Itinerary Altered: English Soccer Visit

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 174, 20 April 1937, Page 14

Itinerary Altered: English Soccer Visit

(By

HOTSPUR.)

In order to suit the convenience of Australia, the council of the New Zealand Football Association has slightly altered the itinerary for the tour of the English amateurs. The second Test is now to be plaved at Auckland on June 19 and the third Test at. Wellington on June 26, the team leaving the same night for Sydney by the Maunganui. An effort is to be made to arrange a match at Rotorua, where the team is to spend several days in sightseeing. The amended itinerary is as follows: May 21 (Friday): Arrive at Auckland. May 27 (Thursday): Flay Hawkes Bav and Poverty Bay at Napier May 29 (Saturday) : Play Wellington, Wairarapa and Manawatu, at »> ellmg- ° June 2 (Wednesday) : Play Otago and Southland at Invercargill. June 5 (Saturday) ; Play first Test, at Dunedin. , ™ . June 9 (Wednesday) : Play Canterbury. Westland and Buller at ChristJune 12 (Saturday): Play Auckland and South Auckland, at Auckland. June 16 (Wednesday): Play Wanganui and Taranaki at 'Wanganui. June 19 (Saturday): Play second Test at Auckland. June 20: At Rotorua. . June 26 (Saturday) : Play third Test at Wellington, leaving the same night for Sydney.

Alteration in English Team. J. Sowerby (Ipswich Town) notified the Football Association that he was unable to travel with the party to New Zealand and Lester C. Finch (Barnet) accepted an invitation to take his place. Finch is the greatest amateur playing to-day. When he played against Scotland at Dulwich on March 13th it was his eleventh appearance in an England international side since 1933. Finch is a tall and particularly graceful type of outside-left, with a stride like an amateur. He is an unorthodox player; at one moment he will be at centre-for-ward, at another away over on the right wing.. But this habit of changing his moves, while it occasionally bewilders his team mates, has added considerably to England’s score in many international matches. An individualist, perhaps, but a great one. There is a touch of class about everything he does, and his swerving and brilliant dribbling carried out at a tremendous pace make him a really delightful player to watch. He is probably the only amateur playing to-day who could walk into most professional First League sides. He has played on numerous occasions for Amateur Trial games for F.A. ■representive elevens, for 'the Southern Counties, for the London F.A., and for the Athenian League as well as helping Hertfordshire on four occasions to win the Southern Counties Amateur Championship. His inclusion should strengthen the party considerably as against Ireland and Scotland Sowerby failed to live up to the reputation he had built up for himself in earlier games. Finch, with truth, can be described as a “personality.” A young man of exceptionally firm character and charm of manner, he holds strong religious views, and on several occasions has refused to take part in a Continental tour because he would not play football on Sunday. Three other members of the party were recalled, to the England side against Scotland:—H. S. Robbins (Dulwich Hamlet), B. Joy (The Arsenal) and E. O. Collins (Walthamstow Avenue)). Robbins was suffering from slight knee trouble and had to stand down, but since then played a brilliant game for his club when they beat Bromley in the Amateur Cup semi-final. In the international Joy gave a great defensive display and in the later stages came tearing up the field with all his old characteristic dash. Collins was the most effective member of the attack, beating his man again and again, and sending across scores of 'goal inviting centres. F. Riley, another member of the party, who had been. resting a. knee injury for several weeks, is now quite fit again, and played a fine game for the Isthmian League against the London League on March 20th. R. J. Mathews gave a very stylish display for London against Birmingham on March 17th, and L. C. Thornton in a slightly lesser degree also excelled in that representative match. In the international at Dulwich J. W. Lewis, in attack and defence, was the most effective player on the field.

Senior Competitions Start. Football of an encouragingly high standard was seen in the opening matches of the season on Saturday, and when the teams settle down, with their combination, there should be keen struggles between the leaders in both the first A and first B divisions. Mr. G. F. Aers, sole selector of senior teams for the W.F.A., is to be congratulated on getting possible representative players into training so early, and this move will undoubtedly have a brightening effect on club as well as interprovincial football this season. Interest will centre next Saturday on the meeting at Porirua of Hospital and Marist. Institute Old Boys thoroughly extended the champions last Saturday, and it will be interesting to see how they fare against the alert Marist side. Diamond will find Seatoun a hard nut to crack, and Waterside will test the mettle of the promoted Technical Old Boys team. Petone will be at home to Institute Old Boys, and an even game should result.

Promising Debut. The newly-promoted Technical Old Boys team shows promise of developing into a really good side, and when they settle down will give their opponents plenty of trouble. Marist owed their win ou Saturday to their experience, but the second round clash between these two teams, tvhen Technical have become a little more seasoned, might easily produce a different result.

