W.D.U. unlucky not to win

Press, 9 June 1980, Page 34

W.D.U. unlucky not to win

By

DAVID LEGGAT

Wellington Diamond United might not be the most entertaining team in the Rothmans Soccer League, but as Trans Tours United found yesterday it is one of the most effective.

On a greasy Queen Elizabeth II Park pitch, W.D.U. had to settle for a 2-2 draw against a United team which wasted far too much possession. W.D.U. led, 2-1, until 10 minutes from the end. Then, when United’s hopes were rapidly dwindling, a deflection off a W.D.U. defender brought it level. Indeed, had, a. good left foot effort by Derek GibsonSmith not hit the post two minutes from the end, W.D.U. would still have had a win it could strongly assert it deserved.

United is going through a very bad patch and yesterday it was unable ta lift its performance against a determined well-organised, but unspectacular W.D.U. team. Its attack, based on a 4-4-2 system, still lacked sting even when Steve Sumner was pushed forward from the mid-field during the second half.

W.D.U. gave nothing away in defence, relied mainly on the quick breakaway, and fought for every. ball with purpose and decisiveness. Of the United team, none worked more industriously than Peter Bennie in the mid-field. He .battled tigerishly for everything and had some of .his team-mates been imbued with a similar attitude, the outcome might have been different. United took the lead in

the twelfth minute with an excellent goal. Allan Boath, strangely patchy over all, was set free on the right by lan Park, United’s captain and left back. Boath’s piercing pass split the defence and the ball was stabbed into the net by Mike Glubb from close range. United should have taken a commanding grip on the match seven minutes later when the referee (Mr Arthur Edwards) awarded it a penalty when a W.D.U. defender held an opponent down. However, Park’s penalty was well saved by Bob Wilshire, the impressive W.D.U. goalkeeper. W.D.U. is invariably dangerous . at attacking set pieces, with the tall Paul dec Breggen always a threat in the air. But United seem-

ed to have weathered the W.D.U. attacks capably and with five minutes left before the interval looked set to have an important half-time advantage. Instead, it began the second half a goal down. A powerful header by van der Breggen hit the cross-bar and as the ball was being scrambled clear he was fouled in an off-the-ball incident by a United player.

Gibson-Smith scored from the penalty spot and two minutes later, United conceded a free-kick 20m out and the burly striker drove the ball past the defensive wall into the net.

W.D.U. clung grimly to its lead until Park crossed the ball from the left and it was flicked past Wilshire into the net.