League hopes of United, Brighton now at stake

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33609, 10 August 1974, Page 44

League hopes of United, Brighton now at stake

(By

D. P. MANSBRIDGE)

Much more than local rivalry between town and seaside will be at stake when Christchurch United and New Brighton meet, for the fourth time this season, at English Park tomorrow.

The whole reason for a long season of determination and dedication by both dubs may hinge upon the result of this one clash. For Brighton, a loss will end the seasiders' hopes, once so high, of taking the Rothmans National Soccer League title, and probably, too. of' getting secund place. Brighton would fall five points behind United, and is' fast running out of games in which it might pull back such a big deficit. A loss for United would equally end the title-holder's chances of retaining its

championship, even if Mount Wellington has not done that already, and would leave second place—and s2ooo—- — open once more. in these circumstances, Brighton might seem to have just an edge in the need to win tomorrow’s game, but there are other factors weighing the balance. Brighton has beaten United on all previous occa- ■ sions they have met this sea-son—2-1 and 1-0 in the preseason tournaments, and 1-0 in the first round of the national league. And as nothing like that had happened to United before, the chib will be even more determined to go some way tomorrow towards evening the account.

They meet on more favourable terms to United than after their first contest in the league on May 12. Then, United was halfway down the table and Brighton was unbeaten and on top. Now, Brighton has lost four matches in succession—three of them in the league—and has slipped to fourth {position: United has had an | undefeated record since May 19 and is topped only by {Mount Wellington, and only on goal average.

Team injuries Pre • match assessments have an additional disadvantage in that both teams have injury problems. United will be without its top goalscorer, 1. Park: Brighton has G. Storer. P. Glasson and N. Francis all under a fitness cloud.

On paper, United should have just enough going fori

It to avenge the early-season defeats inflicted on it by Brighton. Whereas the ball has begun to run kindly for Christchurch, the luck all successful teams must have seems to have temporarily deserted Brighton.

Defensive roles And Brighton is not the same force on a heavy, untrue surface, as English Park will be, as it is on the billiard-green surface at Queen Elizabeth II Park, despite the fact that it lost its 100 per cent record there last Sunday. But Brighton is not the team these days that once

could be taken for granted. Its player-coach, Alan Vest, knows the potential of players who made Brighton possibly the most exciting side in the league before its losing run started, and the psychological advantage the wins his team has already gained over United can give it.

Whether he has been able to arrest the sinking feeling that four successive losses have left in the side is another matter, for he knows, too, that United is seeing its way far clearer than it did in former times. There is unlikely to be more than a goal between the clubs at the finish tomorrow and victory might well go to the side whose defence gives least away. Other contenders The other championshipseekers, Mount Wellington and Stop Out, have home games tomorrow, against Wellington City and North Shore United, respectively. City should not prove too much of a problem to Mount, but Stop Out cannot view with confidence a clash at this stage with a greatlyimproved North Shore.