Redmond is a good goalkeeper, and made some excellent saves on Saturday. Ronald was in the limelight at full-back, making many good clearances. 15. Clentworth. and N. Gates were always to the fore, and iu the forward line Liddicoat

and A. Gates were ever on the look out for chances.

The Marist eleven appears to be a well-balanced team, strong in all departments, and the experience gained by the young players last year should be of great value to them. P. Traynor, erstwhile half-back, shows promise of developing into a first-class inside forward. Hatchard appears very fit and has lost none of his constructive cleverness. M. and R. Quirke, the two wingers, have plenty of speed, and many good centres came from their boots. Turkington in goal played his usual cool-headed game, and was always best when most needed.

Over Keen at Times. The Seatoun-Watereide match was marred by the ordering off for fighting of a member of each team. If the game is to be taken as an indication of this season’s senior football, then the spectators can look out for more fireworks than football fare. Seatoun owned their win to shock tactics rather than field play. Waterside made the mistake of adhering to the close passing game and feckless finishing by the forwards coupled witii lack of confidence in defence were also contributing factors to their defeat. Though not conspicuous, McKenzie was the best of the Seatoun forwards. There is plenty of purpose in his play, and his manoeuvre of keeping out during a goal raid brought its reward in a brace of well-taken goals. Parton, in goal for Seatoun, gave a good display, being calm and confident in his work. Longbottom (eentre-half) was easily the best of a disappointing Waterside team. He was unlucky not to score from a penalty kick. Hazel was an absentee on Saturday. It looks as though Waterside will have to strengthen their defence. Cocks was missed from the half-line with his forcing play. Reid played his last game for Waterside on Saturday, and it is understood is to turn out for Petone. Diamond’s Good Start. Petone appeared to be caught napping by Diamond on Saturday, but that did not detract from the spirited exhibition put up by the winners. Making good use of the wind, Diamond thoroughly tested the Petone defence, and led by two goals to nil at the change-over. Leslies generalship soon enabled his side to draw level, and as they continued for a time to have the best of the game, the match looked a foregone conclusion. Then D. Johnston put Diamond ahead after a breakaway, and the whole complexion of the game altered. The fast Diamond wingers, though weak in front of goal, harried the Petone defence. Leslio dropped back to centre-half for a while in an effort to stop the rot, but Petone were a tired team by this time, and Diamond continued on their winning way.

Petone were without the services of Graham, their centre-half, who was indisposed, but Diamond had also to fill Hopper’s place in the backs. This vigorous player is reported to be standing down this season. His place will be hard to fill, as he was always difficult to pass in addition to being one of the fittest men. on the field.

One of the neatest players in Saturday’s game was Craig, whose work on the left-wing for Petone was of great assistance to Leslie. Geddes was the outstanding player in the Diamond eleven, his .generalship and clever interceptions giving his forwards many scoring chances.

Nearly a Draw. Though they have better facilities for practice than the other teams, Hospital have not as yet got thoroughly into their stride, and Institute Olffi Boys gave them a fright on Saturday. ’Playing on their own ground, the Porirua team is always hard to beat, but so sluggish were they that the teams turned over with Institute leading by one goal to nil. The champions are considered to be a better secondhalf team, and they duly won by three goals to two. It was not Institute's lucky day, Marshall’s shot striking the post right at the death-knock. Hospital were lucky not to have had a drawn game. W. Woods, on the Hospital left-wing, has started the new season with renewed vigour, and his first-timers and his lobbed centres gave the Institute backs plenty to think about. Salisbury replaces Thompson, J. Woods has Simon’s place at lefthalf, and Lawlor is playing in the rightwing position formerly occupied by A. Gibb. Hospital should soon settle down into as formidable a combination as they were last year. Institute fielded most of their last year’s team, with the Marshall-Suther-land-Ward combination functioning well in the forwards. King, in goal, was kept busy, but he stopped many more shots than he let through. Boyes, at centrehalf, fed his forwards well, and A. and R. McLean look like making a steady pair of backs this season. CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE First A Division

Pts. Ch. I’. W. L. D. For. Ag. Pts, Hospital .. 1 1 — — 3 — Marist .... 1 1 — — 4 ■ Seatoun ... 1 1 — — 4 1 Diamond .. 1 1 — — 5 2 Waterside . 1 — 1 — 1 4 ■— Petone .... 1 — 1 — 2 o — Technical O.B. 1 — 1 4 —• Institute O.B. 1 — 1 — 2 3 —— FIRST B DIVISION. Pts. Ch. p . W. L. D. For. Ag. Pts. Swifts 1 1 — — 10 — ft Scottish Wanderers 1 1 — — 2 1 Koro Koro. 1 1 — — 3 — 1 ** Miramar Rangers 1 — — 14 4 1 Nada 1 — —14 4 1 Lower Hutt 1 — 1 — 1 — — Wadestown 1 — 1 3 — Onslow .... 1 — 1 10 —