ASSOCIATION CODE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25259, 11 August 1947, Page 5

ASSOCIATION CODE

CANTERBURY CHATHAM CUP FINAL TECHNICAL BEATS NORTHERN HEARTS Technical I had little trouble in beating Northern Hearts (Timaru) in the Canterbury final of the Chatham Cup competition on Saturday at English Park. The visitors were inferior in all departments. In the early match at English Park Western, although winning by 5 goals to 3 had to fight all the way against Celtic. At Elmwood Park Nomads beat Shamrock by the odd goal in five after an evenly contested match At Hagley Park 1 Rangers were too good for Watersiders, winning comfortably by 5 goals to 2. Results: — CrfATHAM CUP Technical 9, Northern Hearts 0. CHAMPIONSHIP Western 5, Celtic 3. Rangers 5, Watersiders 2. Nomads 3, Shamrock 2. Championship points now are:—Western 26. Technical I 21, Thistle 18, Rangers. 14, Nomads 13, Technical II 13, Celtic' 8 Watersiders 6. Shamrock 5. TECHNICAL v. NORTHERN HEARTS Before the code went into recess in South Canterbury a very high standard of football was played there, and although the game is flourishing there again, it appears that .Saturday’s entry in the Chatham Cup competition was a very ambitious one indeed. Northern Hearts have some very promising material, but it will never be developed until the side consistently meets strong opposition. Matches should be arranged every Saturday with those Christchurch clubs that are available. f

On Saturday Technical I was superior in all departments. The side gave another display of the third back game, which allowed the visitors only four good scoring opportunities during the match. V. Smith, S. Dean, and P O’Malley completely bottled up the Hearts’ attack. After the initial failure to pieyce the Technical defence in the usudl way, Hearts- failed to vary its movements and generally suffered from an inferiority complex. The Technical flank halves both gave good displays as carriers to the forwards, although Mason was inclined to lose position at times. Better understanding with his right back and inside right should remove this fault. The Technical forwards all went well., giving a better display than against Western the previous week. Bailey gave his flank men many opportunities, and these were invariably taken advantage of. K. Lucas was the outstanding inside forward. He kept a good position, generalled his attack discriminately, and was not slow to slam in a shot when well placed. The Hearts’ halves had a gruelling day and covered a lot of extra ground by not getting the ball away accurately. T. McInally, at centre, was outstanding. His overhead play and groundwork were uniformly good, but he made the mistake of attempting to initiate short passing movements with men without the experience to press them home quickly. Both fullbacks worked honestly, with K. Baker the sounder man under pressure. Technical will now play Mosgiel at Dunedin next Saturday ,in the South Island final of the Chatham Cup competition.

D. Grieve (4), C. Bailey (2), C. Thomas (2), and V. Smith scored for Technical. Referee: Mr T. Gottermeyer.

* WESTERN v. CELTIC The early match at English Park between Western and Celtic failed to produce the highlights expected of it. Western, the club that has set the standard for senior football for a decade, gave a disappointing display. Lack of sureness was strangely evident in the defence. In the forward line the inability to finish off grand scoring opportunities left the side a poor winning margin considering its enjoyment of possession. The Celtic forwards, presented with only a fraction of their opponents’ goaling chances, had far the better record.

The Western forwards exploited the flank attack as usual, but it looks as though these tactics are being overdone. Certainly Celtic's modified third back defence made it look less spectacular and accurate than usual. The Western halves worked hard to provide the forwards with the maximum of scoring chances, and the backs were sound. Celtic’s main role was a defensive one, and in this sphere the side made a better showing than in recent matches. Flykicking was still in evidence, but this was compensated for by faster recovery. The halves, well led by Melville, did good covering work, but much ground would have been saved with a more careful direction, both of passes and clearances. These seemed to gravitate too often to a Western player, without having the desired effect of easing the pressure. J. McGlinchey, J. and W. Rogers were thfe pick of a forward line which was always dangerous in possession. Rogers, after some lean matches, reinstated himself as a capable marksman. Goals were scored for Western by R. Smith (2), A. Almond, G Smith, and R. Dowker. W. Rogers (3) netted for Celtic. Referee: Mr T. Mathie.

