WELLINGTON BEATS WANGANUI

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 58, 6 September 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON BEATS WANGANUI

A DISAPPOINTING GAME.

The Wanganui representative Association team met the Wellington B team on the Basin Reserve on Saturday afternoon to contest Wellington's title to tho Brown Shield, but although weather conditions were perfect and the ground in first-class playhig order it must be said that the game was not up to the standard which is expected from senior teams, let alone representative teams. The teams were : — Wellington: Goal, Tarrant; fullbacks, M'Kenzie, Taylor; halves, Auld, Browrilee, and Batten; forwards, Porter, L. Smith, Windlev, Bold, and Ballard. ' ■; " Wanganui: Goal, Hyder; full-backs, Healey and Murray; halves, Barker, Mitchell, and Harrison; forwards. Walker, Lowe, Riteon, Beckett, and Tantrum. Referee: Mr. C. F. Ward. For some reason the men were not supplied with numbers, and as a result thoso 1 spectators who were not regular patrons of the game were unable to follow the printed programmes. A soccer enthusiast has no difficulty in picking out a player by position, but surely the man who wishes to see a game of Association now and again should also be catered for j he is not likely to go back unless he is catered for. The Wellington team was a new combination, and therefore lacked the play that makes a team, but even so their play was"*loose and apparently without enthusiasm, though there were individual exceptions, notably Ballard. From whistle to whistle he kept up a consistent standard of play and was directly or indirectly responsible for a great many of the Wellington attacks. Walker, Tantrum, and Ritson were always prominent among the Wanganui men.

" Wellington were aggressive from the kick-off and carried play to the Wangunui area by cross-kickilig between the wings. Ballard made a fine opening by centreing from near the corner-flag, but the ball was headed over the bar. Beckett and Tantrum got away for the visitors, but were stopped by M'Kenzie, who lifted far down-field. Wellington pressed again and Hyder gave away two coi'nere, which brought no result. Several shots were 'sent in unsuccessfully, and then Walkef and Lowe took the length of the field between them, but were dispossessed by Batten near the home line. An uninteresting period of forward play, marked by neither dash nor com--jbination, was at last relieved by Porter, . who made a splendid opening for Ballard. He sent in a : perfectly-centred shot. Wellington 1, Wanganui 0. Browalee put in a great shot, but Hyder lifted the ball over the bar. Forward play, livened up by one spectacular solo performance by Walker, continued till the call of half-time.

The second spell opened with better promise, for both teams worked up to something approaching dash. Wellington made another series of attacks, from the last of which Bold rattled in a long ground shot, raising the score to Wellington 2, Wanganni 0. Again the dash fell away, and the players settled down to a pleasant interlude of junior play. Wanganui were the more aggressive when tho teams recovered, but lacked power to press their attacks home, and when they did their shooting was poor. Ballard got away again and dribbled in towards the goal mouth. There was a sharp mill and Porter found the net. Wellington 3, Wanganui 0. Pvitsan and Mitchell did some good work for Wnngaliui after this and led a series of rushes. From one of them Ritson shot, but tho ball rebounded from the bar. Tantrum returned and made the score Wellington 3, Wanganui 1. No further score was made, nor was the play during the remainder of the game tip to senior standard.