REPRESENTATIVE SOCCER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 218, 15 September 1930, Page 12

REPRESENTATIVE SOCCER.

SOUTH AUCKLAND VISIT. EASY WIN FOB AUCKLAND. EXPERIMENTS IN LOCAL j ELEVEN. I - / > j RIVAL Y.M.C.A.'S LIVELY BOUT.' j The first visit of the- South Auckland representatives for two seasons past was productive of a somewhat disappointing game, when they opposed the local eleven on Blandford Park on Saturday and were defeated by a margin of four goals. The curtain-raiser between Hamilton and Auckland Y.M.C.A. teams was a much snore spirited game and ended in a narrow victory for the Auckland eleven by the odd goal in three. It was Y.M.C.A. day at the Park and games between institution clubs from 10 a.m. till three o'clock were arranged,, but the weather prevented the programme being carried out'in its entirety, only,two of the five games being playeijl. . .Through an arrangement with the A.^,A, it was. agreed that the financial proceeds of the occasion be divided between the two bodies. iWhile the weather ;was' ideal the playing conditions were difficult and the visitors especially seemed to find footwork hard. . NEVER IN DOUBTEven with the experimental team he fielded, Mr. Nee Sham found that his selection was altogether too strong for the opposition. As an experiment the game was only partly successful, for the opposition of the Waikato eleven was hardly such as to seriously test the home combination. The .team, of course, was far from the standard of the Auckland side f<>r the past five years. That was hut natural for, as a combination, ithe side had not appeared together before. Gerrard did not play with the confidence of his club games. His clearances were often fumbled .clear-cut, clean field-: ing that usually characterises, his play was absent. Johnston^'too,'was -below club' ®tandar<L He was -repeatedly relieved by ißeid, whose judgment .and . anticipation were often emphasised by clever find, sure clearances. Morrison wis' not on his usual game, and seemed- -to- find no time or opportunity for. his.customary constructive play. Chapman, at centre-half, had a big task to deputise for Christie. He did not discredit himself nor--his "club, and iplayed a steady game throughout. Jones was safe and resourceful throughout in attack and defence. Of the forwards, the anost successful experiments-were those of McMillan, with Kay, on the left wing, and ithe play of McLeay, at centre-forward. McMillan gay e Vthe -left- wing flyer many nice openings, < and McLeay;- besides constituting an ever-pvesfcht'danger to the opposition by his da'&hlng, play, ,vf ed ihis wings with fine judgment;'/^Vllllttni£' , dld not seem to strike up a, £orabination.iwith lnnes, and was probably, the least impressive of the forwards. -He 'certainly "'was in strange company with? Morrison a,nd- the Ponsonby outside-rlghr,fwho"WaS" in- sprightly form, but his ptey,'left;a good deal to be desired. ' ?■'' * 7 '■ f. ,' r. The visitors: did .'riot play as a combined iforce, and'team-work was never itt'evidence. But for some of the: saves of Hunter, in goal, the tally would have. been much greater. Dodds and Bnglish, at back, may have found ths ground troublesome, - as would their teamyJnAtes. At least there was a deal of piskleking. Their tackling, however, . was dogged and upsetting. The half-bach line -wag. more conspicuous with breaking up than ijvith. cohesive effort, and' their position play was not always indicative of the,flier points of the game. The iforwards were never allowed to settle down; Black and Batq, oh the right, had an understanding Of "each other's play, but they did not appear' to he able to carry this quality further.along the line. Johnston, in centre, hid: any amount of hustle and energy, but £dund the conditions against ball accuracy. - Deakin,. and Adams, on the left, seemed to realise that ithe craft and. combined play ! of Heid and Jones were altogether too-much for them.. The South Aucklanders'had. also something in .the nature" bf an' experimental team, but the side did not give anything like the display gome of its predecessors have.. The game was very, .patchy and seldom,, if ever, exciting. >-

