely by five goals to two. although a goal down soon after the start. Thistle fell away again when Manurewa notched its second win of the season by the odd goal in five. Ponsonby made no mistake with Corinthians at Devonport, winning comfortably by five goals to two, and Celtic recovered form in defeating Onehunga at home. 5—3.

Although on the soft side the Blandford Stadium was free from mud and in good order for fast play on Saturday. The best crowd of the season rolled up in anticipation of a dour struggle for the lead, and was not disappointed. THISTLE’S SCRATCHY SHOWING Aftc its good performance against Y.M.C.A. the previous Saturday Thistle was expected to show a mastery over Manurewa at their first meeting for the season, and when Hislop cut through soon after the start to present McLeay with a god scoring opening everything pointed to a win for the Scots. But ’Rewa had gained confidence by taking two points off Ponies the previous week, and started to show some of the bustling style which won it the Dacre Cup and promotion last season. The Thistle attack was well held by the veteran Corbett in the centre, and he opened up play in a masterly style to develop strong offensives, with Lees leading the ’Rewa van in his usual hustling fashion. A long pass to H. Donaldson on the right wing saw him outpace the opposition to drive a strong curly one from the line which beat Gerrard in its flight and evened the score. Just before the interval Corbett dropped a lob into Thistle’s eighteen, where a scramble in the goal area saw Lees battle his way over the line and gain the lead. THISTLE STRUGGLES HARD Thistle put up a hard struggle in the second spell to equalise matters, but found Corbett a stumbling block in the path, while Ross put up a sound defence to keep Gumming quiet at outside right. Another determined rush by the 'Rewa forwards saw the defence of the Scots crumple again, Lees clearing the way to present Williamson with a sitter, and ’Rewa was two up. Thistle battled hard to pull up. but it was not till close on time that McLeay got an opening and found the cross-bar. Luckily he regained on the rebound and made no mistake at the second attempt, leaving Manurewa Vleserving winners by the odd goal in five. Lees, Donaldson and Williamson were conspicuous in the winner's offensives, while Corbettt was an admirable pivot at centre-half and Ross defended robustly in the ’Rewa rearguard. The Th*«t’e ’ . fe« were a bit shaky against th- : tiock tactics, and Wright was c.i his r utice at centre. Cumniing was too well watched to be dangerous, and McLeay was the pick of the Thistle front rank. A CHAMPIONSHIP THRILL There was a simmer of excitement when the two contenders for the lead in the championship tiled out, and it was seen that the Y.M. eleven was unchanged, while Trams were at full strength, except that “Taffy” Lewis had replaced Evan Williams at insideleft to Mill. Percy Humphreys had been reinstated in command of the Young Men, whose attractive colours had been further brightened by black, red and gold-striped stockings. The favours of the big crowd were about evenly divided at the start, and Y.M.’s meritorious win was loudly cheered at the finish. THE CRITICS SILENCED The clear-cut victory of Young Men, the emphatic superiority in all phases j of the play, was certainly a convincing | answer to the critics who considered I the “Y’s” unbeaten record this season a run of luck, and largely a one-man performance. It is true that Kay has been a great factor in Y.M.’s firing line —he is in any team —and has beaten Wellington off his own toe, but the others have played their part, and the manner in which the Trams’ van was held up by the Y.M. defenders on Saturday and robbed of all its thrust was a surprise to the crowd. If the Young Men can improve at all on Saturday’s form, or even maintain it, the championship aurels would appear to be at their mercy, and the Chatham Cup may still remain in Auckland. TRAMS’ EARLY START After Y.M. had missed two good openings Tn the early exchanges through fluffed clearances by McElligott, the Trams broke through on the left, and a nice cross at the finish found Bell in position to ring the bell for the first score. But the Trams’ transports of delight had scarcely died down when a clever combined run between Jay and Chalmers on Y.M.’s right saw Chalmers pop over a high lob, which caught Batty unprepared, and curled into the top corner of the net. From this on the Y.M.' never looked back, and Trams never looked like winning. Another right flank attack found Chalmers brought up by