United’s football stocks hit rock bottom

Press, 21 July 1980, Page 30

United’s football stocks hit rock bottom

By

DAVID LEGGAT

The footballing stocks of Trans Tours United, which have taken a battering in recent weeks, hit rock bottom yesterday at Queen Elizabeth II Park.

United was thrashed, 4-0, by Dunedin City in its nineteenth Rothmans Soccer League match this season. It is the heaviest defeat ever suffered by United in the league. It was an indecisive, inept,: bumbling display from a| team which is the palest; possible shadow of the side; which started the com-i petition in such strong, pur-) poseful style. Considerable credit must: be given to Dunedin City,' which took its scoring chances well and soaked up a lot of pressure, particularly in the second half. However, it was pressure which lacked a sharp edge. Gone was. United’s attacking flair and incisive running of! the first half of the season. In its place was a flat, lifeless team which seemed short on ideas and unable to vary its attacking play. ' An exception must be made of lan Marshall, who ’

.itoiled manfully but for a •| woefully small reward, in) •‘the midfield. He covered a lot of ground and much of ) United’s best work came largely through his efforts. I When United did pierce I the impressive Dunedin City )back four, in which Dave •Gibson was outstanding, it • was. foiled by the exjperienced goal-keeper, Jim i Taylor. His taking of the I high crosses was immaculate 'and he thwarted several I promising chances with jbrave and intelligent play. United had two outstanding scoring opportunities in the first half. Mike! Glubb, unmarked at the far post, completely missed the ball when facing an open;! (goal from three metres range, and Allan Boath was ’ stopped by Taylor in : United’s best effort of the < half, involving Steve Sumner and Glubb. I Dunedin City took the < lead in the fifth minute f when Paul Hillis headed the

ball home at the near pos from a corner. Six minute: before half-time, Steve Wooddin, who showed some fine touches, was given time and space outside the Unitec penalty area. He raced through the defence and his. low shot from an acute angle flew into the corner of the net. Right on half-time, in a very similar situation, Neville Petrie, the United goal-keep-er, finger-tipped the ball wide from Wooddin. United began the second half well, pushing players forward and opening the game up, instead of crowding play within a confined space. Taylor stopped a volley by Glubb after good work by Marshall; lan Park, who had a good game at sweeper, hit the post with a :ross; Glubb drove the ball unluckily against the crossJar from 20m; and a Dunefin City defender, kicked a Jumner shot off the line. Dunedin City did not se-

tlriously threaten the United >;goal until the seventy-fifth j minute when Jim Wilson, ! who had a busy game in the : midfield, put Gordon McDo--1 nald clear with sc>me skilful play. But McDonald hit his : shot wide. Five minutes later,. Wilson ' repeated the performance, this time creating an opening for John Schoulten to score from close range. The spectators who then left missed a well-taken final goal four minutes from the end when Graham Carr fiercely drove the ball into the bottom corner of the goal, after it came out to him at the edge of the penalty area from a corner. To round off a black day for United, two of its players, Frank McKay and Petrie, were booked, McKay after a bad tackle on an opponent and Petrie for bring- i nig down Schoulten, who : had broken clear, and i rounded Petrie outside the penalty area. i