10-Man Nomads Wreck City’s Unbeaten Record

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30776, 14 June 1965, Page 9

10-Man Nomads Wreck City’s Unbeaten Record

Christchurch City’s 100 per cent soccer record, held since June of last year, vanished at Western Park yesterday.

Ten Nomads men held out in the second half against a constant battering to share a 1-1 draw with City, in the Hurley Shield competition. City's lead was reduced to five points with five more games remaining when Western beat High School Old Boys, 1-0. The Old Boys stay at the bottom of the competition. four points behind Brighton which lost by the odd goal in five to Rangers. Rangers 3, Brighton 2. Western 1, H. 5.0.8. 0. City 1, Nomads 1. Shamrock 1, Technical 1.

Revived Glories A battle-scarred Nomads, reeling under a constant second half barrage but adamnantly refusing to fall, halted Christchurch City’s all-conquering run yesterday. It was the bravest performance by any side this season and revived some of the glories of the Nomads of two years ago. And the man who dominated the game, and more particularly the second half when Nomads was reduced to 10 men after their player-coach. R. Batchelor, had been carried off the field on a stretcher, was the half-back. G Donaldson. Canterburj’ soccer player of the year in 1963. Donaldson was magnificent, at times almost a solitary hurdle that turned away the tide of five City forwards, at first eager, later frantic, to save, their club's long and proud record. With his clever anticipation, Donaldson won this battle in the Nomads goalmouth. He was not on hLs own, however. In goal, H. Westenberg made two brilliant saves, one from R. Bruce as the final minutes were ticking away that was all instinct and rapid movement. The two backs, J. Kissack and E. Waller, and D. Ennis also played their parts nobly. But when all others seemed beaten, there was Donaldson to save the day. Nomads had earlier been badly handicapped when their opportunist centre-forward. R. Muirson, was replaced after he had suffered an ankle injury. Muirson scored a magnificent goal in the first half from the

edge of the penalty area and his due-1 with G. Evans was beginning to warm up when Muirson miskicked and pulled a muscle. City had at least 80 per cent of the attacking play in the first half, probably 99.9 per cent in the second half, but all it had to show at the end was a goal by its newcomer, A. Taylor, a 26-year-old former Huddersfield player, and a hard luck tale of near misses and wasted chances. Every forward had a dozen attempts but either Westenberg saved, or a defender blocked, or the shot went too high or too wide. Taylor notwithstanding, it was finally the youthful inexperience in the City forward line that was responsible for the club losing its record. Although all the honours must go to the heroic Nomads defenders for their great fight to the finish, no team should have had so much ball and gained from it so little reward as did City yesterday. Torkiiigton’s Fourth A goal by D. Torkington—his fourth of the week-end—enabled Western to beat H. 5.0.8. and so destroy one of the few hopes the Old Boys have left of retaining their place in the first division.

i The goal, however, was all that the game was not—the rei suit of intelligent moving, crisp passing and sure finishing. The whole forward line took part in the construction of the goal and Torkington was the last link in the chain. But such movements were rare, and the rest of the play was scrappy and largely ; uninteresting. However, Western finally fully deserved its win, for it finished with only nine effective players. D. Bussey went off the field for treatment 10 minutes before the end without the referee's approval and was refused permission to return, while Torkington injured his knee and finished a limping passenger. Points Shared A goal in each half decided the tussle between Technical and Shamrock at Rangers Park, and the share of points was on the whole a justified finish. Technical had the better of the first half, when it took the lead, and Shamrock gained control in the second session, when it equalised. Technical s goal came from a penalty scored by A. Verham. while J. Logue replied for Shamrock. But Shamrock had a great chance of scoring seconds be-

fore half-time when It was also awarded a penalty. J. Killick fired the first attempt wide, and when the referee ordered the kick to be retaken. H. Taylor s shot was saved by Technical s goal-keeper, R. Storer. Later, Storer again saved his lines when he dived on the ball in a goal mouth melee when a goal , for Shamrock seemed certain. T. Reilly played another good game at centre-half for Shamrock, and was well supported by his full-back, J. Toal. and winger. D. .Glubb. Verham showed a great improvement on his Saturday performance, and W. Cody re and I. Drewitt were the best of the defenders.

Replacement Scores Brighton remained in the danger zone of relegation and Rangers moved further away to safety when Rangers won a hard-fought game, 3-2, at Rangers Park. Brought on as a replacement, J. Clegg scored one of Rangers’ goals. The balance of play was Indecisive for long periods, but once more Brighton contributed to its defeat by giving away a goal, the culprit again being the centre-half, W. Down. The matchwinner for Rangers, however, was their experienced captaincoach, K. Olley, who late in the game scored the deciding goal when the scores were two each. T. Conley and D. Moller scored for Brighton, Clegg, Olley and Down (own goal) for Rangers.

P W D L Goals F A Pts City 9 s 1 0 40 7 17 Western 9 6 0 3 24 16 12 Technical 9 3 4 2 IS 10 Shamrock 4 1 4 17 37 Nomads 9 »> 2 4 19 17 8 Rangers 9 3 2 4 11 16 8 Brighton 9 - 10 20 6 H.S.O.B. 9 1 0 s 15 26 2