SOCCER DIES HARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 251, 23 October 1928, Page 16

SOCCER DIES HARD.

GRUELLING FINALE.

TRIUMPH FOR TRAMWAYS

PONSONBYS GALLANT STRUGfGLE.

. T&e Soccer season made a lusty departure last Saturday witli tlie final of the Falcon Cup, when the meeting of Ponsonby and Tramways provided one of Ihe most lively and thrilling games seen for some time. The victory to the corporation side proved popular, though on the run of the play Ponsonby had justification for complaint at'the abuses of fortune. Tramways, however, deserve the greatest credit for winning the dual honoUrs for the season, the senior championship and the Falcon Cup, in view of the troubles they have passed through during the season owing to accidents to players. At one stage of the proceedings the management of the cteam were compelled to "call on the services of players outside of the "service" arid made the .specific promise not ito- take the players of any other club to. help, them out of - their extremity. It was theif, probably for the lirst time in the history of the: club,' that any but a corporation employee lias donned the colours. While it was regrettable that Christie, who has given the Trams invaluable support, uould not be in the ■team in the final struggle for the season, Trams can say that they won the cup with a purely corporation eleven, ■for every player who wore the green and black on Saturday is on the pay /roll of the corporation tramway department; albeit' 110 one will wish to deny that the play of Christie had more than a little to do with the team reaching the final.

Ponsonby had to turn out minus some of their usual players, and again the veteran E. V. Roberts was commissioned at the last moment to fill a vacancy, which he did with credit to himself and his team. But the pace told on many iof the players, for the game throughout was one long, dour, determined struggle for supremacy, and towards the close tlie Ponies'came very near running their opponents off their feet, but the Trams' defence held grimly to their task.

From the kick-off Tramways showed .fine team work, and by the understanding between the players they were, more or less, all over their -opponents and really deserved the lead they compiled as the game progressed. With the reconstruction of Ponsonby in the second .spell, however, and the consistent rush tactics of the city players, the opposing defence wavered and the three-goal lend was' soon reduced to one point. Then a battle royal set in and was waged with ifnrclcnting vigour to the very last. With the final kick of the game Ponsonby might have drawn,level, but then a goalkeeper had to be beaten, and that goalkeeper was Batty.'On top of this the Ponies missed two penalties, so that, on the day, they earned quite a deal of sympathy for hard luck. While they adopted a refreshing game of long passing and bustling, vigorous, shock tactics, Trams were more studied in their play, and during the contest there were .many interesting and spectacular passages. At limes exchanges became just a little on the vigorous side, and at that critical momcijt Referee Kyle- showed discretion and tact in the control of the game.

For the winners latty was a savingfactor.. He was at the toj> of his form and repeatedly saved when all seemed lost. Of.the backs Simpson was the better. Sti'eUon was much too dangerous by his rashness, especially in the dreaded area. Fyftie was best of the .half-backs. McElligott came to light after a long absence and gave a good 'account of himself. A strong, consistent -ani never-say-die performance was that of Porteous at left half. In th'! vanguard .Spong and Hopkins, on ■the two extreme wings, excelled themselves and' showed the* best form they have done this season. Tinkler and Davis were very attentive to theirjpartJiers/ and made openings innumerable, while Spencer was a source o£ everlasting worry to the Ponies' defence by his bustling tactics. The team worked smoothly" in combined effort and all played well. Ponsonby had not the degree of team worle that" their victors showed and in fact played a*completely different game. They showed to advantage in long passing raids, but their finishing was feeble on many occasions. The missing of two peijalties by Bob Inncs is quite unaccduntiibfe. Watts brought off several clever saves, and Williams and Roberts worked hard arid willingly at backshone- to advantage in the iuiddle line, but there was no more strenuous worker in the field than Miles, who throughout was ahvay s in the thick of the game. llcCosh in thi -earlier part ,of the game was 'hard to beat. Of the forwards Innes, Stewart and E. Williams" Were mo3t-dn view, but Gavan, when at inside right, was also a useful member, but Wilson has been seen in better form. - . "And so the curtain fell on a. disastrous season for the code. It. can only, be hoped that when it again rises it. will ,be to reveal a strengthened, unified and more vigorous organisation, with a -future correspondingly bright anid prosperous.