BLACKS 3, BLUES NIL

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 130, 5 June 1922, Page 11

BLACKS 3, BLUES NIL

A FAST AND SPECTACULAR GAME

GROUND TOO HEAVY FOR VISITORS.

Wellington and the Australians met on the Basin on Saturday afternoon, and the game, without doubt; was the finest display of Soccer in Wellington so far. The Australians go in for the fast, swinging game, calculated to wear down any defence not in the pink of condition. They could not wear down Wellington's representatives for two reasons : The ground was against them, and the Wellington team was in wonderful form, particularly the men- on the left wing. The visitors are plainly enough a very fast set, and may have shown heels to some of the Wellington men on a dry ground, tout, as it was, they could not use their extra- speed in the mud. The Wellington selectors, however, are confidently of the opinion that a dry ground would not have spelt a win for the Australians} though the lead of the home team might notf be 3-nil, The crowd gathered on the ground early, for the early bird caught the dry place, and when the game opened the attendance was between four and fiva thousand1. The cold, driving rain made things very uncomfortable, but the game was spectacular from whistle to whistle1, and the crowd1 stayed where it was, and enjoyed itself. The teams were as follow •— Australia, (light blue and marcon) : Goal, Cartwright; backs, Fisher (captain) and M'Bride; halves, Gibb (vicecaptain), Shenton, and Doyle; forwards Dane, Ward, Maunder, Cumberford, and Thompson. Wellington (black, with yellow monogram) : Goad, Ewing; backs, M'Kenzie and Taylor; Halves, M'Girr, Brownlee, and Jones; forwards, Thomas, Palmer, Gilberteon, Campbell (captain), andi Ballard. Linesmen, Messrs. F. o'ConneE; and ID. Stirrat. WELLINGTON OPENS THE ■ ATTACK. Wellington won the toss, and decided to go against the wind, and almost at once their left wing went down, but Fisher returned the ball to mid-field. Wellington's centre pressed again, and Campbell shot wide. After the kickout, Campbell and Ballard started in again, and Ballard put in another, but Cartwright held well. Wellington was still aggressive, and Gilbertson sent out to his left wing, who went well away, but was stopped by M'Bride. Side line play followed, and from a throwout, Palmer carried to centre, and sent in a long stiff shot, but Cartwright jumped and saved cleverly. Maunder got his forwards going. Brownlee intercepted a pass, and sent the Wellington men on the way to the Australian goal, but an off-side five yards from the . goal broke up the rush. Ward intercepted a pass "cleverly, and gave to Dane, who went solo the length of the field, beating everyone. Ewing left his goal, going yards out, and beat Dane, who had kicked a trifle too hard, to the ball. Taylor missed badly in endeavouring to stop the right wing, and Dane nipped in and had his opening, but a foul gave Wellington a penalty." Almost the next minute the. Australian left wing went up with rattling passing, smd Thomson's shot was just punched clear by Ewing. Fast open play followed, Palmer blocking a Wellington opportunity by an off-side. A quieter period of play came next, and then the Australian right wing started in to worry the Wellington backs, Dane and Taylor trying each other out, Taylor generally being just too good. FAST AND OPEN. X A brilliant spell of play resulted when the Wellington right wing went down the side line in one flying rush. Half a dozen shots were hammered in to Cartwright, who stood up to it, and saved brilliantly. Palmer finally shot high. Pretty play by Ballard and Campbell took the ball to the goal, and after Gilbertson had had a hand in it, Ballard shot three inches or so out. After the kick-out, Cumberford and Thompson went away, but they were not backed up, and M'Kenzie had no trouble in clearing his area. . Thompson's second breakaway promised better, for he simply ran away from the Wellington backs-. Ewing pushed the ball out and over the line for a corner, which brought nothing to the Australians, though they kept at the goal till M'Girr beat Doyle, and sent his wing out. A moment later M'Girr raised a yell from the crowd with a bullet shot, and Cartwright raised a bigger yell by lifting the ball over the bar for a corner. Shenton sent over to Thompson, who with Doyle crosskicked and dodged Taylor and M'Kenzie prettily. Doyle shot wide. Centre play by the home forwards, opened matters! up again, and Fisher gave away a corner. The Black forwards got going in fine combined style, but somehow Campbell missed, too high by feet. Ward and Dane led the next Australian rush, and gave to Maunder, but he struck a wet patch, and fell. At the moment the speed of the game was immense, and the excitement keen to a degree, particularly when Jones hooted away to the. Australian goal, and Gilbertson rattled the ball to the cross-bar. Wellington's right wing and centre were still hammering away at the goal when the half-time whistle "blew. Taking the play of the spell right through, Wellington far more than held their own, but were kept out by the fine work of Gibb, Doyle, Fisher, 'M'Bride, and Cartwright-, the latter kicking, handling, and punching on t i n great style. Ewing had quite enough to do, and did it well, but it cannot ba said that his work showed the same finish as that of CartwHght. The greater speed of the Australians was discounted1 by the heavy state of the ground. Both •sides took full advantage of the charge and block rule. The visitors had the wind in their favour when they changed round, but! at once the Wellington front line got away, and Thomas shot rather poorly. He made good again, however, a couple of minutes later, beating Doyle almost on the line and centring to Campbell, who was not able to improve. Thompson, a wonder on his feet, put up another solo performance, and gave to Maunder. Jones came between and got his centra forwards going, but M'Bride was in the way. A HOT SPELL FOR WELLINGTON. Three seconds or so later, Ewing was having the time of his life with Maunder, Ward, and Cumberford; it was the nearest call of thf. game, particularly as-the goalie mishandled and nlmost let Ward through to a clear goal. He cleared however, with the help of M'Kenzie', and Palmer, Thomas, and Gilbertson worked to the corner flag and then centred to Brownlee, wlio shot high. Tils Auatndiiuis were duo to bo dit>appointed a little Inter, ftsvintt f*av« , *w*y a corner, .ta Ihgmpjspn, The Jsiok