THE CURTAIN RAISERS. The fourth 'grade game between Metro-/ College and ST.M. was a lively, clash which, even on the unfavourable ground conditions, revealed some promising colts. Metro, (however, were much -the superior side in all departments, and. fully deserved Cheir three-goal victory. The best game of the afternoon was the nieettag of the Hamilton and Auckland V.M.- elevens. Throughout there was no .pronounced difference between the teams. Both elevens had been drawn upon for the respective rep: -teams to me extent of two players, and it is possible that the local eleven suffered ,a greater handicap than did itheir opponents. At any rate, the Waikato team more than held their own on the day's play..; They showed much better Ibalance than did the local champions, whose team certainly could have been placed to better advantage. The movement® of the Hamilton -side were' I much more crisp and clear-cut than the general -play of the local men, bu't there was a weakness in front of goal that set off their outfield play. So far as the Auckland side was concerned, Hilliard saved them with several brulianv elearanefs. Mowat appears to be suffering from end-of-season staleness, for he was not nearly so enterprising and energetic in Ills game as he has -been. McGladdery got through a great deal of work and covered •up o'j many occasions, but he has a very questionable method o£ tackling that may not always be. permitted. The half-back line of Y.M. was the weakest part of the team. Thornes, from a lower grade, was badly placed in being given the pivotal position, and the team seemed to .lack backbone. The youngster played with commendable energy, and was always a trier,, but found the position too much for him. Malcolm .was .outstanding, „ without doubt, the .best half-back afield. Riddols obliged toy. turning out for , the day to fill the left-half position, and kept close to his ■ opponents throughout the. game. The forwards had to do a good deal, of foraging for the ball. Chalmers was most conspicuous and adopted progressive .Many of his crosses went abeggmg. . Clanachan did not appear to Infuse the same vim into the game as he does when there, is anytliing at stake, but Humphreys was.ever vigilant for openings, and 'kept the ball always s™:'Skills. Jay worked quietly, though effectively, and Otter seemed -to enjoy the novelty of the position, at outside-left, and later at centre. His methods, however, did not make- for cohesion and combined effort. 3T.M. certainly seemed to relax in their play, and were no't like a team, of champions. They were fortunate to finish with the score in their favour. ■ Of the visitors, 'Eyre, in goal, brought off many smart saves. Heeney and Deacon were a lusty and capable pair of backs, and tho middle line was composed of a trio of spoilers who gave their opponents little scope to settle down, and none to indulge in finesse. The forwards were go-ahead, and Neil, at inside-right, had many clever touches. With J. Crabb, he made an enterprising wing, and . Phillips made up in bustle what ho lacked in the finer points of the game at centre-forward. Ransom and Williams, on*the left, could not be treated too lightly, and brought off several nice movements. Altogether the impression ■ that the visitors created was distinctly favourable, though their performance was far below what some people professed to expect. GRADE GAMES. 1 * SENIOR B GRADE. Rangers 5, beat Newmarket 0. FOURTH GRADE. Western United 5, beat Comrades 80. Metro College 3, beat Y.M.C.A. 0. FIFTH GRADE. Belmont 1, beat Onehunga 0. Carlton 4, beat St. John's 0. ... Metro College 2, beat Comrades A 0. SIXTH GRADE. . Carlton A 8, beat Comrades B 0. North Shore 5, beat Belmont A 1. SEVENTH GRADE. (Knockout Competition.) Belmont A G; beat Carlton 0. Comrades A 3, beat Belmont B 0.

