ASSOCIATION CODE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24981, 16 September 1946, Page 3

ASSOCIATION CODE

NEW ZEALAND BEATS WELLINGTON (P.A.) WELLINGTON, September 15. New Zealand beat Wellington 5-2 in an Association football . match at the Basin Reserve on Saturday. The New Zealand team was distinctly superior. Except for the middle of the first half, when New Zealand changed the score from 2-0 against them to 3-2 in their favour, the game did not arouse a great, deal of excitement.

New Zealand played against a strong northerly wind in the first half, which disconcerted them at the beginning. Ten minutes passed before there was a score, HatcHard making an opening for Gendall, the Wellington outside left, to net. Soon afterwards, Mildenhall added another goal. Wellington settled down to good combination and was having the better of the game, but V. Smith, the New Zealand centre-half, was a serious obstacle at this stage.

The New Zealand eleven, becoming accustomed to each other’s 'play and the conditions, began to show their real form. Its first fruit was a beautiful goal by Wilkinson, the centre forward, who received the ball after it had been passed by Kidd (inside left), to L. Smith (right wing), and then to R. N. Smith (left wing). Not long afterward, Kidd passed neatly to R. N. Smith, who returned the ball to Kidd, for him to score. Before Halftime New Zealand took the lead, Wilkinson' beating Duffy before he shot a goal. The half-time score was: New Zealand 3, Wellington 2. New Zealand showed their superiority more in the second spell, particularly in speed and placing of passes. However, after Ryan had added New Zealand’s fourth score from a melee in front of the Wellington goal, Wellington came close to netting several times. Hatchard and Bell co-operated well in one attack, blit the goalkeeper saved Bell’s shot and a shot from Tilyard went just over the bar. When Wilkinson broke through the Wellington defence and had only Harris and the Wellington goalkeeper to beat, Harris delighted the crowd by neatly taking the ball from Wilkinson's toe. New Zealand’s fifth goal came when Wilkinson received close to the goal and quickly turned the ball in.

Towards The end of the game, neither side played with the keenness they would have shown had more depended on the match, though the quality of play (particularly by the New Zealand side) did not deteriorate.

Outstanding players in the New Zealand eleven were W. Kidd (Wanganui) and L Smith (Otago), and Drylie (Wellington) played well at right-half. Among the Wellington men. the sound defensive play of A Harris was particularly noticeable.