Sport in brief

Press, 28 June 1989, Page 31

Sport in brief

Goal count ‘wrong’ The Hutt Valley United soccer goalkeeper, Robbie Geerlings, is adamant that the Mount Wellington striker, Noel Barkley, only scored five goals in the Mount’s 8-0 win over his side last Sunday. Barkley was credited with six goals, equalling the record of Keith Braithwaite, of Christchurch United, for most goals in a national league game which he set two years ago. Geerlings said the Mount’s eighth goal, credited to Barkley, was actually an own goal by the Hutt defender, Dave Jacobsen. "I don’t like taking it away from Noel but he didn’t score. Dave was running back towards me with Noel behind him. He knocked the ball back and it went past me without anyone else touching it.” Cyclists successful New Zealand riders finished with distinction in the Isle of Man 113 mile road race, the concluding event to the four-day cycling tour which included a time trial around the island and two handicap races. Two Christchurch riders, Aaron Lauder and John Morrison, finished fourth and sixteenth respectively in the road race which boasted a field of 120 riders. Wayne Morgan, of Auckland, finished twenty first, and Mike Griffiths, also of Auckland, did not complete the race. Only 52 riders finished. Other countries represented in the race included England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Belgium, Denmark, the U.S.S.R. and Australia. In general classification New Zealand finished second behind Great Britain. A member of the winning team won the road race in the record time of 4hr 42min. Soccer coach sacked PA Auckland The stormy relationship between the Papatoetoe Club and its soccer coaches continued yesterday with the dismissal of Jack Vercauteran. The club chairman, John Slecht, announced the appointment of a former All White, Dave Bright, as the new coach. Less than two year ago the club sacked Fred Goodwin in the wake of a carpark confrontation when Mr Slecht gave Goodwin his marching orders and announced the recall of Vercauteran. Bright was player-coach at Manurewa in 1985 and later played, and took the assistant’s coach role, under Fred Goodwin at Papatoetoe. He started at Murdoch Park under Vercauteran last season, but then switched to North Shore under Jim Doherty. This season he cut all club ties and has been coach for various Franklin representative sides. Turkish cup battle NZPA-AFP Istanbul One man was in a coma and another seriously ill after being shot in savage fighting between rival soccer fans before the Turkish Cup final in Istanbul. The number of injured admitted to hospital had risen to 12 while about 20 men were still in police custody. Police displayed a hand gun, knives, sticks and an axe used in the pitched battle between supporters of Besiktas and Fenerbahce. A police spokesman said they fired warning shots in the air before charging the fans but it was unclear who shot the two critically injured men. Besiktas fans celebrated throughout the night after their team beat Fenerbahce, 2-1, to win the Cup. Polocrosse win PA Harare, Zimbabwe The, New Zealand national polocrosse team snatched the narrowest possible victory over Zimbabwe in a three match series, which ended yesterday. It happened because New Zealand requested an extra chukka in the second test at the south-east sugar growing centre of Chiredzi following a 34-34 draw. The New Zealand manager, Lawrence Tye, asked the Zimbabweans for the extra session because he did not want to go home with a stalemate. The tourists snatched the one goal needed for a 35-34 win. It was just as well because in the final test at Zimbabwe’s second city, Bulawayo, the home team got its act together and won comfortably 37-35. The first test, at Ruwa near Harare, was won by New Zealand 32-20. It was the first polocrosse encounter between the two countries and it seems likely a Zimbabwe team will make a return tour to New Zealand in the near future. New Zealand also won the secondary test series for mixed men’s and women’s teams. Mosse overwhelmed PA Auckland The Olympic bronze medallist, Anthony Mosse, says he will not forget the day he added five letters to his name. Mosse’s M.B.E. for services to swimming was awarded the same day he graduated with a B.A. in honours from Stanford University in the United States. “I was quite overwhelmed,” he said from his mother’s St Heliers home. "Graduating on the same day as my M.B.E. was announced was fantastic. I was exceptionally proud to accept it. It’s not something you think about but then all of a sudden it’s there. The cards and letters people have sent me have been incredible. It’s been great to go through them.” Mosse arrived in New Zealand on Friday and returns to the United States this Sunday where he will prepare for two swimming meetings in California, the United States nationals and the Pan Pacific championships. "I wanted to be back in New Zealand and with my family,” said Mosse. “I need it for my sanity. I’ve just finished university and graduated and wanted to bring a bit of stuff back with me. Things have been very hectic for me and I wanted a breather.”