was placed too well, for the ball curled direct to the net, and as no player had touched it after the kick no goal was allowed. The Blues then took a- very willing hand, and beat the home team from the front line to the full-backs; then Ewing fell and Maunder had an open goal, yet Ewing twisted over and scooped past the posts for a corner. They came again, Maunder booted hard from 30 yards, Ewing went down a second time, but handed away for a second corner. From the kick Ward put in wide. Cumberford and Maunder came past the backs, and for a third time Ewing fell and handed still another corner. His luck was certainly in. THE FIRST GOAL. The home left wing went up, Ballard shot, and Cartwright gave a corner. The ball flew about the goal, then went well out to Campbell, who was apparently in an impossible shooting position. However, the impossible happened, for his shot went through the bunched defence, glanced off the far post, and scraped in. Cartwright had no chance in the world of getting across the goal mouth in time. Wellington, 1; Australia, 0. Ballard had a fair chance, but feinted too long, and Fisher beat him for it'and punted down the side line. The pace became a cracker again, and play was rushed from end to end. Gilberston just missed one minute; Maunder and Gibb failed at the other goal the next. At this time the home play was almost wholly on "the left wing, the centre being very busy watching Maunder; wisely so, too, for ho was a dangerous man to leave unguarded. Shenton gave it a go, but missed. The Blues became overeager, and went in for greater dash with less judgment, whereas if they had steadied down the Wellington defence would probably have been beaten. As it was several times Ewing was the only man between the left winger and a goal for the visitors. Thomas and Palmer opened play for Wellington again, and, passing nicely one to the other, passed Thompson, Doyle, and M'Bride, Thomas centring to Gilbertson, and the latter sending to Ballard, who slammed into goal. Wellington, 2; Australia, 0. CARTWRIGHT'S BAD LUCK, The Blue left carried on . after the kick, and Thompson made a good attempt. Then the home right wing went up again, and Thomas gave to Palmer, and the latter passed in again. Campbell bustled, and apparently bumped Cartwright, who fell, either as a result of Campbell's charge or through falling over Fisher, who had fallen well back. The ball rolled on, and Gilbertson had only to help it through. Cartwright had hard luck -with that goal. A few seconds afterwards the whistle blew. I Wellington, 3; Australia,. 0. ! Mr. W. G. Bryce carried the whistle, and controlled the game in a very able manner., - ■