SOCCER

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 24, 27 July 1929, Page 22

SOCCER

cv "vanguaro"

E.A. TROPHY MATCH

CAME AT AUCKLAND

UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS

Auckland football writers are agreed that the meeting between Auckland and Welington in the English Trophy match last Saturday was productive of willing and thrilling football, notwithstanding the exceedingly bad weather conditions —nothing very new, at any rate, as far as Wellington players are concerned, for there have been many more muddy Saturdays thau dry ones this season. The challenge of Wellington for the Football Association trophy—the blue ribbon of the Soccer code in. New Zealand—was productive of a brilliant exposition of the game under wretched conditions (states the "Star"). The attendance numbered nearly 3000, and the spectators were treated to an encounter gripping iii the extreme. Battling in a drenching: downpour in the first spell in what resembled a sea of mud, the combined play shown was amazing, and while Auckland were conspicuous for their clever team work, Wellington's dogged defence earned the admiration of all. In, the second spell the visitors were more in the picture in attacking play, and when they evened the score at 2-all tho pace.and the excitement reached a climax. In the end Auckland's forwards pulled the game out of the fire by dashing play. That docs sound like a gamo of football, back to the form of a few years ago which promised to. carry Association to the level of Rugby, which promise has not been in a great degree fulfilled, for, in Wellington, at any rate, the standard of play is not what it must be to gain ground in public favour. The '.'New Zealand Herald" writer was likewise impressed by the standard of play shown under miserable conditions: "Heavy rain fell continuously, and the ground developed into a quagmire soon after the game had started. A large crowd of spectators, undaunted by the elements, witnessed a sterling contest, the excitement being intense when Wellington drew Jevel with Auckland for a time. The visiting *'.team played a wonderful game, and with a little more fortune might easily, have lifted the prize." In order that the ground might be in, some sort of playing condition for a start-off, at,any rate, the junior representative curtain-raiser was abandoned, but the crowds in the stands wore goodnatured about it,, and the time was filled in with musical items from a* powerful ' radio-gramophone—an idea which may appeal to tho Wellington management;. From the stands the field looked "not so bad, but the green merged into plain muddiness very quickly after the kick-off. Considering tho state of the ground, particularly in tho centre, where the turf was so sodden that boots and ball sent up showers of spray—and showers of slush later on—it was indeed romarkable that the teams should have been able to stick to combined work, sind, still more remarkablo that they ivero able lo hold tho pace to the final whistle, for.tho goalkeepers were bombarded right through the match, first one, then the. other. Welington adopted a game uf long swinging passes, a style, which evidently had Auckland thinking hard, for within a couple of minutes lion,M'Leod netted the ball, but an off-side ruling cancelled that effort. Inncs, of tho Ponsonby Club, at outside right, came into tho picture at this stage and remained in the forefront right 'through the liiiiU-h. His play was one of the features of the mutch, but this first brilliant effort of his, :i solo run transferring play to. M'Vean's goal, ended in a shot just a triflo high. Wellington's half and forward play took play right downfield and held it there, Gcr-rai-a, right back for Auckland, making a couple of clevor clearances. Auckland then established a. definite superiority in midficld play, largely due to the clover work of Dan Jones, well remembered for his stylo as. captain of the Watorsido seniors h.ere a few years ago He has a lucky style indeed, showy enough to catch the eye of the crowd,' and invariably sound enough to satisfy his own team and to worry the opposing team, either in attack or defence There is much room for more of Dan Jones's stylo of football in: Now Zealand. , It was Innes again who, sent away by Christie, covered the length of the field and largely mado for Auckland's first goal; ho sent in to Kay, who rattled tho ball past M'Veau. Several times during the spell Kay showed himself to be a dangerous man at outside left but M'Vcan handled the soaked, slippery ball in great style. Just on half-time Innes sent over a centre which M'Vean could not roach, and tho ball rolled on across an open goalmouth. . Gibb cleared, by judgmont and good fortune in equal proportions, but it was a near thing. The sun came out, not with much authority, as the second spoil commenced, and the.pace, if anything speedod up. Auckland put on tho pressure and got through again, Dunsmore (inside right.) sending ever to Kay, the latter banging in again, beating M"'Yean at short range inside ton minutes of the commencement of the spell. Eigby was laid out temporarily by an accidental kick, but turned to again and continued in dashing style. Wellington's first goal came from Smith as tho finale of a movement in which M'Leod and Leslie were prominent. Eigbv, recovered from his knock, went up with Craig, and put in a neat goal. Wellington went back to their loug-passing game and attacked vigorously, but the Auckland defence was too good for them. Kay completed his hat trick with a low drive beyond M'Vean's reach and pretty well on time Auckland's fourth goal came from a shot from Innes, glancing from J. M'Leoa into goal, a lucky one for Auckland, but a goal for all that. Notes on the Players. M'Vean came in for a big share of the crowd's applause, for his work undoubtedly saved Wellington, from a much more decisive defeat. His work provided some great thrills, particularly his dives into the mud to lift tho ball from the boots of Auckland forwards. At the dinner tendered the Wellington team in the evening Mac came in for more applause, and was presented with a small token from the Auckland enthusiasts in appreciation of the groat exhibition ho had made, a very nice compliment nicely paid. Gibb and Guest, Wellington's backs, were the backbone of the team, and Bird was tho best half, J. M'Leod and

