Brighton scores an upset win

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34120, 5 April 1976, Page 15

Brighton scores an upset win

C‘The Preus’' Special Service)

WELLINGTON’. New Brighton was mentioned as the prime relegation candidate for this season’s Rothmans soccer league. But if the luck it had in beating Stop Out. 2-1, remains. the seasiders will have a very good season. Although it was constantly under pressure. Brighton capitalised on two costly Stop Out errors and made a great start to the Rothmans National League with two away points from the first round clash at Te Whiti Park yesterday. Its coach. Martin Stewart, admitted after the match that his side struggled slightly as it was under tremendous pressure. “But we made the most of our chances, and that is what soccer is all about,” he added. ‘•We had a lot of changes in the team and the placers all came out of the match very well indeed/’ The tall mid-field plajer. Johan Verweij. put the game alight after 11 minutes when he put a 30 yard dri\-e into the net via the Stop Out goal keeper. David Roxby. Neu Brighton was building up a owe and then, out of the blue. Verweij struck hard. The ball went racing to the chest ot a surprised Roxbx — who momentarily held the ball, and then let it slip by. “I had so much space I thought I would have a go. With the wind behind us the coach told us to shoot from far out/’ said Verweij. Sam Malcolmson equalled the score after 30 minutes when, unmarked, he beautiful) v headed in a cross from Jim Richardson The second half was a oneway procession — to the Brighton goal — until 15 minutes remained. Then Stop Out ran out of steam and Brighton seized the opportunity to improte its form, and for the first

time found its target with accur- ! ate passes. Stop Out tensed up and the defender. Ken Dugdale, threw Michael Glubb in the goal-mouth with a hip movement. There was a dispute between the players and Dugdale again pushed Glubb to the ground — this time with his

I The crowd chanted. ••‘Off. off.’ i ;but Dugdale received only a 'stern warning from the referee. And Fred Koest had the final answer by scoring from the penalty to give Brighton an upset win. f The star for Brighton was the New Zealand under-21 goalkeeper, Richard Wilson, a signing from Christchurch United. He was one of the busiest, men on the field, stopping the numerous Stop Out attacks with exceptional ; flair. Glubb was always dangerous up front with his nippy footwork. but at times he lacked I support. • Throughout the second half' ;Stop Out tried everything to I secure a second goal, but the; Brighton back-line of Alan Smith, j ’Stan Wooliscroft, Rob Brown, j and Andy Lower stood up well, j ■ Meeting.— Representatives from; !72 sporting groups in Sydney ihave been invited to attend a ' meeting on April 12 to discuss j Government cuts in spending on ! sport, plus a possible ban on all iforms of cigarette advertising. ■ State aid to sports has been severely cut by the Federal Govi eminent as part of its over-all 1 reductions in State spending.