Association Football

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 128, 1 June 1935, Page 22

Association Football

Not a great deal of merit usually attends a game between top and bottom teams on the championship ladder, and the result is invariably looked upon before the game as' a foregone conclusion. Petone, the leaders, and Lower Hutt, the tail-enders, showed, by their contest on the Hutt Recreation Ground last week, that such a game can be exceedingly exciting, and those who looked to an .easy win for Petone were not true judges of form. Though Lower Hutt performed the creditable feat of drawing, 2-2, with Petone they should have done better and the merest trifle of luck on their side would have given them a welldeserved win over the leaders. As a result of- the draw Petone lost their leadership which they had held with Hospital since the season opened. Brown was the hero of the day. The dashing Hutt centre-forward was here, there, and everywhere, yet hardly ever out of position. His will-o'-the-wisp movements were a constant source of annoyance to the opposition and of encouragement to his own side. He was the ideal leader. He made one mistake more than once—and that was a bad one-^-he skied the ball at crucial moments when the goal was at his mercy. But accidents will happen to the best of players and that fault detracted little from the undoubted merit of his game. McLellan, the Lower Hutt left-winger, was the other outstanding forward on the field. He frequently: and easily passed the opposition to drop the ball beautifully in front of goal. Had the rest of the forwards come up to the standard set by Brown and McLellan, Petone would have been swept off their feet. . The Lower Hutt halves were a fine trio, helping always where required and distributing and co-operating with precision. Friend and Blair filled the full-back positions with distinction, particularly Blair. In goal Mewton was safe, but he gave the impression that he needs more experience. Petone's two goals would not have been let through by a truly

efficient 'keeper. Still, he compensated for them by some great saves of other shots.

Petone seemed to have nothing definitely wrong with them. They just could not get going against the persistent and vigorous play of the Hutt men. The forwards were as clever on the ball as ever, but continual muffling by the Hutt backs rarely gave them a chance of having a comfortable shot at goal. . Campbell, at centre-half, played a mediocre. game, and was not at all conspicuous. Connell and McLeod were fair at full-back but they were not solid enough to restrain the nippy Lower Hutt vanguard. Bissett played with coolness and precision in goal and it was not his fault Petone did not win.

It was a game out of the box, characterised throughout by pace, skill, and unrelenting effort. ■

TEAMS SHOW IMPROVED FORM

CLUB CONTESTS BEVIEWED