Hanlon finding tho respective opposition wings hard to hold. The forwards had little opportunity to settle down. The masterly covoringup of the Auckland defence was their undoing. The experiment of transferring Gibb from back to centre was a very risky one, with doubtful success. Certainly, Wellington secured their two goals after the captain went forward, but then so did Auckland. B. M'Leod and Craig, the extra wingers, were a fast, clover pair when they were given the ball, but Wellington did not make full use of the extreme flanks. Bigby was always dangerous, and Leslie and Smith wero also determined triers throughout. Wellington certainly are due the utmost praise for their great showing on a ground that put them at a heavy disadvantage, and proved a credit to their selector. Mr. Hicks. Gerrdrd and Beid were safe at back for Auckland, and with. Tinkler, Christie, and Jones, constituted a stimulating block to tho opposing attack. Their covering up and general understanding repeatedly staved off trouble. Tho forwards are a quintet that are probably unequalled in the Dominion for clever combined play. Each rose to the occasion, and all played for cohesive effect. Kay's opportunism was again a bright feature of the match. Hislop worked like a Trojan, and Spencer was masterly in his distribution of the play. Innes'and Dunsmore wore a constant thorn in tho flesh of the opposition by their tricky play and progressive methods. Altogether tho match was one that will be long remembered, and kept the large crowd fully tlirilled. The Referee's Spectacles, The English Trupiiy Soccer challenge match at Auckland last Saturday (says "The Star"), will have an attached significance, which a* few days ago it could not have been dreamed of possessing. It will be remembered in New Zealand as the death knell of bespectacled referees, for it is tho first gamo in the Dominion to bo affected by the rigid enforcement of an English law which brought about a substitution of tho officially appointed referee. The New Zealand Council on Monday last appointed Mr. Albert Parkinson, who is a duly-qualified referee and the holder of a New Zealand badge; to control the game, and the following evening the decision was conveyed to the New1 Zealand Beferees' Association . that linesmen or referees could not officiate who wore glasses, which was later interpreted by the council in a way that disqualified the appointed referee. It is impossible to repress the feeling of pathos created by the action of the New Zealand Council. Its effect will be to jeopardise very seriously affiliated associations in their efforts to put the code on a sound basis. Why all "the most unkindest cuts of all" should come from headquarters is beyond understanding. It is a fact that the Football Association, England, has the rule that has been enforced by the Kow Zealand Council regarding the ban on officials who uso glasses. That cannot be denied, and it seems to be the ridiculous intention of the powers that bo.-in New Zealand to fetishly apply rulings built up to deal with a commercialised professional concern to what is a purely amateur and very struggling positiou in the Dominion.' The utter fallacy of trying to run Soccer in New Zealand on absolutely the same lines, word for word, measure for measure, as it is in England, where millions of pounds sterling are at stake, is a rnonu merit to myopic bungling. It is no exaggeration to state that tho decision, applied with such senseless and ruthless rigidity ,as that of the New Zea land Council regarding to-day's match will bring to a climax a question that h:is threatened the very existence of the Nocecr code in Auckland, if not elsewhere in the Dominion. Never before has any body so effectually cut off its nose to spite its face. Locally not a season passes but an urgent appeal has to bo made for referees, and by this ill-advised and thoughtless decision the New Zealand Council, supposed to foster the code will put out of action at least half a dozen very valuable assistants who occupy a key position and whose places it may be impossible to fill. And all because of a ridiculous, unreasonable and unjustifiable application of red tape. If the referees of New Zealand wero highly paid officials, controlling employees of companies carrying heavy financial responsibilities, the application of the rule could be understood, but nothing approaching that position arises, or is ever likely to ariso in New Zealaiid. It would, apparently (the writer concludes) bo too • much to expect the governing body in Wellington to cut their suit according to their cloth or to conduct their affairs in the light of ruling local conditions. A Runaway Victory. ' Tho run of play In the first half of the Institute-Y.M.C.A. match at Kelburn Park last Saturday raised hopes of a win in the minds of the Institute supporters. Their side opened the scoring early, and when V.M.C.A. caught up, Institute put on another goal, and 60 were leading 2-1 at half-time. It was Institute's game during the first half, but from the kick-off in tho second V.M.C.A. took the upper hand, and by adding four more goals while Institute made no headway at all, scored a runaway victory. To tho spectators it was an enjoyable game until about the middle of the second spell, when V.M.C.A. definitely took the lead. From then on Institute were kept continually on the defensive while the play became very loose and ragged, partly for this reason and partly because ball control was difficult on account of the muddincss of the ground, which was very bad to start with, and was becoming worse as tho game proceeded. Institute's sudden and coirplete fade-out is hard to account for, even allowing for the loss of Terry, who was forced to retire with an injury just before halftime. He was the best of tho halves, and his position at centre was an important one, but it is surprising that a team with a lead of 2-1 at half-time should break down so completely in the second half as to make no progress while their opponents scored four goals, the only change having been the loss of a centre-half. Mantel] was good in goal for Institute, but a fault he showed was his slowness in getting rid of tho ball, one goal being scored against him as the result of his failure to clear quick enough. Gill and Miles made a sound pain of backs, 'while no fault could be found with the halves, Bilby, Terry, and Byng. Of the forwards, Dickenso'n was perhaps the best. His speed and initiative were well demonstrated in tho first half. On one occasion in particular he was stopped from scoring only at the last moment by the goalkeeper after having evaded both backs in a fine solo run from half-way. Ho was given excellent support by the rest nf the forwards, but more particularly by the inside men, Maddocks and May. Playing in goal for V.M.C.A., Lucas did not have many opportunities to distinguish himself, but what ho did he did well. The full-back positions were ably filled by Trott and M' Girr. Armit-

