Potential In Trial Game

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31363, 8 May 1967, Page 10

Potential In Trial Game

Although rain and a greasy pitch effectively combined to nullify most attempts to play smooth, constructive football, there were many things to please in the soccer trial between Canterbury and Young Canterbury at Western Park yesterday.

There was no score, there were as many chances for either side to win the match; and there were first-class individual performances in both teams. The selector-coach, Mr R. C. Carter, has another three weeks to name his first senior team and he has many problems to sort out, not the least choosing between leading candidates for individual positions. The trial demonstrated that there are at least five full-backs that would not disgrace Can-

terbury’s team—A. Hawthorne, K. Francks, G. Davis, R. Kerr and W. McKenna. The least to show up in the trial match was McKenna, blit he was played out of position at left-half, and produced only a fraction of his club form. France and Hawthorne were the senior eleven’s backs, Davis and Kerr were the last line for Young Canterbury, and each in his own way contributed greatly to the game. The final decision between them may have to be left until Mr Carter decides the pattern the representative team will play, and the two who will best fit into it. Although there is very little between them, O. Nuttridge appears the better of the two goal-keepers. But although D. Phillips may be overlooked this'

season, he will not be content with the role of reserve fori much longer. J. Le Poidevin and T. Reilly were solidly reliable at centre* half, S. McAlpine and R. Tay< lor dangerous at centre-forward, P. Kay and K. Morgans effec? tive strikers. For the second half F. Madras* san, just returned from Italy, played as an inside-forward link, man for Canterbury, and showed many neat touches, although his timing needs adjusting after a rest from the game. The most effective of the link men was B. Wilkinson whose control even on such a slippery surface was again in a class of its own. The young Christchurch* B.H.S. soccer captain, S. Squire, also played extremely well.