HARBOUR BOARD V. V.M.C.A.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 170, 19 July 1924, Page 3 (Supplement)

HARBOUR BOARD V. V.M.C.A.

This match, to decide Ihe championship ut lire senior grade, \. as p.ayuu on >". I -round al tbe Uoiuaia, nei.. cci. the leanerol tuc A and ii uivisiwi*. There was a very good auenuan.e 01 s lociai.."-, wiulsi lb. Port ot Auckland Brass Band was present, and rcuae.nU scicc.ii.ns ut inter.ai«, winch were much appreciated. Before ihe uiatcu, preliixiiiiary urruuiseui-iil- were made whereby, iv Lhc ohiii oi a draw, a lurUier spell would be played to (lcc.ae tne Cbatuam tup rup.ese-.iuli\-«. whilst mc game io ilei ide the t-uuiuplunvhlp of iuu Leaguu would ne piaycu vi a lumru dine. _.iier the usual wiium-r, lue ground was in a very bad con.num. pools or water being on ihe surface, accompanied witu a goou ui-e-Mug ot mp uiuu. 'lv- icaui= turned out as auveiiised, and were as lol'"llarbour Board.—Batty, Mitchell, Brittaiu, Ben. -oi-nr-1.. Junes, locaer, luiuier, jaargisi.n 1-lgglus, lleuwhaw. V M C A.—Lucas, Woods, Marshall. Carey, Mci-1.-n. Lucas, hdge, Clauacuau, Coltuiau, l'llliin, ■ Miller. V \I II.A. won the toss, and Margison set the ball rolluig for UariHrur tio.rrU, who at once pi'c.-e.i by tin: n_ut win;., when Tucker just scut uut-idc. Continuing to tune the pace, l'_l-ier was very near lv .scoring, bit Batty cleared. Harbour Board were very quick on ihe ball, and forced a comer, which Was eventually cleared. In tbe Urst tew minutes V.-1.1..A. were kepi on the defensive, tbe Hoard lorwards sending the ball across from wiug to wing. I.M.C.A. broke away, but Woods' liulsiiing shot was weak, ami mc ball Just went behind. Continuing to press, V.M.C.A. got well wl-Uin .shouting uistauce. but offs.-- against J. Lucas reUeved tbe pressure. Clever play ny -o<-er on the rignt wing resulted vi a fruitless corner. After nrtee-i minutes' play. Harbour Board were auacKlng, aim a melee ensued round tbe V.M.C.A. goal, which was cleared. Tbe bull came out to Jones, who sent in a long shot, which just went In tbe corner of the uprights, and opened the Board's score. Enlivened by their success, tbe Hoard's forwards continued tne attack, and quickly forced two corners :u quick succession, but nothing came of them. V.M.C.A., who were piaylng ' against the sun. could not. get going, and were kept mainly on the defensive. Harbour Board made a lot of excursions via the right wing, and their shoot ing was well on tbe target, a good effort by Palmer just going outside. Tbe game at this period was full of exciting exchanges, and a goorl tussle for possession between Bell and .1. Lucas was keenly nppreciat. .1Tinker got away on tbe right wtng, and. passing back to Bell, tbe right half added the second goal for Harbour Board. V free kick close in against Mitchell looked dangerous, and although the free kick w.iwt'll placed, the forwards were slow in opening up a position, and tbe lines wore cleared. V.M.C.A. attacked, and I'i'ktn. who was well up. placed a long shot well in the goal mouth, which Batty dm well to get away. Harbour Board's attack was playing with good combination, and ia«wtngs were kept well fed: but the general conditions, although equul for both sides, were against trie ky play. Harbour Hoard, perchance with tiieir association Willi ihe waterfront, were more at Dome on the slippery ground. Toward, the interval | V.M.C.A. showed up to better advantage, and with more accurate shooting, and n little more ecort, would have commenced to score, but tbe Harbour Board's middle line were always in the picture, and Kept their opponents' front rank well tnarueil. A free kick for a foul throw was .veil placed by Pitkin, and Brit tain cuncciied a corner to clear. Tile ensuing kick was placed behind, and spoilt, which otherwise would have been a good effort. At the other end. Barbour Board got away, and Palmer, securing the leal her. made a nolo run, and, tricking the defence. _av«' Miller no chance with the third gout. Harbour Board were continuing to press when the whistle sounded for half-time, with Ihe score :— Harbour Board 3 V.M.C.A I) Marshall opened proceedings in the second half. but Palmer immediately gained possesion and got away on the right wing. A good effort by Bell was saved by Miller, who was immediately called upon to punch away from Margison. The opening exchanges of the second half were fairly even, although the Young Men's defence had the more work to do. Miller was playing a good game in goal, and was clearing well. The Board's forwards were swinging the hall about in good style, and despite the ground conditions the game was full of interest. After ten mluutes' play Harbour Board were attacking and gave the V.M.C.A. defence a lot of work. A combined movement, culminating in a perfect centre by Tocker, was badly missed by Pigpens, but Margison, securing, added a further goal. 4—o. V.M.C.A. got away, but the hall was immediately returned to the Young Men's lines, and a corner forced, but this was eventually cleared. Keeping up Ihe attack, Harbour Board looked like adding a further Bi.al, but Palmer's shot just went outside. The Board's forwards were playing a great game, their right wing being particularly irood. McMiken got away on the wing and his shot at goal brought Batty to iris knees to save, where two V.M.C.A. forwards rushed in. but the goalkeeper kept his line intact. Play continued for a time in midlleld, v hen Harbour Board broke away and Miller showed good play in snving from Palmer. A corner quickly followed, but was badly placed. V.M.C.A. got away and when receiving a pass Cavey niiskicked, and allowed Jones to clear. A nice pass from Marshall to the right wing was taken down the line by McMiken, and bis shot just went outside. V.M.C.A. were awarded a corner, which was well placed and cleared. Play travelled to lire other end, when Miller left his goal to save and two shots in quick succession were fortunately saved by Pitkin. I.M.C.A. forwards were reiving too much on individual play instead of adopting the Board's policy of swinging Ihe ball across. Itepeatedly I heir forwards were presented with opportunities of getting within shooting dislance, but permitted the Board's defence to nip in and clear. Ten minutes before time Margison got away, and alter tricking the defence passed out to Tocker, and the outside right sewed. o—o.0 —0. Y.M.f'.-i. now made their best effort. A good run by the right wing enabled McMiken to have a shot at goal. Tiie effort was true, and Batty fumbled witli the hall; Mitchell slipped into the goal mouth and did well in conceding n corner to save the goal. The resultant kick was cleared, and two corners in quick succession came to Harbour Board, the second one being off Miller, who did well in putting the ball over the cross bar from a closo-in attempt by Margison. In the second half Harbour Board had the better share of the game, and in ull departments were, superior to V.M.C.A., although Miller in goal was given a 10l of work and acquitted himself well. V.M.C.A. once more broke away, and Marshall should have attempted a shot nt. goal, but passed to the inside right, who just sent outside. Play was quickly transferred to the other end, and Henshaw sent across a good cpnrre. but although the boll wae netted the seal was disallowed,

the player being obviously offside. Immediately after th. final whistle sounded with the score : Harbour Board f> V.M.C.A 0 The officials for the day were. Referee, 1,. «'. H. Dawson, and .Messrs. F. Marsh and R. Tillson were linesmen. I