Soccer youth

Press, 7 July 1977, Page 13

Soccer youth

Canterbury Day, traditionally the day when the Canterbury junior representative soccer teams show their respective paces, is this year without a venue.

For the last few years the Rangiora Association has been the host but this season, because of ground problems, it is unable to take the responsibility. The Canterbury Junior Football Association’s president (Mr Alan Fraser) has been forced to appeal to clubs with the necessary facilities to help.

It is often said, that the eighth grade is the one which generates the most enthusiasm and excitement among both the players and the spectators. Once such example occurred on Saturday, when Cashmere A and Shamrock A fought out a 0-0 draw at Hagley Park. The score-line accurately reflects the closeness of the match. Cashmere did most of the attacking, with Jason Flood, Steven Sibley and Arun Van der Plas outstanding. However, the “man of the match” was the Shamrock goal-keeper, Steven Burrows. Ably assisted by Steven Farrant and Albie Killick, Burrows turned on a particularly skilful display of goalkeeping which went a

long way towards keeping Cashmere scoreless.

When Shamrock did attack, Simon Cosgrove showed himself to be its most dangerous striker.

In section five of the same grade. Rangers C recorded its second win this season when it beat Cashmere C, 2-0. John Gray scored both goals, and along with the Rangers goal-keeper, John Flett, George Robson, Allan McDermott and Kay Samuels, was the pick of the winning team. For Cashmere. Jeremy Laukey and Allan Scott tried valiantly but without any luck.

Until last week-end, the Christchurch United eleventh grade A team had conceded only seven goals. Western A added another five on Saturday at Barrington Park, but even so, it only won, 5-4.

For Western, Michael Morton scored twice, Eddie Rar.nell, and Peter Olsen once each, and there was an own goal. Although he did not score, Andrew Hearn set up many of Western’s attacking movement and provided his strikers with several scoring opportunities.

Robbie Lloyd (two), Paul Loman and Paul Gray, kept United within reach of Western right up until the final whistle, and

Neihana Te Aho worked tirelessly both in defence and, whenever possible, attack.

Cashmere’s eighth grade B team seems to be playing better than its A side this season. In beating Burwood. 3-0, on Saturday, it took its goal tally to 20 and has conceded only one. The twin strikers, Robert and John Davies, paved the way for Mike Sayers to pick up the goals. At the other end of the field, tenacious defensive play by Steven Kelly has been primarily responsible for keeping goals out.

Although it -was beaten 4-1 by Technical, the Rangers under 13 A team can regard itself as being a trifle unlucky to lose by such a margin. Playing at the atrocious Cuthberts Green ground, Rangers kept up an almost constant attack on the Technical goal. However, Technical managed two breakaway goals by Steve Sawyer and Adam Riley. James Maguire reduced the deficit with a well-taken headed goal from Darryl Robinson’s fi-nely-judged corner kick. Another goal by Sawyer and one from Brendon Vile towards the end, enabled Technical to retain its unbeaten record this season.