Stop Out aims for title

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 52

Stop Out aims for title

With the 1977 Rothmans National League soccer competition finally approaching its completion for about half of the 12 teams, much interest now surrounds the final three performances of Stop Out. It has been one of the surprises of the season to see the team from Lower Hutt, generally regarded as one of only average quality, topping the league charts for many of the rounds.

n It does have two excellent ■ front-runners in Sam Mal- [ colmson and Derek Gibson- . Smith and it has a defence | which gives little away. But I (that apart, it has little to II offer.

Tomorrow, it meets Dunedin City at Te Whiti Park 'and may find it has a i

difficult task to take both: points. From Dunedin City’s viewpoint, a loss will mean almost certain relegation, while Stop Out will want two points to stay three ahead of Hamilton, which has a match in hand and a similar goal average. Hamilton plays North Shore in Hamilton tomorrow. North Shore seem likely to take a minor share of the prize money but for Hamilton, the major reward of the season is still within its grasp. Eastern Suburbs, New Brighton’s main rival for the third relegation position, is capable of taking two points from Nelson United in Auckland tomorrow. Nelson’s chief consid-l

eration now must be the Lion Chatham Cup final against Mount Wellington. 1 If Suburbs does win, itl will be a disaster for Brigh-i ton. Its chances of beating: Blockhouse Bay at Queen! Elizabeth II Park tomorrow! are good. To be sure, it must win.! Anything less will probably I spell the end of Brighton’s' term of top football. Trans Tours United should; take a point from its match! with Mount Wellington in Auckland today. In theory, 1 United still lias a slight chance of taking the league title. If it does not finish the season in top position, it could not claim with any i justification that it was unI lucky. United has missed far

too many chances in front of the goal during the season. I In the other match this) week-end, Caversham, al-1 ready certain of Broadlands ! Southern League football (next year, will meet Wellington Diamond United in Dunedin tomorrow. There will be four hours !of continuous soccer at ! Queen Elizabeth II Park tomorrow as the semi-finals of jthe Sunday soccer league’s (Canterbury Sports Depot I knock-out tournament will be held before the national league game. Avonhead Tavern meets Telegraph at mid-day and the second semi-final will be played at 1.45 p.m. between Mason and Anderson and Air New Zealand.