ALL SOCCER CANCELLED

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31653, 13 April 1968, Page 15

ALL SOCCER CANCELLED

All soccer in Canterbury today has been cancelled, including the full second round of the southern league competition.

The match secretary of the Canterbury Football Association, Mr R. Storer, said yesterday: “The decision was taken on Thursday afternoon when the City Council told the C.F.A. that grounds would be closed.”

The chairman of the southern league committee, Mr M. W. MacKenzie, said: “The decision to cancel the whole round in the league competition. including the games in Dunedin, Invercargill and Timaru, was a difficult one to make. Our biggest problem was the travelling clubs. “We had to consider the reports of more heavy rain and the possible dangers and difficulties on the roads. When these were weighed together, the decision to cancel the round was made.

Playing Matches Later “The round has not been abandoned. We hope to fit the matches into the programme later in the season, particularly those which might have a vital bearing on the first and second division placings. “Next week we will continue with the planned third round.”

It is still hoped to play the two scheduled Chatham Cup matches—University v. Cash-mere-Wanderers and Rangers v. Shirley-Nomads—at English Park on Easter Monday. No decision has been taken to cancel these, and probably will not be taken unless present conditions deteriorate. At least four of the cancelled southern league first division fixtures Christchurch City v. St Kilda, Technical (Christchurch) v. Northern—could have a major bearing on the top places in ’he competition at the end of the season.

Chatham Cup Days Although the league programme is not due to be completed until th« end of August it should still be possible to play the second round games. Three of the Saturdays will be taken up by Chatham Cup, an' 1 clubs not affected by the semi-finals and final might be able to play their postponed games.

In addition, only one South Island club will be affected by the national final on September 7. and this could be

another vacant date for the postponed games, particularly if, as seems likely, Canterbury’s application to hold the Chatham Cup final is refused. Also, it would be possible to squeeze in another Saturday if the local Chatham Cup semifinals or final were played mid-week under floodlights, depending upon the Otago F.A. being able to make similar arrangements. September 14 and 21 have been set aside for the English F.A. Trophy home-and-away series between Canterbury and Otago, while the final of this competition will be played on September 28, between the winners of Canterbury v. Otago and Auckland, the holder, v. Wellington.