Canterbury Draws First Gordon Cup Match

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28897, 18 May 1959, Page 13

Canterbury Draws First Gordon Cup Match

••The Press" Special Service

WELLINGTON, May 17. A steady Canterbury eleven <ras unlucky not to get the decision over Wellington in the first of two Gordon Cup soccer matches, which was Slayed at the Basin Reserve on aturday. Canterbury had to be content with a 2-all draw. The crowd of nearly 2000 watched a game full of mistakes by Wellington and studded with caution ana anticipation by CanterburyCanterbury played a game where every man counted—and every man held his position—and deserved to come out on top. if only because of solidity on attack and defence. The New Zealand selectors, Messrs J. G. Shankie, Wellington, R. A. Speed, Auckland, and G. Smith, Canterbury, could have enjoyed little benefit for their travels for there were few players in either team fitted for New Zealand honours.

From Canterbury, the counterattack, delivered with much enthusiasm, came usually from the left full-back. M. Shardlow, rolled constructively onward through the inside-left, P. Rennell, and was given an exhilarating lift when the left wing. D. Worthington, kicked a hard, well-aimed centre. W. Rodger, right half, and I. Graham, right back, were two hard-tackling defenders for Canterbury. They took no time to push the ball up the field. In goal, J. Callaghan was steady and sure, but never really had to prove his worth. On the other hand, Wellington’s goalkeeper, K. Berry, suffered a pounding from closemarking Canterbury forwards and spent a large part of the second spell picking himself off the ground and limping back to his post. Berry was kept busy, but was ably helped by his full-backs, B. Howell and G. R. McClelland. Wellington failed to make use of the outstanding qualities of its new outside-right, J. D. Bell, who, in turn, seldom had the opportunities to land the ball either at the toe or head of the centre-forward, J. Donovan. As a result. Bell spent most of the second spell wandering in mid-field tn an effort to make play for himself, and help set the inside men going. Wellington’s persistently futjie attempts to play to the outside-left. T. G. McCabe «n the first spell should have ended after the first five minutes of the match. In this spell, the only time that anything got

moving was when the inside-left, R. C. Kearns, pivoted round and drove a hard cross-kick to the right side of the field. Two Wellington men—the righthalf, D. H. Charlton, and the leftback and captain, McClelland—stood part for their endurance to trying to get their team on. top. Charlton’s burst of speed to the scene of an attack and his equally speedy recoveries back for defence played a big part in the result. McClelland was seldom beaten by an attacker, and he took everything in his stride. The possession McClelland gained through grand anticipation was seldom wasted. Each team scored a goal in the first spell, but neither point was made in a deserving manner. Donovan netted first for Wellington. Minutes later P. Freenstra scored for Canterbury when Wellington’s defence went to pieces. Canterbury took the lead midway through the second half when A. van Rooyan deflected a hard shot from the outside right, C. Steele. The equaliser was made by Charlton, who was up on attack, when McCabe centred and the former Canterbury man put the ball into the net.