ASSOCIATION South Africa Wins Third Test By Eight To Three

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 July 1947, Page 8

ASSOCIATION South Africa Wins Third Test By Eight To Three

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 13. . With a high-class exhibition of Association football South Africa beat New Zealand by 8 .goals to 3 at Athletic Park on Saturday when there was an attendance of about’ 8000. The weather was showery until the teams took the field.

New Zealand began splendidly, and compared very well with their opponents in the first 20 minutes. Then they suffered a reverse from which they did not recover until the last 20 minutes, when it was too late to win.

The teams were: — South Africa. —J. Pickerill, D. McCreedie, E. Dowell, C. Kurland, H. Naish, D. Forbes, Classens, G. Falconer, D'. Wilson, H. Smethurst (captain), Auley. . . New Zealand. —R. Davey, A. Harris, R. Speed, M. Gordon, V. Smith, H. Hutchinson, J .Sharpe, L. Woods, G. Smith, W. Woods, Mason. Referee: Mr Aspen, of Wellington. The crowd was delighted when New Zealand stepped smartly into attack. Mason missed with a near one.. After a neat pass from Kurland, Wilson lost possession of the ball. It went up to Gordon Smith, who hit the post after four minutes of play. Soon afterwards, Woods transferred to Sharpe, who scored a splendid goal. It was not long before Auley equalised, after Classens had begun his barrage. After 25 minutes’ play Forbes eluded the opposition, and ’ gave Smethurst possession. The captain centred to Wilson, who headed into the goal. Wilson scored again soon after. Before half-time, Classens and Wilson got two more goals. Although New Zealand appeared with more resolution for the second 45 minutes, Falconer increased South Africa’s lead by a shot along the grass, which Davey could do nothing about. Wilson headed one in from Falconer, and after that the territorial position was even, with New Zealand having the advantage in scoring. New Zealand’s second goal came from' a kick by Kurland to the goalkeeper. The ball struck the bar, and G. Smith pounced on it to score. Then Naish handled in the penalty area, and G. Smith scored his third goal. Mason missed a good chance before the whistle went. In a curtain-raiser, Wanganui beat Taranaki by 4 goals to 0.

BLACKBALL SCORES NARROW WIN OVER TAYLORVILLE Blackball defeated Taylorville by one goal to nil at Blackball on Saturday. The teams had drawn at their two previous meetings. Blackball deserved its success on Saturday. ... It was rather a scrappy game with lack of ball-control noticeable on both sides. The wingers on both sides too often needlessly allowed the ball to go over the sideline and the referee adhered strictly to the foul throw-in rule. A lot of time was thus wasted and the game as a spectacle suffered. A goal by Norris from a long shot which Williams should have saved, gave Blackball the points. Williams made some amends with several good saves. He had far more work to do than Fleming, the Blackball goalkeeper. The defence on both sides was superior generally to the attack. A lively ball made ball-control difficult, the only players to have any success in this direction being McNaughton, Balderstone and McMahon for Blackball and H. Graham (a lively young junior), and Lee for Brunner. Howden, playing his first ganie after a long spell through injury strengthened the Blackball defence. Taylorville played two or three juniors and they made a good showing. The referee was Mr H. Hall.