Teams on defensive

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34130, 17 April 1976, Page 16

Teams on defensive

By

DERRICK MANSBRIDGE)

( The Christchurch United j manager (Terry Conley) is concerned about the defensive approach opposing teams are taking up in their matches ’ with United this season. “It may mean that United will! be forced to adopt the same tactics and that will destroy all hopes of more adventurous soccer this season,” he said yesterday. Conley was commenting on Christchurch United’s match with Stop Out at Queen Elizabeth IT Park tomorrow, in the truncated third round of the; Rothmans National League. i League and cup soccer clash over the Easter week-end. with only two games in the Rothmans competition — United v. Stop Out and Wellington Diamond United v. Eastern Suburbs, both tomorrow — and the $6OOO first prize at stake in the final rounds of the Air New Zealand tournament. Both semi-finals in the latter competition will be play ed today, with Gisborne Citv and Caversham meeting at Childers Road.j and the holder. Mount Welling-, ton. plaving the cud “giant-1 killer” Hamilton, of the Northem League, at Newmarket Pa\k Th© winners go through to the

final at Auckland on Monday. Today’s cup semi-finals have caused three of the Rothmans League matches to be postponed. including New Brighton’s scheduled fixture against Caversham. United and Stop Out, both the victims in upset results this season, have strong, talented teams that have yet to show their full potential. There is little doubt that if both adopted attacking policies tomorrow the match. would provide great entertain-! me nt.

However, Conley is concerned that while United lias been concentrating more on attack, the club’s opponents have not. “Teams meeting United have been massing in defence and keep’ng only one or two plavers up front.” Conley said. “They have been catching us or threatening to catch us. in one-to-one situations as we have pressed forward.

“Even Mount Wellington adonted a defensive role against us in the opening league match. “United just cannot afford to let points slip away in this fashion. Although I don’t want to go back on defence, we would have to if that is how the others are going to play us.”

Conley had a full squad in training this week but will not name his final team until todax. Brian Hardman, who went on as substitute for an injured Bobby Almond against W.D.L. last Sum day, m’ght well force his way back into the first team. Stop Out’s squad includes two former New Brighton plavers — Graham Storer, who moved to the Lower Hutt club at the start of this season, and Jim Richardson, who had a short spell with the seasiders in 1975. • Richardson. Paul Buckle and Maurice Batev moved from the relegated Wellington City. The Stop Out squad is: — R. Roxby, M. Tillotson, T. Winter. Storer, D. Gibson-Smith, K. Dugdale. Buckle. Richardson, P Brown. Batey . S. Malcolmson. I. Chariton. G. Turner, M. Jones. Last week-end, Stop Oul snatched a point from Mount Wellington in a 1-1 draw al Auckland after losing, 1-2, ta Brighton in the opening round United beat the Mount. 1-0. and then went down to W.D.U., 1-2 W.D.U. will be defending iti 100 per cent record against ar erratic Suburbs. The Auckland club was overwhelmed. 0-4. bv Caversham, and the next wee) beat Blockhouse Bay, 2-0.