NATIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE Top pair have 5-0 victories

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32626, 7 June 1971, Page 20

NATIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE Top pair have 5-0 victories

Mount Wellington and Eastern Suburbs hammered home their superiority in the Rothmans National Soccer League at the week-end, each scoring handsome, 5-0, victories.

And with Blockhouse Bay held to a draw and Christchurch United’s mateh cancelled because of fog, they extended their lead to five points over their nearest rival The Mount Wellington’ striker, E. Thomas, with two of his side’s goals yesterday in the clear-cut win over Dunedin Suburbs, has moved into a clear lead among the league’s individual scorers, on 15. At the other end of the table, Stop Out defeated Mount Albert-Ponsonby, 1-0, and three clubs are now on six points and the relegation Issue is wide open. The Christchurch UnitedWestern Suburbs match, cancelled when the Wellington club was fog bound in the capital, will probably be played later in the season. (Report on page 13.) •

Results and league positions: Mount Wellington 5 (J. Houghton 3, E. Thomas 2), Dunedin Suburbs o—helMitne 2-0. Stop Out 1 (I. Cheriton), Mount AlberbFonsonby 0— half-time 0-0. Blockhouse Bay 0, Gisborne City 0. Wellington City 0, lastem Suburbs 5 (M. Bland i. W. de Graaf 2, R. Couwenburgl—-half-time M. Christchurch City v. Western Suburbs—cancelled.

BLOCKHOUSE DECLINE While Eastern Suburbs and Mount Wellington have gone from strength to strength, the fortunes of their fellow Auckland club, Blockhouse, the title-holderi continues to de-

cline. Although- given the initiative as Gisborne pulled its players back on defence, seemingly content to force a draw, Blockhouse could do little with it, the mid-field men failing to get S'good service through their forward?. The Wide gulf between the best of Wellington and Auckland- was emphasised by Eastern’s 5-0 win at the Basin Reserve. City seemed out of its class a? the Aucklanders controlled play and took the chances they'made. ATTACKING PAIR The Houghton-Thomas attacking combination was again tremendously effective, and Dunedin, without being overwhelmed, yet was rarely able to withstand the Mount’s strong attacks, through the middle and the build-up play that enabled both Thomas and Houghton to gain scoring positions. Stop Out owed its victory to a goal in the sixty-ninth minpte by Charlton, who broke through the Mount Albert defence and lifted his club off the bottom rung.for the first time in eight weeks.

Goal* P W D L F A Pte Mt Wgtn 10 7 1 35 111 E. Subs 10 7 1 31 111 B’house 10 4 i 3 23 16 1 Chch Utd 9 4 4 3 15 7 1 Dn Subs 10 4 2 4 18 24 1 Glsb 10 3 3 W. Subs 9 3 2 4 15 4 13 Stop- Out' 10 2 * f IS J? Mt Albert 10 2 2 S X S & Wn City 10 2 2 8 9 23