ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 June 1938, Page 9

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

MATCHES IN MASTERTON By “Centre-Half” The Park Oval was in excellent condition for football yesterday when the local Association representatives met two teams from Wellington.

The first game was between the Wellington Institute Boys’ team and a Wairarapa Primary schools team. This was a very good game indeed, the foot--ball being of a high standard, and it is very encouraging for the local executive to see that there is still some Association football talent amongst the boys. The Wairarapa team were the superior in every way, and although Wellington were perhaps not quite so robust, they did not have the combination the local lads had. There was the usual pushing which will occur amongst boys, and the referee was perhaps a little too lenient. The game was played in a true sporting spirit, the result being Wairarapa 6, Wellington 2.

The senior game was between the Wellington Institute Old Boys, and a Wairarapa team. The visitors were a very good side, and played football as it should be played From the kickoff they were down in Wairarapa territory, and forced a corner. Play centred then in midfield, but Wellington pressed, and Dixon, the local custodian, was tested time and again, but was very safe. The first goal came after 20 minutes’ play by a beautiful long range shot from the visitors’ outside left. Shortly after Rogers, Institute centre forward, got away with the ball, and had a clear goal to score the second. The visitors were now putting the pace on, and giving the local defence a lot of work, but there appeared to be too many Wairarapa defending. Very often their forwards were playing amongst the backs, consequently when the ball was cleared, as it was sometimes, there was no forward to take the ball on. The next goal came from King, outside right for Wellington, who shot a beautiful goal. It was not a hard kick, just a first-class drop, which would have beaten most goalkeepers. Just before the half-time whistle Institute scored again, and at the interval the figures were Wellington 5, Wairarapa 0. From the restart, Wairarapa tried hard to pull the game out of the fire, and aftei - a big scramble in front of goal, the ball got pushed through giving the score Wellington 5, Wairarapa 1. The visitors now had it all their own way, and although Dixon, the local goal, saved time and again, the game ended with the total of Wellington Institute 7, Wairarapa 1.