INTEREST IN AUCKLAND GAME

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 80, 1 October 1938, Page 22

INTEREST IN AUCKLAND GAME

The prospect of seeing in action leading Soccer players of fifteen years ago attracted a large attendance to Blandford Park last Saturday, when the former New Zealand and Auckland representatives played a scoreless draw. The spells of twenty minutes were quite long enough for most of the flayers, but there were several who 'were still full of running at the final whistle.

During a recent visit to Blandford Park Mr. N. McArthur, an old Wellington and New Zealand player, made the assertion that he could pick a team of former New Zealand representatives who could still play better Soccer than is played today and who could still defeat any present team in Auckland. The challenge was promptly taken up by oflflcials of the Auckland Association, but it was considered that a team comprising old Auckland players would be fully a match for the New Zealand side. Mr. F. H. Baker was appointed to choose the Auckland team. It was hoped that the game would help to revive interest in the code among old players and supporters.

Mr. Baker received such a fine re r sponse to his request for players that he found difficulty in arriving at the final eleven. For the position of goalkeeper he had two well-known players of earlier days in J. Batty, of Tramways, and F. T. McAneny, the athletic handicapper and member of the management committee of the Auckland Rugby League. Among the backs available were E. Simpson, F. H. Baker, R. Baxter, and E. Carter, all of whom had outstanding records in Auckland football. . R. Boyne, who had playing experience with the famous Aston Villa side in England, was available to lead the forward line, while the vanguard was to include W. Palmer and A. Woolley.

C. C. Dacre, a Dominion representative at' both Soccer and cricket, took the field for the New Zealand side, which was a very impressive one on paper. Craxton, probably the finest goalkeeper the Dominion has produced, was between the New Zealand posts/ and P. Neesham, A. Reid, N. McArthur, J. Corbett, and D. Jones lent assistance in the backs. W. J. Lyon, M.P., H: Spencer, /'A. Williams, and W. Knott were in the' forwards. The teams were:— NEW ZEALAND. Goalkeeper: R. Craxton. Full-backs: P. Neesham, A. Reid. Halves: J. Corbett, D. Jones, J. Tinkler. • Forwards: W. J. Lyon, C. C. Dacre, H. Spencer, W. Knott, A. Williams. Auckland. Goalkeeper: F. T. McAneny. Full-backs: W. Wallwork.J. McElligott. . Halves: F, H. Baker, R. Baxter, E. Carter. Forwards: S. Pitkin, Wi Palmer, R. Boyne, J. Stewart, A.; Woolley. Mr. L. C. H. Dawson, a former international referee, controlled the game, and the linesmen were, Messrs. F. C. Jacobs and L. J. Check. In spite of their slowness in moving off the mark, the old-time players showed that they retained much of their former cleverness and the spectators frequently applauded movements which were carried out in a concise and scientific mariner.

Those who attracted most/attention in v the New Zealand side wiere Reid, Neesham, Corbett, Jones, Lyon, and Dacre. Reid, from his position at full-back, volleyed with all his former bfilliance, his kicking being particularly clean and well directed: Jones and. Corbett showed that thfey^hiad'lost little of their cleverness-"arid' they were responsible for most of the constructive play in the halves. Dacre found the lively ball difficult to control, but he was responsible for soriie smart touches and frequently. combined nicely with Lyon, who showed aggressive qualities on the wing.

An outstanding feature of the Auckland team's display, says the Auckland "Herald," was the active exhibition given in goal by McAneny, who brought off several saves which would have done credit to a first-class cus-

todian. McElligott, Baker, and Baxter were the most forceful backs, while Pitkin, Palmer, Boyne, and Stewart threw'most life into the attack.