BRILLIANT PLAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 121, 26 May 1927, Page 9

BRILLIANT PLAY

CANADIAN SOCCER TEAM

TARANAKI EASILY DEFEATED

(By Telegraph.—-PreßS Association.)

NEW PLYMOUTH, 25th May.

The Canadian Soccer team opened their Dominion tour by defeating Taranaki in a brilliant exhibition of the code by 10 goals to 1. The gamo was played in fine weather before a crowd of about four thousand. ;

■ From. the.blowing of the whistle the Canadians Bet a rattling pace that kept Taranaki defending strenuously, and within a quarter of an hour Canada had built up a formidable pile of points. From the start the pnblic were treated to an exposition of brainwork and skill that was an education in itself. By half-time the score was nine goals to nil in favour of Canada, and in the second spell the tourists obviously eased up, being content to give Taranaki a chance and at. the same time afford their own team good practice. The most impressive feature of the g&ine was the accuracy of the Canadians' head work and their dribbling

made doubly effective by the remarkable manner in which each player was always in a position to receive the pass from his team mate.

The visitors specialised in short dribling kicks, by means of which with a deft 'turn of foot, they were ablo to beat an opponent time and again. To sec tlfeiri manoeuvre into position and then follow up a quick cross-kick from the side line with a sharp driving shot to tho net that often found its mark, was as much a lesson to the public as it was to tho opposing side. The ten goals scored by Canada were rather the monopoly of a few players, Archibald gaining the*, honours with four, while Turner scored three, Frances two, and Davidson one. Probably the best exhibition by any individual player was that of Turner, the versatile insido left, whose clover footwork and excellent foot control, wero a treat to see.'- Of' the others the most impressive were the reliable goalie, 8. Tait. who the team, and Edmunds, left full-back, who specialised in accu,rato placing to the other members of ..the team through: the medium of long kicking. .Unfortunately he was iniured and had to leave tho field.

Generally speaking,, the Canadians .complete understanding was best seen x t t h?. o^inK of the "double trl,angle" strategy, by which an accurate system of connection between two separate systems of players, one on each side of the field, was maintained. It was in this respect that Taraiiaki suffered most in comparison, tho home team s players being frequently caught out of position, especially when two or three of them racod for tho ball together and met to no purpose. In spite flf the big score against thorn laranaki battled gamely, and at times inspired the spectators to great enthusiasm by their attacking work Tho honour of shooting the only goal against He f w-n 118 WaS gained by Bremner. He and Hill were the best of the home .forwards, while Davis was outstanding amongst the backs.

.The Canadian team was: Goal, Tait; full-hacks, Crawley and Edmunds; halfbacks, Monaghan, Brolly, and PayntercMh Tn S> Dr; idSOn ' Turner- G^son Tr'chioald, and Francis.