City, Brighton Are Leading Senior Soccer Divisions

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31043, 26 April 1966, Page 19

City, Brighton Are Leading Senior Soccer Divisions

Both the first and second divisions soccer competitions, for the first time m each case, found a clear leader after the fourth round of matches on Saturday—Christchurch City, the champion for the last two years, and New Brighton, the relegated club from last season.

The two clubs which had previously shared the lead with these teams, High School Old Boys and Hornby United, suffered their first defeats.

H. 5.0.8. went down by the only goal in the game to Technical Old Boys, while Hornby was swamped, 8-2, by its promotion-seeking rival, Brighton. Shamrock scored its third successive victory after losing its opening game of the season, and now has the same number of points as H. 5.0.8. but an inferior goal average.

There were other notable milestones: Western’s first victory. Waterside’s third successive defeat, Shirley-No-inads* fourth successive loss, the first points of the season for Wigram and Riccarton. and City’s six goals that doubled the previous best score for a first division club.

With many of its players on duty for the Queen Mother’s visit, Burnham's game with University in the second division was not play’ Results:— FIRST DIVISION Shamrock 2, Rangers 1. Technical 1, High School Old Boys 0. Western 3, Shirley 0. City k, Waterside 1.

SECOND DIVISION Wanderers 2, Celtic 1. Wigram 2, Riccarton 2. Brighton 8, Hornby 2.

ALMOST SURVIVED For 86 minutes of the game at English Park, High School Old Boys hung on grimly to Its unbeaten record. They had survived some anxious moments, they had subjected the Technical goal to a series of sharp attacks. Then their hopes were rudely shattered, from an attack that had threatened no more than a dozen others that had gone before. This time, however, the ball ran a little more kindly for Technical than It did for High School Old Boys. W. Logan tixed his sights single-mindedly on getting the ball in the net, and his persistence, and also Technical’s, was duly rewarded. Defences, as they have done in most games at the park this season, were thoroughly on top, while forwards, even when the loopholes were contrived, lacked the final determination to grab jhe few chances that came their FLOWING FOOTBALL A well-drilled Western side producing fast, flowing football, at as far too good for luckless 6hirley-Nomads. and should have won by far more than its ■three goals. One of its handicaps was the lethargic, unimaginative play of M. Clements, ai centre-forward, who had the chance to score several times. The Shirley defence did well to hold Western to three goals. G Donaldson, at centre-half, was the sheet anchor, and was g ven able support by J. Kissack. The Shirley forwards, however, were almost non- ! existent. the one exception* being the right-winger, E. Rice, a speedy, promising player • who battled alone for the whole j 90 minutes. Western's last goal was the pick of the three. D. Bussey pivoting on his right foot and • scoring with a great shot. Bus-’ scy had also netted the first’ goal, and P. Frost added the! second with a 30-yard left-foot-1 ed drive COSTLY MISTAKE A mistake by the Rangers goalkeeper, W. Henderson, tn the final stages brought Shamrock the winning goal when a draw would have been the fairer result. Both teams were superior in defence than attack, and the first two goals came from indirect free-kicks on the edge of the penalty area

Although not under severe pressure, the Shamrock ’keeper, 1. McEwan, Droved a stumbling block <or Rangers. His handling was safe and sure, and his confidence is improving in everv fame. The richt-back,

B. Clark, was an energetic defender, and was well supported by H. Taylor. A. Inglis showed that he is still capable of turning defence into attack with precise passes. However, his forwards could not take advantage of these, although the partnership of W. Johnston and W. Penman at times proved dangerous. The goals were scored by D. Glubb and J. Logue for Shamrock, Inglis for Rangers. EVANS'S HAT-TRICK A hat-trick by G. Evans, two goals from an improving R. Bruce, and a neatly-taken header by R. Taylor added up to Christchurch City hitting Waterside for six at Spreydon Domain. The only reply was a goal by J Burrows early in

the second half when City was leading 3-0. City did no more than It had to, but at this stage of the season its play is lacking the bite of a comparative period last year. Twice Evans got his head to centres to score, while Bruce’s two goals were hard ground shots that gave J. Joiner, In the Waterside goal, little chance. LATE GOAL RUSH From 3-2 shortly after the start of the second half, New Brighton proceeded to over run Hornby, scoring five more goals. Until this stage the game was in the balance, although Brighton had produced the better football and had been on attack for longer periods.

P W D L F A Pts City 4 4 0 0 10 1 8 IJ.S.O.B. 4 3 0 1 6 2 6 Sham. .. 4 3 0 1 7 5 6 Tech. 4 • 1 1 5 4 5 West. .. 4 1 9 1 5 3 4 Wat 4 1 0 3 4 12 •» Rana. 4 0 1 3 4 8 i -Shirk 4 0 0 4 1 8 0

P W D L F A Pts Bri. 4 4 0 0 26 3 8 Horn. .. 4 3 0 1 23 9 6 Wand. .. 4 2 0 2 12 7 4 Univ. .. 3 2 0 1 13 10 4 Celtic .. 4112 7 83 Burn. .. 3111 5 15 3 Wig. 4 0 1 3 6 16 1 Rice. .. 4 0 1 3 3 27 1