Good start for two Chch soccer sides

Press, 2 March 1981, Page 30

Good start for two Chch soccer sides

Two of Christchurch’s three Rothmans Soccer League teams made a good start -to the competition, when the opening round of games was played over the week-end. Woolston W.M.C. can be well satisfied with its 1-1 draw with Wellington Diamond United at English Park on Saturday; Christchurch Mogal United will also be happy with its start to the competition; picking up a point in a scoreless draw with Gisborne City, also at English Park on Saturday evening; while Rangers had a disappointing start to its second season when it was beaten by National Mutual Miramar, 1-0, in Wellington. But while Woolston has every right to be pleased at taking a point, it must be disappointed it did not take two great chances within the first 20 minutes. Had it done so the result would probably have been much different. In the seventh minute, Graham Dacombe’s shot rebounded off the W.D.U. goal-keeper, Bob Wilshire, straight back to him. With Wilshire stranded on the ground and an open goal at which to aim, Dacombe’s shot sliced wide of . the post. Then Dacombe battled his ' way into the penalty area, the ball rolled clear to Mike ,

Poole but he slammed his left foot shot wide from an excellent position. These efforts apart, neither goal-keeper had much work in the first half, most of the play being centre around j the middle of the pitch. But there was too much scrappy play for the game to be rated an especially memorable one. W.D.U. had r two opportunities before the interval. Three minutes after halftime, Woolston took the lead, when Poole, after a frantic scramble in front of the W.D.U. goal, hit the ball past Wilshire into the net. Soon after, Allan Boath I was forced to block the ball on the goal-line from a corner. But chances were few and as the match progressed errors crept in on both sides. W.D.U. drew level after 68 t minutes, when the Woolston re defence failed to clear a I' harmless cross. The ball p; reached Gibson-Smith, who [. had space, and time, to pick a his spot and the big striker n made no mistake. < Two strong defences gen- i erally dominated United’s 1 match with Gisborne. Nei- i ther side was able to pene- i trate. Kevin Fallon and Bobby' Almond organised their respective teams’ defences well, Almond hav-

is ing an outstanding game for n United. . An indication of the run i- of play was that neither h goal-keeper, Barry Pickering >t (United) or Don Finlayson, e was forced to stretch for a te shot until four minutes after o half-time, when Peter Sime onsen hamniered a free-kick !- against the United upright. The decision to play the i- United captain, lan Park, in the front-line, did not really f- succeed. Park was unable to e make much headway against a the formidable Gisborne •f defence. 11 An inability to create scoring chances hampered h (Rangers in their match 11 against Miramar. The Wel- ■- lington side became the first v in the 11 years of the league d to field 11 New Zealandhjborn players. The only goal ‘of the 8 imatch came in, the eleventh i 'minute, when Gary Paddison i [headed a good goal from a I pCosta Leonadis cross.. > (Rangers had a good final 15 c [minutes of the first half, and r right. on half-time almost equalised, when Peter Chote, - the Miramar player, in pre- > venting Paul Glasson shoota - irtg. pushed the ball desper- - atjely close to his own goaL 1