VIGOROUS SOCCER

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 191, 10 May 1937, Page 11

VIGOROUS SOCCER

Hospital Beat Seatoun In Hard Game PETONE’S GOOD WIN Waterside Too Strong For Diamond The meeting of Hospital and Seatoun. the two unbeaten teams in the first A division championship, attracted a fair crowd of Soccer supporters to the Basin Reserve on Saturday. Conditions were far from ideal, but Hospital handled the tricky wind better than their opponents, and scored a narrow but well deserved win by two goals to one. Both teams played vigorous football, and though the game was lacking in spectacular movements. it was interesting right up to the final whistle. I’etone were at home ’to Marist, and, after being down at half-time, came right away in the second half to score a good win. Waterside won with something in hand from Diamond, and Technical Old Boys secured their first win of the season at the expense of Institute Old Boys. HOSPITAL’S SOLID DISPLAY Hospital had to give of their best to beat Seatoun by two goals to one. Though the game was lacking to a great extent in spectacular movements, it was fast and keen throughout both spells, and the score was a reasonable indication of Hospital’s superiority. Both sets of halves worked like Trojans, but the Seatoun line, particularly in the second half, seemed inclined to hang back, with the result that attacks bv Webster, Woods and Shankie, the most aggressive of the Hospital forwards, had advanced well into Seatoun territory before they could bo stopped. Hospital kept their positions admirably, ami the defence of Miles and Salisbury, backed up lev Todd at right-half, worried tlie Seatoun forwards. D. Gibson woitked hard, but JlcKenzie had an offday. Wilson and I. Gendall, on the wings, crossed well, but good backing up by tlie Hospital defence nullified their efforts.