very dubious tackling, and the victim placed the free kick perfectly to Humphreys’s head, for the captain to butt it past Batty. MORE DOUBTFUL TACTICS Trams were clearly getting rattled by the vigour, skill, and persistence of the Y.M. thrust, and foolishly resorted to questionable tackling in trying to halt the lively vanguard. A free against Tinkler.was dropped right on Batty’s doorstep by Otter, and in the ensuing tussle the ball trickled over the line. Before the interval another bewildering rush by Trams say Humphreys set for a score when stopped by a distinctly unorthodox charge by Simpson, and Kav gave Batty no hope when he drove the penalty kick clean through the rigging, * .M. changing over with the comforting advantage of four goals to one. TRAMS ATTEMPT A RECOVERY k or il time play was more even on the restart, but the Tram attack was held up in good style by Otter. Mowat and Chapman, and rarely did the ball reach the Y.M.’s danger zone. At the other end the Inside, Young missed some great openings through ’lack'of anri Ct H°“ a 2 d force in shooting. Kav and Humphreys both tested Battv bri'lliamh. SerS j . but the &oalie saved awiv Mm' ? n< ? 1I ? a retaliatory breakf ,\ y . looked dangerous for once tuekle < *and U « ed UP by an irregular ch in he l Spe " cer reduced the defialty shot cond attempt at the peni lay was now becoming even more * u, try. and there were signs of keen feeling flying about, but Mr. Purfitt kept a firm grip on a hard same, and

allowed no undue liberties. The final goal came when Kay put the tap on Y.M.’s performance by taking a from Chapman near halfway it top speed, and after brilliantly hurdling the tackles of Tinkler and Bell he crashed a typical piledriver past Batty to the net. Both teams were played right out when time was called, with Y.M. five goals to Trams’ two. THE TRIUMPH OF YOUTH The surprising features of the game were the marked improvement in the Y.M. defence, and the collapse of the transporters’ firing-line. On the day neither the Trams’ backs nor forwards could do anything right. The Tram front line was poorly fed, and soon dispossessed when the hall did reach it. and the defence was so intensely bustled that it had no time for deliberate action. The Y.M. forwards showed the best form yet seen. Jay combining well with Chalmers, and Whaley played more in position, but both insides lack driving power and direction when goal openings arise. Humphreys led his men splendidly, and was at the top of his form, while Kay and Chalmers were as speedr and elusive as ever on the line. Chapman overshadowed Christie by his nippiness in the centre, and the wing halves showed a much better conception of their functions both in defence and attack, while Mowat and Otter were usually safe in the last line of defence. The poor showing of Trams was extremely unaccountable, and the form was too bad to be true! The foolishness of resorting to desperate measures under such high pressure as Y.M. applied was shown by three goals coming from infringements. Batty was baffled in the first spell, but recovered form in the second, to save cleverly from all save Kay's solo stunt, but none of the other Trammies played up to form, and Y.M.’s victory was entirely convinc- t ing. CORINTHIANS PENNED The result of Saturday’s game gives a good indication of the trend of play, l’unsonby was evidently determined not to be taken by surprise for a second time at Devonport and right from the kick-off the Corinthians were penned hard in tlieir own half. Lyons excelled himself in the flirt half, repeatedly saving shots made tricky by the fickle wind, but his efforts were unavailing against the well nigh impossible scoring shots oi the next half. Corinthians lifted the pressure later in the first spell and attempted a number of flank attacks, but there was no well established connection between the outside men and the centre. COMBINATION FAILS In fact there was a noticeable lack of co-ordination on both sides. No doubt the slippery surface accounted for the poor judgment evinced and led to tlie development of mere rush and bustle tactics. At all events, the little bits of combined play that were indulged in shone out brightly from a rather uneventful background. Innes, at left half for Ponsonby, was not his usual success. The outside right berth seems to suit him better, yet he put in some useful work in the half line. Ballach also was not so prominent as usual, though as a general rule the httle men are in their element on tricky surfaces. In the Corinthian forward lins Jones. Austeed and Wood stood out.