age, who occupied the contio position, was the best among the halves. He used his usual sound judgment in feeding his forwards, and was not afraid to try a shot himself if the occasion offered. The forward line was not by any means a strong one. Ballard and Lack, o.n the loft, were its two strongest members, Worth and M'Leod, on the right, not playing up to their usual standard, while the centre-forward, Linerberg, was the weakest man in the team. Most of the attacking was done by the pair on tho left, who were in excellent form, Lack especially being conspicuous by reason of his energy and skill. Worth and M'Leod seemed slower than usual, and were completely put in the shade by their team mates on the left. Still, they were by no means passengers, as the two goals scored by il'Leod show. It was an ill-balanced set of forwards, aud Institute were lucky that it was not at its usual strength with Eigby occupying an inside position. Improved Lower Hutt. At tho begiuning of the season the Lower Hutt Senior B team seemed to be quite out of the picture. Although they had the players, victory did not seem to come their way. The real reason of this was because the eleven players seldom played as a team: solo efforts seemed to bo the one aim and object. Such methods, of course, reap their own reward and get a team nowhere. But halfway through the season an example in combination was set by a couple of third grade players who temporarily filled vacancies in the forward line, and since then in each game the Lower Hutt team has played together very much better. The result of this improved team work has been most marked and in recent games victory has come Lower Hutt's way and the scoring of four, five, or even six goals has been the regular thing. Individually the team is really quite good and had combination beemaehieved earlier in the season the team might have been top of the tree. In the forward line the two wing men, Batchelor and Nicolle, are easily the best. When adequately fed, each is dangerous, especially Batchelor, who is fortunately overcoming a bad tendency to waltz in the wrong direction. Crundwell is another useful forward and so is Lowry, but their shooting is sometimes no more than mediocre. The back division consists of sound workers, M'Dougall at centre-half being particularly hard to pass. In goal, Webster is as good as ever he was. Next season Lower Hutt, if they can start off the season in the way they are finishing this, should be champions of their division. '