Canterbury Challenge

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31144, 22 August 1966, Page 18

Canterbury Challenge

“The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND. The Canterbury defence cracked and crumbled at Newmarket Park yesterday as Auckland retained the English F.A. Trophy —symbol of provincial soccer supremacy—by five goals to one. Weakened by the unavailability of Western players engaged in the South island final of the Chatham Cup, Canterbury was a shadow of the side which drew with Sing Tao, Hong Kong. 2t committed itself to defence even after Auckland had taken an early lead after seven minutes. when its inside-left, R. Mears, scored from a craftilytaken free-kick by the centreforward, R. Ormond. The defence held fairly well until half-time, when the score was 1-0, but only once in the first half did Canterbury look like scoring—and then the rightwing, T. Conley, shot over the stop from close range. The second half was all Auckland. As Canterbury persisted in packed defence the Aucklanders dominated mid-field play, and inevitably on the hard and fast ground ran the defenders -ragged. Ormond scored after four minutes, the right-back, G. Lake, after 27; inside-right G. Lamont after 37, and Mears again after 43. Canterbury's only goal was a good header by Conley after a corner in the fortieth minute. Canterbury's defeat was a tragedy of mistaken tactics. After the early set-back nothing could be gained by defensive tactics, well though the centrehalf, G. Donaldson, and the leftback, A. Hawthorn, were playing. The centre-forward, R. Taylor, was a lone attacker, and on the hard ground he was often outpaced by O. Nuttridge's long clearing kicks. which seemed to be Canterbury's only method of attack.

The rest of the forwards were only sporadically on attack. Conley had some nice touches, and W. Yates, at inside-right, worked hard, but the left-wing, W. Logan, after a hard tackle early on, was rarely in the game. The Gowans brothers did not show out as wing-halves. B. Gowans spent all his time in defence and put in some good work in the first half. xHis brother made the occasional foray upfield, but only at the expense of one of his inside forwards. Donaldson belied his years with some agile heading and

sound covering, but with hardly anyone upfield to pass to, much of his good work was wasted. Hawthorn anticipated well at left-back, and harried his opposing winger. G. McCormack, into a bad game. Nuttridge made one error which gave Auckland its fifth goal, but otherwise handled safely. i Auckland played the short- ; passing game best suited to I the conditions. Its forwards played untidily for much of the time but so strong was the half-back line of P. Rennell, W. ; Hunter, and K. Sudlow that the mistakes were covered up.