Goal-hungry strikers danger to United

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32703, 4 September 1971, Page 42

Goal-hungry strikers danger to United

(By

D. P. MANSBRIDGE)

' vo ,.''f the most dangerous strikers in New Zealand k’ i“ omas an d J- Houghton, will spearhead the Mount Wellington attack against Christchurch United at English Park this afternoon.

Both are members of the national squad, and Thomas, in particular, has become one of the closely-marked men in the game.

Even so, this speedy, clever, and deceptive-looking player has evaded the attentions of enough defenders to score 19 times, .and trail the present Rothmans National League scorer, C. Shaw (Blockhouse Bay), by only one goal. And while Shaw has only one more league match to play when the Bay meets Eastern Suburbs today Thomas has three, against United, Gisborne City, and Eastern. CREATES CHANCES But Thomas is more than just a goal-scorer himself; he also creates opportunities, and Houghton, who is third on the list with 15, has benefited from the service Thomas has given him. The former Hamilton player, whom Mount Wellington brought from Bay of Plenty in 1967 and persuaded to say in New Zealand when he was offered a substantial sum to transfer to Australia, is held in the highest respect by every centre-half in New Zealand. Thomas’s greatest asset is his ability to drift into dangerous open spaces at a time when defenders are having their attention drawn elsewhere. WHO TO BLAME? Many times after Thomas has popped the ball into the net and run back upfield, he has left behind him defenders staring at each other, wondering which to blame. Invariably, someone will say: “You were ball-watching and let your man go.” It will be the task of United’s well tried and experienced centre-backs, K. France and G. Griffiths, also both members of the national squad, to stifle the threat of Thomas and Houghton today. Each scored a goal against United in Auckland in the first round when Mount Wellington won, 2-0. It was the dedication and ability of the Wellington City defenders, W. Ritchie, and P. Cameron, to mark Thomas and Houghton out of the match, that led to Mount Wellington’s shock dismissal from the Gillette Chatham Cup last Saturday and put

Wellington City into next: week-end’s national final. FLEMING’S ROLE Thomas’s danger in the air was one of the factors that probably influenced the United coach, Mr T. C. Conley, in bringing back the national squad goal-keeper, A.' Fleming, for today’s game, in place of P. Straw. Fleming’s handling will need to be clean and his timing sure to keep Thomas at bay. The. other key members of the Auckland club’s team are three more members of the national squad—the left-back, R. Armstrong, son of the club coach, and the mid-field men.

G. Lamont. New Zealand’s captain last season, and I. Hastie, who proved one of the big sucesses in the side that played in Noumea this season. In 1970, also at the end of the season when United and Mount Wellington met at English Park, both teams were playing for third place and $lOOO. Then United won 5-3. This time, the Mount will be striving for the championship and United again bidding for third place. Defeat for United will end its chances, and a loss for the Mount could put Eastern Suburbs into a title-winning position.