Brighton wins final in extra-time

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33492, 25 March 1974, Page 7

Brighton wins final in extra-time

(By D. P. MANSBRIBGE) Victor and vanquished, battered and bruised, stumbled off Rangers Park on Saturday after New Brighton, scoring the winning goal in the second half of extra time, had beaten Christchurch United. 2-1, and qualified for the southern region final of the Air New Zealand Cup soccer competition.

Brighton will now travel to Dunedin to play Caversham next Sunday with entry into the national semi-finals at Easter—and a tilt at the $6OOO first prize—as its target.

Two defensive lapses by United contributed to Brighton’s goals in the fifty-ninth and 106th minutes, and which brought superbly-headed efforts from the seasiders’ player-coach, A Vest, and their striker, W. Quirke. United took play into extra time when T. Randles scored from a penalty 37 minutes into the second half after the Brighton full-back, R. Almond, punched out a certain goal from I. Park. But if these were the positive outcomes of this rough, tough, bruising encounter, the negative sides outnumbered them many to one. Three scything tackles on the United wing, F. Madrussan, in the first five minutes set the pattern for the rest of the game. What developed was little better than an ugly punch-up and kick-up. The eost to both club, was

iout of all proportions of the gains; The Brighton centre-half, M. i Knox carried off on a stretcher .with a dislocated knee and problably to be out of the game for two months. S. Sumner (United) and T. Blake (Brighton) both sent off. Sumner for “violent conduct” and Blake for "persistent misconduct.” Four other players—Vest and K. Mulgrew (Brighton), G. Griffiths and R. Drinkwater (United) —had their names taken. The United striker, M. McNaughton, finished the game distressed and with a badly swollen and bruised left eye. J. Souter, the Brighton fullback, had six stitches inserted in his injured mouth (the result of his clash with Sumner, for which Sumner was sent off). And among the other walking wounded were a collection of cuts, bruises and sundry knocks. If this "battle of Rangers Park” is to be par for the course of Brighton-United clashes for the rest of the season, when they meet in matches that count, both clubs will be lucky to finish 1974 with enough players to field two elevens.

The football was as tight and uncompromising as the tactics both sides produced. The loss of Sumner just before half-time left United with 10 men and opened the way for Brighton to take the lead in the second half. Vest timed his run to perfectlon to meet a corner from Mulgrew with United defenders caught unawares. The dismissal of Blake was followed bv United’s equaliser, although the Brighton goal-keeper, O. Nuttridge. made a great effort to save Randies’s penalty kick. Before these two goals, United had had one glorious chance and Brighton two. Madrussan was much too slow taking a chance given to him by Park, and K. Morton was inches wide and then inches high with a shot and a header. It was Brighton that carved out the greater scoring chances in extra-time, too. Even so, Park might well have settled the issue for United. but/ his attempt to place a header over Nuttridge’s head failed. Morton was only inches away with another header and Mulgrew put a great shot on to the top of the bar, before Brighton set the seal on one of its finest victories. Mulgrew made space for himself on the left wing and crossed perfectly. The United goalkeeper, P. Dando, looked as if he would cut out the ball, then changed his mind. It floated over half a dozen heads and Quirke, on his own by the far post, headed into the net. Brighton well deserved this victory, there was more adventure, more life, about its play.

United’s was far too stereotyped and it was not until N. Moran came on late in the second half that the attack began to function with more freedom. But the end result of 120 minutes free-for-all was a highly satisfying success for Brighton, a great deal of disappointment for United, a referee’s book full of names and a high casualty