Improved N.Z. holds England B to 3-1

Press, 12 June 1978, Page 28

Improved N.Z. holds England B to 3-1

From DAVID LEGGAT in Wellington

Three second-half goals — two resulting from slack marking — gave England B a reasonably comfortable 3-1 win over a determined and much-improved New Zealand side in the second soccer international of the threematch series at the Basin Reserve yesterday.

The England performance was not a particularly good one until New Zealand scored the equalising goal 12 minutes into the second half. | From then on, England, ! generally, had control. From' New Zealand's viewpoint, it was a good display, certain-' ly far superior to its dismal ' showing at English Park on; Wednesday evening. It had effectively an equal; share of possession in the I first half and made good use! of it. The conditions did not aid either side. A gusty wind] and persistent drizzle left' the surface greasy and from! the start of the match players had extreme difficulty in maintaining their footing. Nevertheless, New Zealand settled into its task well and showed a more committed, urgent approach than England in the first half. Indeed, in this half, England showed a somewhat lethargic attitude during what was a fairly dreary period. New Zealand, playing a controlled brand of soccer, seemed content to build its attacks from the back. Play slowed down to a walking pace at times as the New Zealand back four pushed the ball back and forth across the pitch waiting for openings which never eventuated. The New Zealad team was a strange one in that its captain, Adrian Elrick, who had a fairly satisfactory I match on Wednesday even-j ing as sweeper, played as a! right mid-fielder. The New. Zealand coach (Mr Wally | Hughes) preferred a 4-4-2 [ formation, using Keith Nel- 1 son and Earle Thomas as | twin strikers. Duncan Cole made his! first full appearance, also in the mid-field, while Bobby Almond, after overcoming j early nerves, gave a fine defensive display in his first 1 international. One tackle of! his on Paul Mariner halfway through the second spell was a superb piece of j skill and timing. One of the most awkward! tasks of the New Zealand! defence was to contain the dangerous England B full-; backs, Viv Anderson and Alan Kennedy. Anderson made the first | serious threat to the New

Zealand goal when he weaved through the defence in the eighteenth minute only to have his powerful shot blocked.

i England could, and probI ably should, have scored 'when, in the twenty-second • minute, Kennedy, the outstanding player on the pitch, robbed Glen Dods on the by-j 1 line and crossed the ball; 'deep to the far post where; Brian Talbot, quite unmarked, headed the ball! wide.

New Zealand replied with a fine move, engineered by the energetic Nelson, which ended with Elrick weakly heading the ball wide when he had time and space to control the ball.

The New Zealand goal-, keeper, Prevar. Jeram, felll awkwardly after taking a! high cross while being challenged by Mariner 10 minutes before half-time. He was taken to hospital and, after X-ray examinations, was released with bad bruising around his shoulder.

Although the first half contained few bright patches the match was always on absorbing struggle, from! which New Zealand! emerged with credit.

The second half was so far removed from the first in terms of excitement and i skill that it could easily have been an entirely different match.

In the eighth minute, Almond and Dcds cleared the! ball off the line during one! England raid, Almond’s! being a tremendous effort at; full stretch.

England’s first goal came ; two minutes later when Gordon Hill, who contributed I little overall, swung the ball into the goal when the ball (bounced clear to him. Hill, !5m out, was unmarked and 'New Zealand was rightly 'punished for its error. I Within two minutes New i Zealand was back on level terms. Nelson broke away 10., the left flank and sent across an early, low pass towards Brian Turner. The England defender, Glenn ! Roeder, failed to cut off the pass and Turner controlled the ball and superbly chipped it over the advancing England goal-keeper, Joe (Corrigan. It was an excellently- ; taken goal and, on the run lof play until that stage, a fair reward for the home team.

It was then that the game really came alive. Sandy Davie, who replaced Jeram, charged out of the penalty area to boot a John Hollins through-ball clear just be-

ifore it reached Hill. ( He then pushed a strong [drive by Gary Owen wide of ! the upright, and magnificently parried a shot by ! Hill, again unmarked, with | three England players closing in for the kill. The England manager (Mr Bobby Robson) brought on the two replacements flown out from London on Friday, Tommy Langley and Mel Eves, in place of Hill and Steve Daley, who had a useful match. A minute later Turner, much more involved than at Christchurch, left the field injured and Dave Taylor came on.

After 27min, a fine shot from 25m by Mariner, who covered a lot of ground, completely beat Davie, hit the junction of the upright and cross-bar and bounced kindly for David Needham to head spectacularly into the goal. England began to tighten its grip on the game and (third goal by Anderson, driving the ball into the corjner of the net from an acute (angle after a goal-mouth [scramble, was the finishing (touch to New Zealand’s 'hopes. Of the New Zealand players, Almond and lan Park stood out in defence, with Elrick and Turner the pick of the midfielders. For Englandland, Kennedy, Needham, i Anderson, Mariner and the i midfield trio of Talbot, I Daley and Owen all produced commendable performi ances.