SOCCER COMRADES NOW IN LEADING POSITION IN CHAMPIONSHIP

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 205, 30 August 1941, Page 2 (Supplement)

SOCCER COMRADES NOW IN LEADING POSITION IN CHAMPIONSHIP

Over-running Thistle in the second half of the main game at Blandford Park by S goals in a 6-goal match, Comrades took the lead on the championship ladder ahead of Ponsonby. Mount Albert Grammar Old Boys proved too good for Eastern Suburbs by 5 goals to 2, and Air Force was victorious over Abels by 5 goals to 3. In a 15-goal match against Onehunga, North Shore won by 5 goals. At the conclusion of the North Island secondary schools' match as a curtain-raiser at Soccer headquarters, the Mayor, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, presented the Skerrett Cup to the Auckland team, which beat Hawke's Bay by 2 goals to nil, and the Herbert Smith junior trophy to Taranaki, which ran out the winner over Auckland by 5 goals t 2. ★ Afi EASY WIN • Thistle and Comrades mot in tlie main game at Blandford Park. The teams were: — Thistle: Cocker, Orr, Davis, Wiseman, Kerr, Countable, Belcher, Morris, Wallace, Woods and McLaughlin. Comrade*: McCamish. Rinnans. McKenna, Matthews, Fincham, Healv, Evans. M. Francis, Walters, A. Francis and Masters. Referee: Mr. F. Green. Thistle won the toss and Walters set the ball in motion for Comrades, defending the Grafton end. Belcher and Morris immediately showed up for Thistle with a laid 011 the light wing, but Mclvenna cleared well to relieve the situation. Comrades then attacked through Kvans and M. Francis. but once again the defence I>ievaded. Healy gave Masters a good pass to send him away on Comrades' left wing, but Cocker saved well. Play was fast, and Wallace put the finishing touches to a raid by the Thistle vanguard to make the score: Thistle 1, Comrades 0. At this stage of the game Thistle was having the territorial advantage. A further raid saw Morris shoot wide of the upright when well placed. A penalty kick was awarded Comrades for an infringement by a Thistle defender. Riggans took the kick, but shot wide of the upright. Orr was playing a brilliant defensive game for Thistle, while Cocker made some fine saves in goal. Comrades foiced <a corner following a free kick against Orr. but Kvans shot wide of the mark. Morris. Woods* and McLaughlin were conspicuous in a further Thistle thrust, but the latter player hit th" of the net with his final shot. Davis ' to leave the field for treatment be ■ St. John men. A breakaway by Comrades saw Murray Francis push the ball through to Masters, who gave Cocker no chance with his shot. The half-time whistle blew with the score: Thistle 1 Comrades 1 I)avis suffered slight concussion and was unable #0 resume, A. Dtinsmore replacing him. From the kick-off Evans trot away 011 Comrades' right and passed to M. Francis. The latter's shot was deflected over the crossbar by Orr, and the corner kick went begging. A further corner by Comrades resulted in Fincham heading into the net to give Comrades the lead. Comrades Thistle 1. Play was held up for an injury to Woods, and although he resumed after .1 few minutes he was limping badly. Comrades was awarded a second penalty, and this time Fincham took the kick but shot over the crossbar. Comrades were now having the better of exchanges, and Masters broke through with only Cocker to .beat. His shot was saved by the goalie, but he was knocked out in doing so 'and had to leave the field. From the 'bounce in front of goal A. Francis netted after a scramble on the goal line. Comrades 3. Thistle 1. Thistle seemed disorganised with the loss of Cocker, and A. Francis again pierced the defence. Constable saved from Masters when he ran out of goal to rob him of the ball. Within a few moments Walters broke through but the goalie ran out again to effect a brilliant save. Walters then converted a good pass from Evans to make the score Comrades 5, Thistle 1. Masters registered Xo. 6 for Comrados, and the filial whistle sounded: fomrade.s 6 liistlo 1 ★ MOUNT ALBERTS WIN When play had Settled down Suburbs attacked early, but though pressed hard the defence could not be shaken. Mount Albert replied and Irvine's shot went over the crossbar. A subsequent raid gave Tweedale the chance to open the scoring for Mount Albert. Suburbs took a hand and from a corner Welch tried to head into the net. The effort was carried further by Walsham. but he, too, was unlucky. In subsequent play Suburbs again tested the defence and Welch made two efforts to head the ball home. Mount Albert retaliated and King made a good save from a forward rush. Play was carried to Mount Albert's area and a penalty shot gave Welch the chance to equalise. At this stage play was fast and veered from one end of the field to the other. With Suburbs on the defence, King made two good saves. The halftime score was: Eastern Suburbs 1, Mount Albert 1. On resuming Mount Albert was on the move early and in a forward sortie McDonald beat King to register the third goal of the game. With play hanging about Suburbs' territory. Mount Albeit staged another raid and once again Patterson found the net with a good drive. Within a few minutes Patterson repeated his performance to put his side three up. Further efforts by the Old Boys were nullified by King. In reply, Welch led an attack and tried to reduce the deficit, but Thom was equal to the occasion. A second attempt went begging owing to Welch being unsupported, and Speed cleared. A penalty to Suburbs was taken by Welch, who made sure that his kick brought another goal. After a period with play in neutral territory. Mount Albert set Suburbs on the defensive, and Patterson sent a pass to J. Wcfodall, who netted. The final score was: Mount Albert Grammar Old Boys — 5 Eastern Suburbs 2 Referee: Mr. G. C. Edwards.

