SPLENDID GAME

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 14, 17 July 1939, Page 15

SPLENDID GAME

AUCKLAND WIN BY ONE POINT

MATCH WITH WELLINGTON

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, July 15,

Although AVellington ran the Auckland Association football representatives, holders of the Knglish trophy, to a 3-2 decision at Blandford Park today, the local side was far superior, and on the run of play would have been unlucky to lc-se. The game provided the finest exhibition of the code since the visit of the English amateurs two years ago, the first half especially scintillating with bright forward play and intelligent work on tlie part of the halves. The Auckland forwards, working witb a brilliance which was missing in previous representative games, thrilled the crowd of 5000 in the early stages and deserved three goals before the visiting side staged a surprise reversal and secured the first goal of the match.

Auckland was leading by two goals to one when the teams changed over, and a quickgoal shortly after the interval gave the home team {(.--.commanding lead. AA'ith the Aucklandcrs relaxed, AVellington staged their characteristic late, finish, and in the last ten minutes wiped off one of their deficits. The visiting side was dominant in the closing stages, but the young and inexperienced forwards missed several chances.

A feature :of the game was tbe outstanding display given by the veteran Leslie, the AA'ellington centre-forward. Working in the centre or a line of youngsters he made many brilliant openings and gave his supports a number of opportunities which they wero unable to turn to account.

Leslie haa been seen in brilliant moods in Auckland previously, but never has he shown greater skill lii shepherding a poor forward line through a trying ordeal.. He has lost little of his pace or straight-running qualities and, favoured by sounder support, would have caused the opposition many uneasy moments. He abandoned his usual tactics of sitting in between the full-backs and' crowding them, concentrating more on an auxiliary half-back game and pushing the ball to the wings or through the. centre.

Another veteran, Haines, also played an outstanding game for AA'ellington. Though matched against a forward line which kept the ball crossing tho AVellington goal and coming in from nil angles, he faced the attackers adamantly, eoHcedinc nothing in tackling, anticipation, or positional play

The visiting halves. Gates, Boyes, and MacGregor, were well tested and performed convincingly.

With the exception of Leslie and Quirke, the latter making some clever runs under the veteran's direction, the AA'ellington front line was not impressive. ■

Though several weaknesses were apparent, the Auckland side gave a fine showing, the forwards impressing with their skilful methods, thrust, and clever ball control, while the backs were steady and tackled solidly. Fyflc; who was the most, dangerous man in the Auckland front line, baffled the Wellington defence with his tricky running and neat ball control. Haines being the only defender who could copo with him.

McCallum was also brilliant for Auckland, and Cleal played an excellent game.

The goal scorers for Auckland were Stevenson (2) and Robinson. Leslie and Edmunds scored for the losers.