• SOCCER AT HOME. RESULT OF RECENT MATCHES.. Matches played in England and Scotland on- the last day of August resulted as follow • • ENGLAND. ' First League. Birmingham . . . 3 Sheffield U. . .'■ 1 ■Blackpool- ... 1 Arsenal . . . . 4 ..Bolton; W. ■•. ... 3 Middlesbro' . . . 0 Grimsby Town . 0 Chelsea . . . . 1 Leeds United ■; . 2 Portsmouth . 2 " Leicester City ".1 Derby County ' . 1 Liverpool .... 2 Blackburn R. . . 1 Manchester U. . 3 Aston Villa . . 4 Wednesday . .• V 2 ; Newcastle U. . . 1 Sunderland . . . 3 Manchester C. t- 3 West Ham U. . . 2 Huddersfield ... 1 • Second League, ■ - Bradford City .. . 3 . Chariton A . . g 2 Burnley .... 0 Bury ....... 2 Millwall 1 ATv » 1- Stoke City .. , 3 Notts Forest . . 3 Wolverhampton . 4 Oldham A . .". 2 Bradford .... 0 Plymouth A . . 2 Everton .... 3 Portvale .... 5 Barnsley ...» 2 .Preston N. End 5 Southampton . . 0 Swansea T ... . 3. Cardiff. City •j i 2 Tottenham ... 7 Reading . . . . 1 West Brom. A. . 2 Bristol City . . 0 Third "League (Southern Division.) Bristol ROv'ers . i .Northampton . . 4 Coventry City . .1' Notts County . . 2 Exeter City ... 1 • Norwich City . . 0 Fulham .3 Watford .... 2 ; Gillingham ... 0 ■ Brighton Albion . 0 Luton Town . .1 Brentford ... 1 Newport County 2 Torquay United 1 Rangers (Lond.) 3 Thames A 0 Southend U. . . 2 ■ Crystal Palace . 4 Swindon T. . . . 4 Roscombe U. . 0 Walsall ...... 4 Clapton Orient . 2 •Third' League (Northern Division). Accrington . 3 Crewe Athletic , 1 Barrow 1 Tranmere Rovers 3 Chesterfield ... 2 Carlisle United . 1 Darlington ... 2 Wiganboro .... 3 Gateshead .... 2 Doncaster Rovers 1 Halifax Town . . 3 Hartlepool ... 1 New Brighton . . 2 Lincoln City . . 1 Kochdale .... 5 Nelson . .... 4 Rotherham , . . 2 York City ... 1 Southport .... 1 Wrexham .... 1 Stockport C . . » 3 Hull City . . . ■ 2 SCOTLAND. . , First Division. Aberdeen ~, 2 Airdrieonians, . 0 Clvde . . . . . 5 Cowdenbeath .., 2 East-Fife . . 2 Celtic ..... » 6 Falkirk . . . > • 2 Partick Thistle . 4 Hamilton A ,~3 Ayr United . . ... 1 • Hibernians ... 0 Leith Athletic . 1 Kilmarnock ... 0 Hearts 1 Morton. .- '. . . . 2 Dundee . . ... 1 Queen's .Park ... 4 St. Mirren * 1 Rangers:.~ . . 1 Motherwell .» . 1 ■ , Second Division. . Albion Rovers . . 3 East Stirling . . 1 Arbroath A . ..» 1 Stenhousemuir . 0 Boness ...... 6 Clydebank . . . 3 Brechin City ... 2 Third Lanark . . 2 Dumbarton ... 3 St. Johnstone . . Dundee .United . 4 Montrose ..... 1 Dunfermline . . 3 Raith Rovers . . 1 King's Park . .' 1 Alloa Athletic . 1 Queen of.Sputh . 3 Armadale . . . 2 St. Bernards . . 0 Forfar' United » 2 GAMES IN PROVINCE. HAMILTON. Wanderers 5, beat Renown 3. GAMES IN SOUTH. PALMERSTON NORTH. St. Andrew's .7, heat Athletic 0. • . CHRISTCHURCH. •' - j Western -6, beat Sumner 1. '' Brighton 4^bfeat Kalapoi. 2. Nomads 3, beat St; Albans l. ; ; . . ; - ' , DUNEDIN. Maori Hill : 7, "beat High School Old Boys 0. . *.%) ; ** , ... Technical Old Boys 1, drew with Northern I-' ' *y '.