NATIONAL LEAGUE SOCCER United, Brighton name teams for Saturday

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32879, 30 March 1972, Page 24

NATIONAL LEAGUE SOCCER United, Brighton name teams for Saturday

Five players will have their first competitive matches for their new clubs in the Christchurch United and New Brighton teams named last night for the opening round of the 1972 Rothmans National Soccer League on Saturday.

United will have two newcomers in its side to play Blockhouse Bay at English Park—the defender, I. Park, and the striker, A. Marley.

Park, formerlv with Preston North End and Grimsby Town, in the English League, arrived in Christchurch only last Thursday. The three making their

debuts for Brighton against Wellington City in Wellington are the Technical pair who transferred to the seasiders last week, W. McKenna. the left-back, and C.

Cawley, the left-wing, and J. Kroon. Kroon, who has been named at centre-back, replacing last year’s captain, J. Langan, returns to the national league competition after a season’s absence. He was a linkman in the Eastern Suburbs team in 1970 and played for Nelson United in the Central League last year. “Johnny (Kroon) played at centre-back against Caversham last week and did a great job," said the Brighton coach. R. Taylor. “I think he will give us more solidity in defence.” The only other change in the Brighton side is at rightwing, where A. Smith replaces W. Robinson, who has not returned to soccer so far this season for personal reasons.

The two teams are: United: A. Fleming; G. Davis, K. France (captain), G. Griffiths, Park; T. Randles, B. Hardman. V. Pollard; Marley, G. Dacombe. K. Doomenbal. Substitutes: A. Weir, T. Blake, C. Attridge, P. Dick. Brighton: D. Phillips; A. Daw, W. Chisholm, Kroon, McKenna; G. Storer, G. Taylor, S. Cully; A. Smith, W. Quirke. Cawley. Substitutes:

. Langan, S. Rowe, B. Smith, R. Taylor. i Apart from Kroon, the onlv ■ other Brighton players with . national league experience • are Phillips and the coach, i Taylor, who were both in the s Christchurch United team in i 1970. I THREE MATCHES 1 There will now be a pro- ■ gramme of three matches at English Park on Saturday, : starting at 1 p.m. with a ' game between under-11 1 teams from Christchurch City 1 and Shamrock. ! This will be followed at, 1 1.30 pan. by a Southern League match between Ran1 gers and Western, and the ’ national league game will ; start at 3.15 pan.