AUCKLAND'S STILL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 142, 18 June 1934, Page 16

AUCKLAND'S STILL.

SOCCER PREMIERSHIP. OTAGO CHALLENGE WITHSTOOD. ODD GOAL WIN IN STEEXUOUS GAME. Having held the F.A. Trophy, the symbol of supremacy in the Soccer world of Now Zealand from 1020 till 1931, and having lost it to Wellington in that year to win it back again in 1933 from Otago, the Auckland representatives on Saturday withstood their first challenge since again becoming champions, their opponents being Otago. The Southerners, on their former visit to Auckland in iO2(i, attracted the record crowd to Blandford Park for a representative game, and on Saturday their drawing power was again proved, when there was a crowd of several thousand. The weather was ideal and little fault could be found with the condition oi the turf. The game was one of the most strenuous fought out between the two associations. Only lor a short time at the end of the first half was there any slowing down of the pace, but even then there were incidents aplenty to keep the spectators on the qui vive. Play swung from end to end rapidly and there were no spells of lengthy siege of either goal, the game being very evenly contested throughout. In the first spell Ota«o showed much better team work than the Auckland side did, and the visitors should not have been two goals behind on their merits at the change over. In the second spell, however, Auckland improved and had more of the play, but did not si-ore again, while the Southerners opened their account but could not draw level. Nevertheless, a draw would have been a fair result. Little Spectacular Football. Although the game was a gruelling one throughout, it cannot be said to have been outstanding from the point of view ot spectacular football, those studied, cohesive movements with inherent understanding between different departments ot the teams—a standard attained in interprovincial Soccer games in the past. Compared with the finished football that characterised these matches but a few years ago, when the trophy was inaugurated, the game on Saturday was not in .the same category. ]t may be that that change in Soccer that is so apparent in Auckland at the present time is becoming general throughout New Zealand, if the' display of" "Otago is to be taken as a criterion. .Soccer seems to be passing through a transition stage from the studied tactics and strategy that call for so much finished artistry and footwork, to what may be termed the New Zealand class of Soccer, which has eliminated the finish and finesse, ' for the faster movement, with nothing spectacular and relying on vigour and robustness for its main appeal. Displays of artistic Soccer such as were served up by the Neesham teams of only five years ago, seem now. to belong to a past era. Most of our club teams play a rush and bustle style, and the youngsters who are coming on do not show pronounced symptoms of a return to the more scientific style of play. ■ v . Auckland's team on Saturday was a mixture of both these types. Here and there in the team there was combination and understanding,- and then again there was that tendency to smash the ball ahead, relying on the fast follow tip and often long range shooting. It was not an Auckland eleven as a cohesive tinit, knit together by understanding and strategic movement. Individually the players each and all-did very well—though there ■were times in the game when the play of Gerrard and Ron Stone at back gave grave reason for anxiety—and it was m this individuality that lay the salient difference between the teams of some years ago and the average club team' of to-day. A Contrast of Styles. Watsori, of Ponsonby, in goal, had to look particularly active when the hurricane Hooper came dashing near him, but the goalie was never found wanting. As stated, Gerrard and Stone have played many better games. But it was in the middle line that there were the strangest elements and influences in the home team. One feels that the line was not utilised to the best advantage. Wright was obviously uncomfortable on the left flank, for he has always played in the centre berth, and to be asked to perform in a strange position in such an important match was asking a very great deal from the player. Yet, to his credit, it must be said that Wright was far from being a failure, but it is certain that his presence in the pivotal position would have been of more advantage for Auckland as a team. Not that Chapman failed to do his duty. But in Chapman and Wright we had, playing side by side, a most striking illustration of the different types of Soccer in Auckland to-day. Wright gathers the ball, cleverly and safely, bringing it under control, then sends it out or across to which ever player he considers in the best position to take it. Chapman seldom takes up this con'structiye attitude or follows such a studious procedure, but takes the ball often on the half-volley to send it for w a r d, bright and brisk, to the vanguard, more or less accurately, generally with' a long kick, for the men in front to do the rest. So far as the spectator is concerned, it is all a question of personal choice, but those who have known the game in its higher or more scientific aspect, find it hard to become reconciled to this new brand. Many shared the writer's opinion that Wright should not have been played on the left wing, and the game did not alter that opinion. Watson, at right half, played behind his club wing and did well, but Wright would have been a greater factor in a smooth-working combination in the centre than he could possibly have been at left halt, in addition to which we recall occasions when Chapman has played splendidly at rig Tit half and Watson first showed promise for Thistle as a left halfback. Composition of the Forwards. The forwards as a line did not work with rhythm but were a strong, aggressive quintet. Woods sometimes .finished very weakly but displayed 'his- usual understanding with Dunsmore, who tried to work up the cohesion' he always seeks for, but found the lusty clearances from behind sometimes difficult to cope with. Angus made a dazzling debut for Auckland at centre, and his shooting and thrust in the opening of the first spell were admirable. . His goal was a great effort. He, however, did not quite maintain this very high standard, and one wondered if the .influence of his brilliant initial success was not a factor in the comparative ineffectiveness that followed. One of the problems presented by the selection of the Auckland team was contained in the left wing, where Farnan, of Ponsonby, was played alongside Kay, of Thistle. Apart from tlie obvious benefits of playing club combinations in rep. teams wherever possible, and all other things being equal, there is the universally recognised fact that no partner has ever worked better with Kay than has Hislop, and the breaking up of this combination by the introduction of the Ponsonby inside left and the dropping of the Thistle player came as a great surprise Farnan played a very hard game. He is clever with the ball at his loot, is vigorous and hard working, but he is quite obviously a player of a totally different stamp than Kay, and his style of came and Kay's will take years to blend, •it they ever do. Kay was not'played to as he is, accustomed, whi& jgytainiy was U9 fault o£ Eainan'p for h* »la}se& the

