AUSTRALIANS' TOUR

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 124, 29 May 1922, Page 2

AUSTRALIANS' TOUR

FIRST MATCH WON

WANGANUI DEFEATED,

(II IILIORAPM.—PBISS ASSOCIATION.)

WANGANUI, 27th May. The Australian Association football team opened its tour here to-day by defeating Wanganui by 3 goals to 1. The weather was line, but bitterly cold,, which affected tho attendance^ which was about'2ooo. The teams were as follow:— ( Australia.—Goal, Cartwright; backs, Fisher and D. Cumberford; halves, Gibb, Shenton, and Doyle; forwards, Brown, Bratten, , Maunder, J. Cumberford, Thomson. . Waiigariui.—&6»l, Thomas ; backs, Healey and O'Neill; halves, M'Gorram, Mitchell,, and Barker; forwards, Mackley, Beckett, Bichards, M'Kechnie, and Cooper. , .-The visitors won the toss and, played with a1 strong wind behind them. They immediately' set ttp a- hard attack, Thomas on several occasions being( called on to clear. The game was even in its early stages, but the. visitors showed a fine turn of speed and bettei' combination. With the exception of occasional, incursions into the Australians' territory, the home aide Were kept repeatedly defending. ',! The Australians kept up a systematic attack, and after Thomas brilliantly stopped a lightning shot by Maunder, J. Cumberford got in a beauty, which beat the home custodian all the way, andi incidentally won a gold medal presented by a .local enthusiast for the first* goal of the'tour.' Play continued bright and attractive, the. cleverness of the visitors' forwards being largely neutralised by the fine defence of the home backs. The Australians had several scoring opportunities, which were spoiled by over-gagerness. The score at half-time- read:".' Australia 1 Wangariui -■ 0 On resuming, Wanganui attacked Strongly. Mackley made a fine ripening, and sent to Beckett, to Cooper; the latter sent in a hard shot, and although Cartwright touched the ball it finished in the net. The score proved a stimulant to the home side, who infused life into ttieir play.: A corner beautifully placed gave Cooperl .another chance," but he •headed the ball just outside. Thomson made a couple of fine openings for Australia, but the home defence was sound. Mitchell, with clever play, set liis forwards going, and -a beautiful passirig effort saw the Australians fighting hard on the defence. Mitchell miised by the narrowest margin, and then th6 visitors turned.defence to attack, Fisher sending in a long shot, which Thomas just managed to clear, arid finally O'Neill, with a fine kick, sent play back to the neutral aVea. ■ '-.■■''■■'"'' A couple tof scoring chances came to the hems side, but the workmanship was inaccurate.' In the-concluding stages of the garni the home side started to tire. With five minutes to go, Combined play by Maunder and Bratten gave the latter a great openiiigi arid he made no mistake with the shot: Wanganui rallied temporarily, bitt jdsfr on the Call of ;time' Brown got away and sent to Thomson, the outside left, Who dribbled into range arid then passed back to J. Ciimberford, who scored, and put Australia two goals in the lead. ■' Australia ..' 3 Wanganui 1 On the day the visitors were much the better side, although faulty shooting lost several good opportunities'. The defence of the backs was sound, while the forwards (.howed fine dash, the speed of Maunder and Thomson being exceptional. Shenton, Gibb, and Fisher were the best of the Australian backs, while Maunder and Thomson were the outstanding forwards,' The team should improve as a combination as the tour pToce'eds. Mitchell, at centre-half, was th« beat of the home backs, although the others tvere. soiind. Thomas gave a fine display ip goal, and repeatedly saved Ws side. The forwards were not equal t6 the visitors' vanguard, Mackley aiid Cooper being best in attack.