NORTH SHORE WINS EASILY A lively opening with Shore In the attack looked likely, but Clarke cleared In good Btyle when hard pressed. Onehunga retaliated with some smart play that Foster finalised with a good shot. Shore came again with three smart forward moves that were rounded oft with a goal by Richards and two goals by Sime. The game was moving at a great pace from goal to goal. Valentine scored for Shore from close In. and Brass reduced the leeway with a good solo vflort. The game continued fast and exciting, Jand "sitters." missed at both goals, kept the spectators on their toes. The final stages of tfte spell were keenly fought out. Richards scored r.ciin for Shore before the spell ended. Shore went further ahead when the second spell opened, Richards scoring from some good forward play. Keeping up the pressure, Shore went further ahead when Pries and Valentine added to the score. The closing stage* were all in favour of Shore. Richards and one of the defenders increasing Shore's total. A last-minute rally by Onehunga at r Set on t score two goals, and a successful penalty kick made the final score Nortl. Shore 10 Onehunsa 6

AIR FORCE LUCKY Had it not been for the fact that Abels had only nine men, it is possible that Air Force would have returned to base a beaten team instead of winners by 5 goals to 3. Abels kicked off with the wind, and drew first blood when G. Robinson scored with a penalty. Willougfcby. Air Force right wing, equalised, however, and his team took the lead when Baker lifted a shot which beat Birchall. But Abels was equal to the occasion and A. Robinson equalised after a fine forward rush Air Force was now exerting pressure and took the lead when Everson, after a determined left wing move, found the mark, to make the half-time scores Air Force 3. Abels 2. On resuming Abels showed a stout resistance, but a high shot into the sun by Ellis found Birchall unplaced and the airmen led 4 goals to 2. A feature of the play at this stage was the fine defence of Birchall in Abels goal, his dives saving his side more than once. He could not. however, stop a sizzler by Ellis, who found the corner of the net to add Air Force's fifth goal. Abels took a turn on attack when G. Robinson. Black and Ekman combined, the latter ending up a fine rush with an easy shot. This pressure was continued, but the Air Force defence held and the game ended:— Air Force 5 Abels 3 ★ SKERRETT CUP FINAL Auckland and Hawke's Bay provided the curtainraiser for the Skerrett Cup competition which is open to North Island secondary schools. The teams lined up as follows: — Auckland: Wood, Brown, Holland. Williamson. Raines, Turner, Farrow, Wilkinson, Hope-Ede, Fleet. Boyd. Hawke's Bay: Zorn. Holder, Newton, Flett, Dunnettc, Eastick, Ling. Ferguson. Heath, Baxter, Robinson. Referee. Mr. Cummings. From the kick-off, Auckland took the offensive and after about 10 minutes' play. Fleet beat Zorn with a good drive to put Auckland one up. Hawke's Bay made several raids in which Ling, Heath and Robinson were prominent, but the half-time whistle sounded with the score: Auckland 1 Hawke's Bay . . 0 After the interval. Auckland was the first to attack and Wilkinson broke through the defence to score with a good drive, putting Auckland two goals up. From this stage Hawke's Bay tried hard to reduce the deficit, but the final whistle sounded without any alteration to the score board. Auckland 2 Hawke's Bay 0 ★ HERBERT SMITH CVP After withstanding a challenge from Hawke's Bay yesterday. Auckland Secondary School Juniors lost the Herbert Smith Cup to Taranaki in an early game at Blandford Park to-day. The score of &—2 Jn Taranaki's favour -as a good indicatior of the run of play. Goals were scored for Taranaki by Leighton (2), Kibblewhite. Simpson and Fowles. Both Auckland's poals were scored bj Kennedy.