only game lie knows, and the result was that the left wing was not the balanced power it might have been. Kay certainly missed chances—and many went abegging on Saturday—but it should be remembered that the goal the outside left scored was tlie match winner. One could not be enthusiastic over the plav of the home eleven, even though they won, and improvements could be made. Height would be an advantage in the i-eiHie, with more constructive backing in the pivotal berth and better balance in the wings. Otago Show Understanding. There was definite understanding in some of the movements effected by the visiting team, and many more of their manoeuvres had definite constructive play behind them than had the play of the home side. What Otago lacked was finishing, for their outliold play was generally speaking, unite good. The side had a great line of defence in McDougall. whose saving repeatedly earned the plaudits of the crowd. Taylor was sound at right back, and Anderson gave a stylish display, though both, unfortunately miskieked on occasion. The halfbacks, centred on Brown, were all tigers for work, and the team benefited by the constructive play of Brown, as Auckland would had Wright been his vis-a-vis. Chapman and ration were tireless in breaking up, and when beaten were speedy in recovery. Much interest centred in Skinner, the former leftwinger of Comrades, who in one season has built up a big reputation in the South as a dangerous forward. But Skinner is an outside left, and he made the fatal mistake on Saturday of trying to do far too much on his own when he pot the ball. It was obvious that he did not appreciate the necessity of making openings for his clubmates and then giving them the ball. Not content with making openings, he often tried to take them himself, which was hardly profitable to the team. Balk played a careful and correct game at outside left, but should hav.e had more of the ball. Hooper, during the whole match was waiting on opportunties—opportunities that never came —because he seldom got the ball in the proper time, place or manner. Ives nevertheless showed amazing dash. Ives and Witchall showed understanding of each others play and were often dangerous. Weakness in finishing, and mostly at close ciuarters, was the outstanding failure of the visiting team. GRADE GAMES. SECOND GRADE. Onehunga 2, beat North Shore 0. New Lynn won by default from Papatcetoe. Abels B 5. beat Fonsonby B 0. Metro.-College 5, beat Thistle 2. FIFTH GRADE. Y.M.C.A. B 1, beat Oneliunga 0. Abels 1, drew with Comrades 1. SIXTH GRADE. Metro.-Collego 1, beat Y.M.C.A. A 0. North Shore A S, beat Eastern Suburbs 2. Thistle 3, beat Y.M.C.A. C 1. Comrades B 11, beat Y.M.C.A. D 1. SEVENTH GRADE. Metre-College 3, bent Y.M.C.A. A 1. Abels 8. beat Y.M.C.A. B 0. North Shore B 7, beat Eastern Suburbs B 0. Abels 7, beat Y.M.C.A. B 0. MIDGET GAMES. Comrades 4, beat Y.M.C.A. B 0. ONEHUNGA GROUP. Convent 5, beat Oneliunga B 0. Oneliunga A 1, beat Monte Cecilia 0. SECONDARY SCHOOLS. SENIOR. Auckland Grammar 0, beat Takapuna Gramma-r 0. INTERMEDIATE. Mount Albert Grammar A 2, beat Takapuna Grammar 1. Auckland Grammar 8, beat Mount Albert Grammar B 1. JUNIOR. Auckland Grammar 3, beat Northcoto 1. Kowhai B 0, drew with Mount Albert Grammar B 6. Technical College 8, beat Mount Albert Grammar C 1. Mount Albert Grammar A 4, beat Kowhai A 0. GAMES IN THE PROVINCE. HAMILTON 1 . Seniors. —Glen Afton 1, drew with Claudeland Rovers 1. GAMES IN THE SOUTH. NAPIER. Y.M.C.A. 5, beat Hastings United 2. Rangers 2, Beat Factory 0. ■\Vhakatu 4, beat Wanderers 1. WELLINGTON. Chatham Cup.—Petone C, beat Waterside 1. First Division.—Swifts 5, beat Natla 3 ; Marlst 5, beat Diamond 1. CHRISTCHURCH. Thistle 2, beat Nomads 0. Western 4, beat Linwood 1. St. Albans 2, beat Hangers 1.