ENGLISH TEAM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 127, 31 May 1937, Page 14

ENGLISH TEAM.

IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY.

FORM WIU IMPROVE. , (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") j WELLINGTON, this day. i A good team that can, and undoubtedly will, play better sums up the first impression of the English Soccer team, which played Wellington province representatives on the Basin Reserve on Saturday, and won comfortably, aud without effort, by seven goals to nil. The outstanding feature of the game was the contrast in styles of the teams, which was emphasised by the weakness of the Wellington eleven in the finer points of the game. If the result of the tour is that Soccer players in New Zealand will see the wisdom of keeping the ball low, instead of adopting the useless practice of continually ballooning it, then the thousands of pounds it has cost to bring the amateurs out will have been money well spent. The transferences along the turf by the Englishmen from one player to another were a treat to witness, and all the while Leslie, Wellington centre, was in the pitiful plight of haviug to forage all over the paddock for the ball, or having it sent to him at a height which only the lofty Joy, England's great centre-half, could get with his head. Whereas the home half-backs appeared to vie with each other in a long-distance kicking match, which over-reached their forwards to the advantage of the English defence, the tourists directed every pass with particular attention to direction and distance. It was in these finer points of the game that the contest was clearly one between the polished and the rough. Heading, too, was an art with the Englishmen, as was also the understanding and positional play of the whole side. Emphatically they played the three-back game. Joy kept close to the Wellington centre than a twin brother, and the Englishman was invrr'ably in line with his back vhen in a defensive position. The wing half-backs kept closer infield, with the inside forwards making the W formation. There were weaknesses in the visitors' play, obviously due to lack of condition and practice. By the time they reach Auckland, in two weeks' time, they should be a team the like of which local supporters have never seen in action in this Dominion. The teams were: — England: Huddle, Stevasser, Robins, Lewis, Joy, Tunnington, Collins, Eastman, Matthews, Thornton, Finch. Wellington: Wyatt, Miles, Haines, Todd, Jeffrey, Gates, Wilson, Allan, Leslie, Hatchard, Woods. Referee: Mr. J. Sanderson. The English team's next match will be against a combined Otago-Southland team at Invereargill on Wednesday. The first Test match will be played at Dunedin next Saturday.

England, 3 —o, led at half-time. Thornton and Matthews scored, while Miles headed through his own goal in attempting to clear a rush led by Collins. The four goals which the Englishmen added after the interval were registered by Matthews (2), Thornton and Finch.

MATCH AT CHRWTCHOECH.

COMBINED TEAM CHOSEN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sunday. The following combined Canterbury-Westland-Btiller Soccer team has been chosen to meet the English amateur side at Christchurch on Wednesday week:—D. X. Mcßae. S. Cawtheray, G. Roberts, A. McMillan. M. A. Gordon, A. K. F. Gordon. A. Almond. R. Smith, G. Smith. D. Souter, M. Burnand. Reserve: W. Sutherland.

GRADE GAMES

SECOND DIVISION. Suburbs 7, beat Thistle 0. Ouehunga 2, beat Y.M.C.A. 1. Metro-College 5, beat Mount Albert 2. C««nrades 2. beat Abels 1.. Shore 3, beat Ponsonby 1. THIRD DIVISION. Metro-College 6, beat Suburbs 2. Y.M.C.A. A 7. beat Thistle 0. Y.M.C.A. B 3, drew with Training College 3. THIRD INTERMEDIATE. Ouehunga 5, beat Ponsonby —. FIFTH GRADE. Y.M.C.A. Rovers 3, beat Cnehunga 0. Comrades C 2. drew with Y.M C.A. Rivals Y.M.C.A. Spure 3. drew with Northcote 3. Comrades A 2, beat Shore 1. SIXTH GRADE. " Metro-College 1, beat Comrades A 0. Shore 3, beat Thistle 2. Ouehunga 5, beat Suburbs 1. SEVENTH GRADE. Shore 6, beat Comrades B 1. Comrades A 3. beat Y.M.C.A. Spurs 1. Y.M.C.A. Rivals 2, bent Comrades C 0. EIGHTH GRADE. Y.M.C.A. Rovers 9, beat Shore 1. Comrades A 6, beat Y.M.C.A. Spurs 0. Comrades B 2, beat Suburbs 0. GAMES IN THE PROVINCE. HAMILTON. Claudelands Rovers 2. drew with Hamilton Wanderers 2. HUNTLY. Pukemiro 5, beat Huntly Star 2. GAMES IN THE SOUTH. WELLINGTON. First Division B 1, drew with Nelson 1. CANTERBURY. Nomads 4, beat Rangers 1., Technical 5, beat Y.M.C.A. 1 Western 1. drew with Thistle 1. OTAGO. . High School Old Boys 3. drew with Mosgiel 3. Northern 6. beat Technical Old Boys 1 Maori Hill 7, beat Morniugton 1. Roslyn-Wakari 4, beat Seacliff 2.