Hospital, playing with the wind in the first half, had Seatoun in difficulties, but K. Yeoman cleared in his usual sure style, and the best Hospital could do was a succession of corners. Parton fisted a hot shot from Shankie over the bar, but later the Hospital goal had an equally narrow escape, McKenzie being unlucky when he received from I. Gendall in front of goal. The rival centre-halves, Salt and Jeffery, had many duels for possession, with the honours not going always to the bigger Hospital man. Right on half-time Shankie scored from a scramble with Parton out of his goal. Hospital 1, Seatoun 0. Hospital combined even better against the wind, and after seven minutes’ play, Webster cleverly screwed the ball out of Parton’s reach high into the corner of the net. Hospital 2, Seatoun 0. Seatoun tried desperately to score, C. Yeoman putting in some really effective work in the half-line. Another hard worker was D. Gendall. Play had been in progress halt’ an hour when D. Gibson scored from a good pass from J. Gibson and Wilson. Hospital 2, Seatoun 1. There was no further score, though both goalkeepers were several times called on. The teams were : — Hospital: Wyatt; Miles, Salisbury, Todd, Jeffery, Upchurch; Webb, Staubridge, Webster, Shankie, W. Woods. Seatoun : Parton; Jones, K. Yeoman; J. Gibson, Salt, C. Yeonrnn; Wilson, D. Gendall, G. Gibson, McKenzie, I. Gendall. PETONE IN FORM Despite the high northerly, Marist and I’etone put on a good exhibition at the Petone Recreation Ground. Marist kicked oil into the wind and, playing attractive football, came close to scoring in the first few minutes, but Wickliffe handled safely. Petone retaliated, but J. Kershaw with good anticipation gathered the ball and cleared. Play switched from end to end and both goalkeepers were tested but made good elean saves in every instance. Marist were unlucky when Hatchard, after tricking the defence, missed narrowly with a hard shot. With the wind in their favour the best Petone could do was to force four corners in the first spell. Marist’s first score came after about 30 minutes' play when T. Kershaw slipped through. Wickliffe got his hands on the ball, but could not save the goal. Marist 1, Petone 0. A few minutes later T. Kershaw scored and again with a beautiful shot. Marist 2, Petone 0. From the start of the second half Petone settled down to overhaul their deficit and Patterson opened their score with a low drive just inside the post. Marist 2, Petone 1. Then Leslie slipped through between the backs to equalise. Petone kept up the pressure and taking advantage of a misunderstanding between the Marist backs Leslie again netted, making the final score Petone 3, Marist 2. The teams were:— Petone: Wickliffe; Dewar, Graham: White, Reid, Smith; McLeod, Patterson, Leslie, Cullen, Craig. Marist: J. Kershaw; J. Laracy, Romanus; Hindle, Foley, 11. Laracy; R. Quirke, Traynor, T. Kershaw, Hatchard, M. Quirke. COMBINATION PREVAILS Waterside carried too many guns for Diamond when the two teams met on No. 2 ground at the Basin Reserve, but they had to play good football to get past the vigorous Diamond defence. Facing a strong northerly in the first half, Waterside were early on the attack and showed wisdom in keeping the ball low on all occasions. Led by that heady halfback A. Longbottom, they had Diamond in difficulties on many occasions, and it was only the stubborn defence of McLean in goal that, kept them out for the greater part of the first half. Often when the full-backs were beaten the custodian would step into the breach and save his side. Though they had a strong wind behind them, the Diamond forwards were not impressive on attack and looked ragged in comparison witli the well-organised thrust of their opponents. The first goal of the game came to Waterside from Anderson, who drove a low ball through a forest of legs into the back of the net. Just before half-time a determined attack by Diamond was finished off by Davidson, who placed a good one past Cummings. In the second spell Waterside dominated the play and despite periodic attacks by their opponents finished up winning comfortably by six goals to one. The teams were:— Waterside: Cummings; O’Connell, Bolton; Anderson, Longbottom, Cocks; Walker. Thompson, Janes, Jeromson, Dunsmuir. Diamond: McLean; Morris, Tucker; Thompson, Geddes, Nicol; D. Johnston, Gilchrist, Davidson, O'Leary, B. Joliuston, FIRST SUCCESS It was “Old Boys” day at Kelburn on Saturday and Technical celebrated the occasion in their first win of the season by scoring a well-deserved victory over Institute. Right throughout the game Technical were on top and the scoring would have been much greater had the forwards snapped up their chances. Stewart, the outside left, capped a clever display by scoring the two goals which meant victory for his side. Gusty conditions affected the standard of play to a great extent, but despite this handicap, however, a fast, keen game resulted. After an opening spell of fluctuating play a smart movement on the Technical left wing culminated in Stewart beating King from close range. Technical from this stage of the game were in top gear, but numerous scoring chances were frit-

tered away. Institute fought back, but could not penetrate past the solid defence of Parker and Ronald, Redmond being seldom troubled. Teclinieal for the remainder of this spell had the best of the exchanges, but near the close Institute appealed for a doubtful goal; this was disallowed however and Teclinieal held on to their slender lead. Technical 1, Institute 0. Though conditions in the second spell favoured Institute play again veered round in favour of Technical, who played good football against the wind. Marshall and Tanner made commendable efforts to pull their side together.'Stewart, from a pass by Liddicoat skilfully went through to beat King, and the game ended in favour of Technical. The teams were:

Technical O.B.: C. Redmond ; R. Parker, J. Ronald ; I’. Pullen. A. Gates, N. Gates; K. Wrigley, J. Clout worth, R. Liddicoat, P. Torrington. C. Stewart.

Institute O.B.: M. King; W. Hicks A. McLean; R. McLean, R. Boyes. H. Hicks; C. Hurcombe, R. Sutherland. J Marshall, N. Tanner, C. McNaughton.

LN OTHER CENTRES By Telegraph—Press Association

Auckland. —Thistle 6 beat Ponsonby 3; Comrades 5 beat Mount Albert 1; Abels 5 beat North Shore 4. Christchurch. —Thistle It) beat Y.M.C.A. A 3; Western 2 beat Rangers 0; Technical 5 heat Nomads 2. Dunedin. —High School Old Boys 9 beat Mornington 3 ; Northern 6 beat Seacliff 3 ; Maori Hill -I beat Roslyn Wnkari nil; Mosgiel 2 beat Technical Old Boys "