Representative Soccer Matches With Otago

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28618, 21 June 1958, Page 5

Representative Soccer Matches With Otago

rpWO Canterbury soccer elevens will play matches against Otago teams fti Dunedin on Saturday. The senior representative team will play the first of the home-and-away games for the Jones Cup, at present held by Otago. The junior team, under 20, will contest the Ruddiman Cup. Chief interest in the senior game will be in the effectiveness of the rearranged Canterbury team. In two weeks, the Auckland team will be in Christchurch to challenge for the F.A. Trophy, held by Canterbury, and Saturday’s game will act as a guide to Canterbury’s chances of retaining the trophy. Although Canterbury won the two games against South Canterbury and Wellington at Queen’s Birthday week-end, weaknesses were exposed and the sole selector has made changes to strengthen the team. Canterbury’s wings, C. Steel hnd A. Gardenbroek, remain unchanged, but the new inside forwards are T. Munro and P. Saunderson, with E. Charlton in the centre-forward position. Charlton is in fine form, scoring four of Technical’s five goals last Saturday, and his move to the centre-forward position could provide the thrust that was lacking in the earlier games. G. McLaren has been moved to

half-back, replacing I, Drewitt, whose play has been disappointing of late. The Other two halves, A. Laffey and R. Duiant, remain, and P. Flynn will again be one of the full-backs. Instead of M. Shardlow for his partner. Flynn will have A. Juner, who has earned his chance by his consistently good play in all games this season. J. Callaghan will be in goal again.

Canterbury narrowly beat Wellington, and the northern team is reported to have played much better against Otago, and yet it only won 2-1, so it is certain that Canterbury will be up against stiff opposition in Dunedin. Playing Southland for the Keach Cup, Otago scored 18 goals to Southland's one. Whether Otago officials decide to challenge Canterbury again for the F. A. Trophy —if it does not go north in the meantime—could well depend upon the result of Saturday's game.

The Otago team this season includes a number of new players, but its strength can be judged by the fact that J. Higgins, chosen for New Zealand last year, could not gain a place. Led by the New Zealand wing-half, P. Macfarlane, with the test goalkeeper J. Stephenson between the posts, this team will provide a stiff test for Canterbury. Of lesser interest will be the