SOCCER YOUTH

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32677, 5 August 1971, Page 9

SOCCER YOUTH

The Burwood club, the youngest in Canterbury, having its second season, has not yet had the time or the opportunity to collect many honours. But there is good reason to believe that the under 10 grade side coached by Colin Robinson could be one of the club’s pathfinders.

Already this season, the team has won its section competition, but even this meritorious success was probably overshadowed by the victory it scored in the quarter-finals of the knockout last Saturday. The Burwood boys play in section 3 of the under 10 grade; their opponents, Christchurch City, were from section 1. But in the best fairy-tale tradition, “Jack” brought down the “giant” when Burwood scored a splendid, 3-0, victory. The coach’s son, David Robinson, scored two of the goals, Gary Smith sandwiched one in between David’s two, and there was never much doubt about which was the better team on the day. Even so, a very determined City forward line never relaxed its efforts, and it took a magnificent performance by the Burwood goalkeeper, Philip Ambler, to keep his side on top. After the match, the coach, Mr Robinson, was asked which of his boys had most impressed him. He handed the questioner the list of his team, merely saying; “All of them.” # s #

Burwood had a second knock-out success, through its under 8 grade team beating Rangiora, 4-0, but the under Ils, who had begun the season playing fine football, went down to another Rangiora side, 0-2. Outstanding on Burwood’s losing side was the halfback line of Mark Woodall, Mark Brown, and Vaughn Lawson; the goal scorers for the winning under 8s were Dean McKay (2), Johnny Weilsma, and Mark Nugent.

The winning Rangiora under 11 side was particularly well served by the defender, Roger Reeves, and the forwards, Lindsay Chambers and Michael Moir. * * *

It was a most successful day, too, for the long-estab-lished Rangers club, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in September. Only one of its 11 junior teams in the knock-out competitions was eliminated, and Rangers are very hopeful of having at least five finalists.

The under 8s had a good win, by 2-0, over Shamrock, both goals being netted by the team’s top scorer, Murray Coates, from passes by Simon Myers and Darryl Robinson. But the result might have been different

had it not been for the fine goal-keeping of John Lloyd. There was nothing flattering about the under 9s’ 1-0 win over Halsweli, through a good goal by Stephen Faifai. The score-line belied the run of play, for the Rangers goalkeeper, Gregory Clark, touched the ball only three times. The strong defence of Michael Noon and lan Schraa, and the excellent midfield play of Johnnie Robinson, Stephen Hayward, and Kevin Daly, provided the backbone of the team.

Extra time was needed to find a result in the under 11 knockout match between Hornby A and Burndale A, and it was Burndale which got the deciding goal and won 2-1. Hornby gained an early lead through the centreforward, Steward, and held on to it until the second half when Bumdale equalised. Christchurch City and Hornby produced a real gem of a match in the under 9 grade knock-out at Ray Blank Park. Hornby, well coached by the former New Zealand international, Ken Sudlow, was unfortunate to concede an own goal, but City’s second by Lee Nicol from a through pass by Phillip Hayward was worthy of the match. # St #

There was never any lack of excitement in the under 11 match between Rangers A and Shirley-Nomads A. The football was often of high class, and most of it came from a Rangers side whose better team-work and more thoughtful play paid off in the end.

Rangers fully deserved its 4-0 victory but the margin! was a little flattering. Shir-ley-Nomads never wilted and had a fair share on attack, going very close to scoring twice. John Cross had a shot miss by inches, and Erich Reiser, from a run which started near the halfway line, burst through the defence, beat the advancing Rangers goal-keeper, but also put the ball just wide of the post. Rangers had match-winning forwards, four of whom are included in the Canterbury representative squad for their age group. Two fine goals were scored by the left-wing, Eric Harton, his side’s first and last. In a often hard-pressed Shirley defence, Michael Shaw, Keith Scott, and Clive

Murphie had good games, while Cross, Kevin Clay and Reiser were the best of the forwards. S: Ss

The knock-out competitions proved successful for the younger Shamrock teams. Although the under 8s went down, 0-2, to Rangers A, the under 9s scored twice to stop Technical’s winning run, and the under 10s had a runaway win by 10-1 over Hornby A. However, the under 9 grade side had unexpected and very fortunate aid in the scoring of one of its goals against Technical. After Jimmy Small had netted the first, Andrew le Lievre added the second from a rebound off the referee. This Shamrock side was on top for most of the game, its forwards taking fullest advantage of the fine service given by Garry Marshall. During Technical’s occasional breakaways, Steven McNichol, Steven Glegg, and Victor Eicholtz defended strongly. * # #

With only a few Saturdays of the season remaining, the Halsweli A side was stood down and replaced by the B team for the match against Lyttelton. The club was looking ahead to 1972 when the B team boys will be moving up into the under 9 grade and wished to give them greater experience. And it proved a sound scheme for the team was improved greatly on previous performances. Outstanding in the match were Kenneth Langan and Donald Swanston in attack, and Darryl Cook in defence. The scorers for Halsweli were Swanston i(pehalty) and Langan.