Brilliant Soccer By United In 8-1 Win

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31381, 29 May 1967, Page 3

Brilliant Soccer By United In 8-1 Win

"The Press" Special Service AUCKLAND. Giving a heady, bubbling display of soccer at its best, Manchester United, the English League champion, gained its predictably easy win over Auckland by 8-1, at Carlaw Park yesterday.

The ground was packed, with about 25,000 spectators, and the surface was reasonably fast and true on a ground notorious for its mid-winter muddiness. Even considering the onesidedness of' the contest, it was an enthralling display of fast, precise soccer by Manchester United—rather like chess played at a gallop. After a muddling first half when their attacks failed through bad passing, Auckland fought back from 0-5 at half-time, and in a brave show, cracked in a goal in the sixty-eighth minute. MASTERY REGAINED

There were a few other moments which made Auckland hearts glow with pride but towards the end, Manchester came back with three goals just to show its mastery.

If Mancheste* played at less than full pace, the team disguised its rests rather well. Just after half-time it was content to blast away with long shots at goal, which A. Stroud, the Auckland, and New Zealand ’keeper, gathered in easily, rather than bore in as it had done in the first half. However, Manchester’s brilliant play and the occasional fight-back by the Aucklanders made this more of a game than ar exhibition. Manchester produced several outstanding players, and all of them displayed a remarkable speed and athleticism which so often marks the difference between the amateur and the professional. Speed of foot, pass and thought marked their play and the Aucklanders, whose command of these virtues was less noticeable, were often made to look leaden-footed. TWO BRIGHT STARS

Two stars shone especially brightly. The first was the famous R. Charlton, at insideleft or anywhere else his carefully laid plans took him. He was the king-pin of many of the attacks, thrusting here, flicking passes there and never seeming to lose control of the ball or the tactics of the game. But if Charlton conducted his team like some maestro, then G. Best, the impish little right-wing, known as “El Beatle,” was the brilliantly extravagant soloist With his slim, short build and Beatle haircut, Best could hardly be unnoticeable; but Best also

possessed a blinding burst of speed over 10 or 15 yards and his bal' control was such that he frequently popped the ball between the legs of the bemused Aucklanders. Best scored two goals and laid on another two with his dazzling runs on the right wing. That, at least, was his programme position, but he was just as liable to pop up on the left flank or in midfield.

As his party piece, Best broke clear about halfway and near the right-hand touchline. Cutting in toward the goal he somehow slipped between two Auckland players, skipped past a third and bore down to the right of the goalmouth. With a staggering spurt, he took the ball almost to the goal-line, ran around the advancing Stroud and casually flicked the ball across for N. Cantwell to score the easiest of his three goals. As a diversion, he laid on one goal with a low, flat cross from the corner which went like a bullet, and Cantwell again nudged the ball past the helpless Stroud. LIKE WIND-SOCK Best’s finest goal came when J. Aston had crossed from the left, and in the melee the ball bounced clear by the right-hand post. With tremendous force, Best halfvolleyed it into the goal with such force that the net bellied out like a wind-sock. In the more workaday play, Cantwell and B. Kidd, two

strapping forwards, were especially good, and with their height and jumping, they outclassed the shorter Aucklanders in the air. The times Auckland launched an attack, N. Stiles and F. Burns usually nipped it off quickly and, apart from a first-class goal which G. Lamont got past him, the Manchester goal-keeper, A. Stepney, spent most of his day fielding easily the 30 or 40-yard desperation shots which the Aucklanders hopefully let fly. Auckland showed a good deal of life in the middle of the second half and Lamont’s goal produced one or two more rousing raids. About this time, P. Renell was working wonders on defence, and the wings, J. Legg and R. Mears, made several exciting raids which had the Manchester backs conceding corners. Unfortunately, the Auckland attacks suffered because M. G. Burgess, the king-pin of the forward-line, seemed to have the jitters in the first half and his passes were erratic. He improved in the second half and it was his neat flip back to Lamont which gave the Aucklander room for his successful shot. Manchester’s goals were scored by Aston (3), Cantwell (2), Best (2) and Kidd (penalty). The teams were:

Manchester.—A. Stepney; A. Dunne, F. Burns: P. Crerand D. Sadler. N. Stiles: G. Best, R. Charlton, N. Cantwell, B. Kidd, J. Aston.

Auckland.—A. Stroud; W. Hunter, T. McNab, P. Rennell, G Lake; I. Kristensen, J. Houghton, G. Lamont; J. Legg, M. Burgess, R. Mears.