SHADOW OF TEAM

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31767, 26 August 1968, Page 8

SHADOW OF TEAM

The loss of key players and the unfitness of others proved a burden beyond Rangers* capacity at English Park, and a proud record was surrendered to Roslyn-Wakari. This was a mere shadow of Rangers at full strength and in full cry, and was a bitter blow to the club’s championship hdpes. Pollard was away in Palmerston North, the goalkeeper, D. Spraggs, was on his honeymoon, and Haydon was recovering from an influenza virus.

For 40 minutes it was the real Havdon; strong and resolute and dangerous. Three times he went close to scoring, the shots being blocked by bodies in the way or saved by the goal-keeper. Then his strength gave out and he finished the match almost at a standstill, unable to lift his own play or that of his team. The losses were felt greatest in mid-field where, without Haydon and Pollard to control play, Rangers were threadbare of ideas and construction. On another day Roslyn might have been overpowered, for the Dunedin club, although quietly efficient at times, was more often ragged and inconclusive. A penalty to each side, each calmly converted by M. Clyma and D. Torkington for Roslyn and Rangers, respectively, sent the teams into the second half still on level pegging. The winning goal was a magnificent header by A. Middlemiss from J. Bunyan’s centre, tucked well out of the of the deputy goal-keeper, G. Chellew. Chellew, as the replacement for Spraggs, did nothing wrong, and made one glorious save in the first-half from T. Smillie, flinging himself full stretch across the goal to turn the ball for a corner. Rangers fought on after Roslyn’s second goal with the determination the team has always shown, but it was all effort and no spark to set it alight. The Roslyn goal-keeper, D. Frame, commanded his area extremely well, but he was not really tested. Twice he saved competently, but for the rest helped to keep a panicky defence in some control of itself. B. Hammond, at centre-for-

teard for Rangers, ran hard at all times, but he was lost withthe stream of passes that are usually pushed through to him by Pollard and Haydon.

It was a sad manner for Rangers to lose their first match in the league. Nor could it have come at a worse time. It will now need a tremendous effort to overhaul City. Lesson Unlearned City ‘ brought a “secret weapon” into play at Riccarton Domain to scuttle Shamrock. Three times A. Gowans used a long throw, each leading to a headed goal, by J. Logue, F. Madrussan and R. Taylor, and Shamrock failed to learn a lesson from any of them. It has always been known that Gowans has a long throw, and on the narrow Riccarton pitch it has been a potent weapon in previous games. Instead of taking up defensive positions as it would have done to corner kicks, Shamrock allowed City players to be free in the goalmouth and paid the penalty. City’s other goals came from Taylor, Madrussan and T. Ward, the last two from very narrow angles and the first after a defensive blander. So that although City won fi-0 and never looked like losing, the goals it scored were not clear-cut issues. Tighter and more positive defence by Shamrock might have prevented at least four. It was a bitchy, badtempered game, and the referee, Mr W. Robinson, had his pen and notebook constantly in action, taking the names of three City players—Logue, Madrussan and W. McKenna —and one of Shamrock’s—T. Mann. The biggest cause of trouble was players going down together and coming up punching and kicking. Under other circumstances, a couple of players might have had their marching orders. Apart from its lapses in defence, Shamrock produced some bright play, particularly its speed to break from defence into attack. In this department, A. Marshall was a key figure and with a little more care Shamrock might have had two or three goals.

City defehded, as expected, like a team determined to give nothing away when the result of the championship might depend on goal average. O. Nuttridge made two fine saves and G. Evans’s head bobbed here, there and everywhere. It was a mystery why Shamrock continued pushing through long, high ball® when this source of progress was so easily repulsed. Tide Decided New Brighton carried off th 6 second division championship at McFarlane Park, not in the grand manner, It is true, but finally with assurance. For some time Shirley-Nomads made the path hard and tortuous, and over-anxious Brighton players, knowing the title was dangling so temptingly in front of them, took a long time to get to grip with themselves. Brighton’s life-savers came one in each half.

First, D. Duffy scored from a neat cut-back by K. Morgan, and then W. Quirke added a second goal. Now Brighton put away all its fears and trepidations, and over the last 20 minutes played like a champion team. When the final whistle sounded it was like the release of a long breath—Brighton had done it. And the first to shower the second division champions with congratulations were the Shirley-Nomads players, who had made Brighton fight so hard for victory but were unstinting in their praise when the feat had been accomplished. For Brighton, its youngest player, G. Storer, was outstanding. He defended manfully throughout the whole 90 minutes, and there were several times when great deeds in defence were necessary. D. Phillips, in goal, was strongly tested, and with Storer Saved Brighton from being in trouble. It has been a long, fluctuating trail for New Brighton eince the seasiders lost their playoff match with Shamrock it the beginning of the season. They have come through it with a reputation enhanced.

Three-Goal Lead Holding the initiative for ill of the first half, the Chatham Cup finalist, Technical, held a three-goal lead at the Interval. The side failed to add to its total in the second half, conceded a goal, but with the two points taken from the match has almost assured, itself of third place in the first division. Thi® was a better team effort than s-ome of Technical’s more recent performances, and the best match K. France has played since his return after Injury. France was always in the match, lending his support in defence and attack and taking a commanding role in mid-field.

One of the players who denied Technical a bigger win was D. Smith, the Western goalkeeper. He had a very snaky first half but came back to make some brilliant saves. Even so, more controlled finishing by Technical, particularly in the latter stages, would have brought goals. Tn spite of the fine work of Smith.

An own goal by D. Bussey and shota by A. Dawe and P. Kay put Technical in command, while A. Hawthorn put through his own goal for Wevtern’a only reward.