Soccer AUSTRALIANS’ 8-1 WIN

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28669, 20 August 1958, Page 20

Soccer AUSTRALIANS’ 8-1 WIN

Taranaki Easily Beaten (New Zealand Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, Aug. 19. With infinitely better positional play and greater understanding, the touring Australian Soccer team was not greatly troubled to defeat a Taranaki-cpmbined side by 8 goals to 1, at New Plymouth today. A crowd of about 1500 saw the Australians end the first half holding a 6-1 lead. Although Taranaki offered stiffer resistance in the second spell, it rarely looked like making much impression on the Australians. The way the Australians turned defence into attack, even from their own goal-mouth, and their use of short corner kicks, instead of the customary ballooning of the ball into the middle, were features of their play. One of the big differences between the teams was in the full-backs. The Taranaki players, J. Half and W. Pye. were little more than “stopper” and were not always constructive. The Australians, H. Murdoch and K. O’Neil, played a most constructive game. Murdoch, in particular, was very fast for a full-back, and several times outpaced the Taranaki forwards. The favourite with the crowd was the diminutive inside right. F. Loughran. He was everywhere, and was the most notable individual in the Australian team. R. Wemyss, the left-half, had a fine game, both on attack and on defence. For Taranaki, the goalie, B. Vennik, frequently won applause—on occasions even from the Australians themselves. In the second half in particular, he two or three times saved what looked like certain goals. For Australia, goals were scored by F. Loughran (3), B. Morrow (2), G. Nunn, and S. Kitching. The eighth goal was deflected into the goal off Taranaki’s I. McMillan. R. Griffin goaled for Taranaki. The referee was Mr A. V. Cooper.