Brighton Wins Replay, Reaches Cup Final

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32312, 2 June 1970, Page 9

Brighton Wins Replay, Reaches Cup Final

Recovering from a goal down after 18 minutes New Brighton beat Shamrock, 4-1, in the Gillette Chatham Cup semifinal replay at English Park yesterday but' it was a match that should not have been played.

After the two teams had finished the first match, or Saturday, two goals and one corner each, the result should 'have been decided on the toss of a coin.

The rules of the competition do not allow for a replay in the preliminary rounds and this fact was overlooked on Saturday evening when it was decided the two teams should meet again yesterday. By its victory, Brighton qualified to play Western in the final under lights on Wednesday night, and on Friday

travels to Dunedin to meet one of its toughest rivals in the southern league, Caversham.

All For Nothing j Should Brighton lose to Caver'sham, the club might well wonjder whether its exertions in the cup competition have been ; necessary. Brighton, with hopes of gaining entry into the Rothmans National League next season, must win. or at the least finish runner-up, in the 1970 southern league championship, to win a place in the play-off series. Yesterday s semi-final replay was another scrappy match between two very tired teams, and some of the play late in the second half sadly reflected the players exhaustion. The final score of 4-1 4’d not do Shamrock full justice, but the club brought troubles down on its own head by looseness in defence, particularly in a three-minute period in the first half Defenders Saved S. Brines had put Shamrock ahead in the eighteenth minute, with a fine shot through a conglomeration of legs and bodies, but twice Shamrock players erred in defence, to allow W. Quirke to score twice, In the twentieth and twentythird minutes. D. Duffy added to the Brigh-

ton score before half-time and W. Robinson, from a breakaway movement, notched the seasiders' fourth. During the second half Shamrock went close to scoring many times but the luck was not with the team. J. Langan was outstanding in the Brighton midfield and defence, and although giving away some years to al of his team-mates, also gave them an object lesson in reserving his effort was most needed. Shamrock, for all its efforts and endeavours, lacked real punch in front of goal, and was also too prone to make costly errors in defence.