United down, 3-0, to North Shore

Press, 7 June 1982, Page 16

United down, 3-0, to North Shore

Special correspondent Christchurch Mogal United was the sacrifical lamb as Hanimex North Shore celebrated the opening of its new ground with a 3-0 win in the Rothmans National Soccer League on Saturday. The Auckland side, relishing the firm surface and wide open spaces of Dacre Park, was goal-hungry from the start. North Shore dominated the first spell but some dogged defence, especially by Ceri Evans, kept the score to 1-0. The goal came from a Keith Hobbs drive from a rebound. North Shore added two more goals from Hobbs and Barry Weymouth in the second spell as the home team played with rare confidence.

Christchurch Mogal always seemed to be in a lower gear. It created some chances, but too often the build-up took too long.

Keith Braithwaite twice came close and Brent Berry, who was introduced late in the game, showed that speed could unsettle the Shore defence.

But the star of the game was the North Shore winger, Peter Henry. His ball control and nifty footwork made the Christchurch defenders look leaden-footed. Evans and Paul Wilkinson worked hard, but too often the Shore

wingers were allowed to cross the ball. When Christchurch Mogal cleared the ball, its mid-field was disorganised, particularly after Graeme Archer left the field injured. Braithwaite tried to soldier on alone, with flashes of support from Stuart Chalmers and Tommy Sermani. The Press Association reports that Hamilton City lifted itself from the bottom of the table with a solid 2-0 win. against Kenwood East Coast Bays in Hamilton. Although Hamilton had not played for nearly a month, it dominated the first 35 minutes and a fifth-minute goal from its striker, Keith Neiderer, had the Auckland side on the back foot from the outset. Bays came close late in the first half when a longrange shot from Rod Weir struck a goal-post, but Hamilton survived and was seldom in trouble in the second half. Hamilton City's victory was assured when its fullback, Matt Walker, aged 18, scored his first league goal in the 58th minute. His header from a near post corner struck a defender and the upright on its way into the net. The League leader, Mount Wellington, had to score late in the game to manage a 1-1

draw with Wellington Diamond United in Auckland. W D.U. had beaten Mount Wellington in their first encounter. W.D.U. scored early, the goal being set up by Paul van der Breggan and finished by Malcolm Dunford. United defended for most of the match but just failed to protect its one-goal lead. Witn six minutes remaining, Keith Nelson found a gap. drew the goal-keeper wide of his goal, and John Price flicked the ball into the net. Dunedin City maintained its prominent place on the ladder when it drew 1-1 with Napier City Rovers in Napier. The City Rovers mid-field dominated the first spell, with the Derby County imports, Paul halford and David King, combining effectively. However, Dunedin City opened the scoring when it launched a raid after five minutes. George Caird played a simple cross and an unmarked John Russell headed home from 6m. City Rovers missed several good opportunities in the first naif and, although it did not have so many in the second spell, it equalised in the sixty-ninth minute when King received the ball 25m out and hit it home after first avoiding a defender.