RANGERS V. WATERSIDERS Rangers, by the use of fast counter movements, had the edge on Watersiders in a rather scrambling game at Hagley Park. Rangers were the more accurate and this was the deciding point in the successful use of forward sallies. Here R. Furlong came into his own. Given plenyt of room to work in, he invariably found his inside forwards well placed to receive his cross. The' finish was left in the capsule feet of D. Head, who in spite of his tendency to individualism, was always formidable yvitljin scoring range. . Watersiders found Rangers’ bustling play upsetting, with thfe result that cohesion and accuracy were erratic. W Thomas figured iff some bright solo bursts, and, with Ormsby, endeavoured to initiate passing movements. D. Head (4) and R. Furlong scored for Rangers, and W. Thomas (2) for Watersiders. Referee: Mr L. Fleete.

NOMADS v. SHAMROCK Nomads had little in reserve when they narrowly beat Shamrock bv the odd goal in five at Elmwood Park. The game was hard and even, with ’ the Nomads’ attack just shading Shamrock's in possession. Here Fox, Hughes, and Kenny formed a capable trio. Shamrock’s answer came through fast counters which gained ground but faded out when a scoring opportunity was imminent.. Fleete. Pickles, and Adlam were in the picture here, but lacked finish.

Nomads' defence was the more cohesive of the two, but this understanding was offset by Shamrock’s bustling play. Goals were scored for Nomads by L. Jesson, R. Wilson, and E. Kenny. L. Fleete and J. Adlam scored for Shamrock.

Referee: Mr P. McFarlane. LOWER GRADES Senior Reserve.—Western 5, University 3; Technical A 4, Thistle B 0; Thistle A 5. Rangers 4. Knock-out: Technical B 7, Shamrock 0; Nomads beat Watersiders by default. Junior Grade.—Knock-out semi-final: Wigram 3, Nomads 1. Championship: Technical 4, Shamrock 2. University beat Western by default. Third Grade.—Knock-out .final: Celtic 8. Shamrock 0

Fourth Grade.—Thistle B 7, Nomads 2; Rangers I, St. Vincent’s 0; Thistle

A 3, Technical 2; Nomads A 3, Western 0. . Fifth Grade.—Technical B 0, Celtic 0; Watersiders 1, Nomads 0; Shamrock 8, Western 0. Sixth Grade.—Nomads 10. Rangers 0: Western 4, Celtic 1; Shamrock R 8, Thistle •Seventh Grade.—Thistle 5, Shamrock 0; Nomads 6, Watersiders 0. Eighth Grade.—Watersiders 6, Shamrock R 3; Western A 3, Celtic A 0; Western B 3, St Joseph’s 0. NORTH ISLAND FINAL WON BY WELLINGTON TEAM (P.A.) AUCKLAND. August 9. Waterside. Wellington, won the North Island final oi the Chatham Cup compe-

tition by beating North Shore, the Auckland finalist, by 3 goals to 2. Waterside's last goal was scored in the last half-minute of play. North Shore at one stage led by 2 goals to 0. Waterside's goals were scored by Walker and Powell, Valentine, a North Shore back, conceding the third goal with a loose kick which rebounded off a charging forward into the goal. Richards anji Robinson scored for North Shore. MOSGIEL WINS SOUTH ISLAND SEMI-FINAL (P.A.) INVERCARGILL. August 10. In the South Island semi-final of the Chatham Cup competition, Mosgiel beat ■ Thistle (Invercargill) by 3 goals to L

TRIBUTE TO 2ND N.Z.E.F. Bl GOVERNOR-GENERAL 4P.A.) WELLINGTON. August 9. “There was not a single incident of bad discipline in the 2nd N.Z.E.F..’’ said the Governor-General <Sir Bernard Frey berg, V.C.). speaking at a luncheon meeting yesterday of the New Zealand Club. He was paying a tribute to the record of the New 2>aland Division in the Middle East “I think our record would have been as good as any other nation's in the world in the matter of military criirr ’’ he said, “and there is no doubt taal that record is magnificent.’’