Fourth loss for touring All Whites

Press, 9 November 1984, Page 44

Fourth loss for touring All Whites

NZPA staff correspondent Portsmouth

Defensive errors and more than its share of bad luck continued to dog the New Zealand soccer team as it recorded its fourth loss in five matches in going down, 3-2, to Portsmouth yesterday. The All Whites turned on their most aggressive and exciting performance of the tour against the second division side which currently lies second in the division points table. But momentary lapses in the first half contributed to two goals and although they were able to equalise before half-time, they let through another early in the second half and had to watch as Portsmouth turned aside strong 4 efforts through a

combination, of sturdy defence and luck.

The New Zealand coach, Allan Jones, was unhappy that defensive mistakes were still occurring but felt the least his team had deserved was a draw.

"I thought we displayed an attitude that was improved in regard to defending but without question two of the three goals were given away,” he said. “But I’m sure that within 12 months (when New Zealand’s World Cup qualifying matches start), those errors will be eliminated.” Before the match, Mr Jones had said he wanted his defenders to concentrate on clearing the ball from the back third of the field. As a result, big kicks forward were common, and for much of the matfch it

seemed as though what Jones had termed “agricultural” tactics would give the New Zealanders their first win since they played Reading last Monday. But it was not to be, Portsmouth shot into the lead in the second minute of the game after an early attack when the New Zealand goal saw goal-keeper, Richard Wilson, blocked but not hold an attempt by Nicky Morgan and Scott McGarvey came through to put the ball home. New Zealand struck back seven minutes later when Kevin Birch passed to John Leijh who sent a perfect cross which was missed by Colin Walker but picked up and slotted home by Keith Mackay waiting on the far post. The English team re-

gained the lead in the sixteenth minute when McGarvey, a former Manchester United striker, picked up a pass from Kevin Dillon a few metres in front of the goal and chipped the ball in past Wilson. New Zealand struck back in the twenty-seventh minute when Walker, who had been tipped in the penalty area, took a direct kick from the penalty spot and sent the goal-keeper, Alan Knight, the wrong way. The New Zealanders came close to taking the lead five minutes before half-time when Knight produced a brilliant reaction save to keep out a header from Malcolm Dunford after a corner.

Portsmouth began the second half the way they the first with a goal

two minutes after the whistle. Gary Stanley beat Leijh and sent a cross to the substitute, Mario Walsh, who volleyed home superbly. No further goals were scored but it was certainly not for lack of trying. Although the All Whites — playing their second game in two days — began to tire, they continued to attack the Portsmouth defence and were twice desperately unlucky. In the seventy-third minute, a diving Grant Turner appeared out of nowhere to head a cross from Ricki Herbert but the substitute goal-keeper, Andy Gosney, managed a brilliant save. Then, after 82 minutes, Stanley was lucky to find himself on the right spot on the line when Steve Sjimner

hammered the ball from in close. Not all the luck ran against . New Zealand. McGarvey missed out on a hat trick when he twice failed to score from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Herbert. Wilson saved the first but was adjudged to have moved too soon and then diving to his left, kept out the replay. For New Zealand, Wiker had another outstanding game up front, ably assisted by Birch, while Leijh again played skilfully and calmly under pressure. Turner played an exciting and aggressive match when he came on in place of Billy Harris for the second half and Sumner also played well when he took over from Mackay in the seventy-sixth minute.