SOCCER LEAGUE ENTRIES SOUGHT

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33479, 9 March 1974, Page 48

SOCCER LEAGUE ENTRIES SOUGHT

Entries have been called for the two places now vacant in the Southern League soccer competition after the walk-out of Canterbury; clubs last week.

In a letter sent out to affiliated associations from the league council, the secretary, Mr M. K. Pahi, has invited entries from clubs. “No change is 'contemplated in the format of the competition,” he added. Entries close next Thursday, and it is expected that the council will meet soon afterwards to choose the two new clubs and approve the 1974 fixtures. The competition will start on April 6.

The five Canterbury clubs which have withdrawn from the Southern League, because of the petrol crisis and

rising costs, are Technical Shamrock, Western, Halswell, and Woolston.

The league chairman, Mr M. W. MacKenzie, said last evening that the scheduled play-oif series would not be held, and the eight entries already accepted are: Invercargill City, Queen’s Park I (Southland)', Caversham, A.C. i Otago, Roslyn-Wakari, Mosigiel, Dunedin City (Otago), i Rangers (Canterbury’). I Timaru City has decided not to enter the competition. A move this week by I Messrs G. Thomas and H. I Montgomery at the Otago |F.A. management committee |to have the Southern League 'divided into two qualifying sections —as sought by the (five dissident Canterbury I clubs — was defeated by five ! votes to two.

Soccer.— Zaire beat Mauritius. ■4-1, and Congo and Guinea drew, ; 1-1, in their African nations soccer cup championship at Cairo.