Canterbury Will Have Strong Soccer Eleven

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28268, 4 May 1957, Page 5

Canterbury Will Have Strong Soccer Eleven

QANTERBURY will play its first interprovincial soccer match of the 1957 season on May 18. The match will be the first of the annual home-and-away games against Wellington for the Gordon Cup, Canterbury travelling to Wellington for the first match. Last year Canterbury had little chance of winning the trophy, which is awarded on aggregate scores, after losing the first game by 7 goals to 1. but supporters are confident that with the majority of the team that subsequently beat Wellington twice. available this season, Canterbury shouldhave a good chance of winning the “first leg of the double.” Little Time

Because the match will take place so early in the season, the Canterbury sole selector (Mr G. Smith) has not had much time to get a squad into training, but he intends announcing its members after next Saturday’s games. J. Calligan (Shamrock), last year’s goalkeeper, is reported unwell at present, and it is uncertain whether he will be available. If he is, he will certainly be selected for training, and other goal-keepers showing good form who might be included are H. Botferman (Nomads), J. Voogt (Western), and K. Sanders (Technical). W. Heuvelmans (Neerlandia) plays a spectacular game but he may not be considered

steady enough for a representative side.

Canterbury is rather short of good full-backs. The veteran M. Deans (Technical) was called in last year after injuries to others selected, and he did a grand job, but the selector will probably be looking for younger men. P. Flynn. 6entre-half for Shamrock, was considered good enough to be selected as full-back for the New Zealand side to have toured Asia, so he could quite easily be one of Canterbury’s full-backs this year. Others selected for trials could be C. Spinks, the robust Technical player, and M. Shardlow (Western), full-back for the Chatham Cup winners two seasons ago. I. Drewitt, in the half line for Technical, would find it hard to find a place in the Canterbury halves, but he could well be taken into the squad as a possible full-back. Competition will be keen for the half-back positions. There are J. Durant (Western). A. Laffey (Western), and D. Charlton (Technical)—the line chosen for the South Island and New Zealand teams—J. Hunter (Technical), a previous New Zealand captain and centre-half, J. Longmuir (Western), and P. Fletcher (Shamrock). Canterbury will have a good half line, with good reserves.

Good Forwards

There are plenty of forwards, available, including C. Steel (Western), K. Olley (Western), A. Van Rooyen (Nomads)—all Canterbury and New Zealand representatives last year—and P. Saunderson ‘ (Western), J. Price (Shamrock) and E. Fields (Technical), who played for Canterbury. Fields was tried at centreforward with indifferent success, but he has been scoring goals this season and could fill the position again. The selector will also be looking for an outside left to replace W. Logan, who has transferred to Wellington. W. Duddy (Rangers), M. Jones (Technical), P. Rennell (Nomads), A. McAnulty (Technical), and B. Newsome (Shamrock) played good football last season, and could be chosen for training. The selector might want to see more of the newcomers, F. Nicol, H. Deruiter. B. Soper and J. Levay, all of Atlantis, and V. Wyngaarden iNeerlandia).