ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL GREYMOUTH DEFEATS BLACKBALL AFTER FAST, OPEN MATCH

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 June 1948, Page 8

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL GREYMOUTH DEFEATS BLACKBALL AFTER FAST, OPEN MATCH

There was a fair attendance at the Blackball domain on Saturday when Greymouth and Blackball met in the Westland Football Association’s senior competition. The match was won by Greymouth bv two. goals to nil.

The first half gave no indication of a Greymouth victory. Due mainly to a splendid display of energy, ballcontrol and distribution by Balderstone, centre-half for Blackball, the Blackball forwards were consistent and menacing in their pttacks throughout this period. Good shooting by McMahon, D,oyle and Clark for Blackball looked like producing goals, but fine goal-keeping and a good defensive display by the Greymouth full backs, Marsh and Hogg, assisted by Wallwork, Malpass and Newton in the half line, kept them from scoring.

Early in the second spell, some fine combination by the Greymouth forwards, culminating in a good centre-kick by Airey, saw the Blackball ’keeper, Lester, leave his goal to clear the ball, but it struck Ranger who was following' up fast, and. it rebounded into the net. In spite of all Blackball’s efforts to equalise, the defence proved safe, and in the concluding stages of the match Greymouth was on top. In the final minutes a good, high cross-shot from Malpass beat Lester to make victory certain for Greymouth. For Greymouth, Hogg and Marshall, full-backs, were always safe, keeping cool and collected when Blackbal. applied a lot of pressure. Malpass, at centre-half, played a polishea game and he received good support from Wallwork and Newton. In the Blackball forward line, Clarx played his best game of the season and was always a dangerous raider, while Doyle worked as hard as any forward on the field and made openings that should have produced results. Hunter, did well on the left wing. T. Rarity played his first senior game and did well, one low shot from him being cleared with difficulty. Cobden Wins Flaying in the other senior competition match at Cobden on Saturday. Cobden showed a lot of improvement to defeat Taylorville by two goals to nil .while Runanga defaulted to Reefton. Schoolboy’s M'atch In a schoolboys game at Blackball, Greymouth beat Blackball by three goals to nil. Greymouth has re-in-forced its team, and will give a good account in future games. Shadbolt, full-back for Blackball, played an outstanding game. CANTERBURY BEATS WELLINGTON IN TROPHY FINAL (P.A.) WELLINGTON. June 7. Canterbury beat Wellington, 5-4, in the final of the English Football Association Trophy tournament on the Basin Reserve this afternoon. In an earlier game the losers in the first round met, Auckland beating Otago 5-1. A heavy, cold southerly with rain squalls drenched the field, which was treacherous underfoot. Canterbury deserved its win by a one goal margin and no more. The team lasted better than Wellington, which was on even terms or in the lead for most of the game. A good pass from M. Kissock paved the way for a forward movement which ended in McKinley scoring Wellington’s first goal. After half-time a freekick put Canterbury on attack and Maclellan shot successfuly. After inter - cepted shots by Traynor and Sergent. Boyes got possession and sent out to Sharpe, from whom the ball came back to Sergent and to Kidd, who scored for Wellington. Canterbury evened, by a transfer from the right wing to the left wing, and then back to Gordon Smith, in the centre, who scored. Wellington took the lead again with a goal by Sergent, before the first spell ended. Maclellan, for Canterbury, evened with a low shot after a free-kick. When Kidd, Wellington, took the ball into the danger-zone Sharpe was handy and sent in a good shot from a narrow angle. The'Wellington backs were not getting back as fast as the opposing rearguard and Dowker caught them out, to make the score, 4-all. It was fitting that the decisive goal in so hard a game should be as good as that headed in off Dowker’s accurate corner kick by Gordon Smith. In the first match Wilkinson and Neesham scored Auckland’s goals and Berry scored for Otago.