SOCCER

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 19 June 1926, Page 13

SOCCER

ENGLISH CUP FINAL. A GREAT EXHIBITION. "The Cynic,” whose articles on Rugby football are known through the world of sport, is travelling in England with the Australian cricketers, telling the story of that campaign for The Referee as "Not Out.” Below he provides his impressions of the English Soccer Cup final. Everything associated with the event gave ‘ ‘ The Cynic” a glow. He has seen with the eye of one who has gone to see the best in everything. If there were any pin pricks evidently our special could not see them. The rushing of the outer gate, as reported by cable, was a small alfair, and unknown at the time to those who saw the match. "Cynic” says:—The English Cup final, Bolton Wanderers v. Manchester City, at Wembley Stadium, on April 24, was, to an Australian seeing a Soccer match for the first time in England, absorbing, instructive, and, in a sense, educational, with Bolton winners by a goal to nil. The game itself was crisp throughout. It was by far the finest exposition of Soccer I have ever seen. English friends tell me that it was more like an average League match than a Cup final, which usually provides ( rather scratchy football. Bolton went off with greater iiace and more subtle combination, but their shooting was too weak to penetrate an admirable defence in which goalie Goodehild played a star part. Later Manchester City quickened as a combination —they had been quick enough individually—and made the game very even. Their shooting was faster and better than that of Bolton, but the latter’s goalkeeper, Pym, proved a champion on the day. At halftime there was no score. Bolton got the only goal in the second half, the outcome of neat combination, a pass-in from (lie left wing by Vizard to the centre being blocked by a defender, and was neatly guided by Jack between the defenders and into the net.

The control Of the ball on the ground with the feet was wonderful, that by Bolton a trifle superior. The passing was brilliant, Bolton again being superior. The judgment in "kicking” the ball with the head and accuracy in passing it to a support from the head or body was remarkable. The finesse with the feet in dodging an opponent was amazing. Yet friends tell me that the game, as a whole, was not one of the highest expositions. The only fault I could find with it is that it seemed to me that too much hard and high kicking from about the 25 yards down the field was indulged in, especially by Manchester. They risked losing possession of the ball, whereas passing infield and in and out often could have made ground, and, possibly led to openings for attacks on the goal. However, these are the views of one not intimate with the strategy of the Soccer game as played in its strongholds. The spirit of the players was very fine indeed. The referee had splendid

control, though he seemed to be stricter in dealing with charging and shouldering than I had expected, from what Mr John Lewis had told me of the laws and their administration while he was in Australia last winter. The Football Association control was perfect. The crowds were exemplary. They were not so demonstrative as Australian crowds. The barracking we see in our ’countrv was not indulged in. There was end of applause at exciting situations. And once or twice, when a goalie made a great save, or a kick narrowly missed the opening, or when once a Manchester man literally dived at the ball with his head, perfectly timed it, anil butted it as cleverly out of danger as though he were a " Hally ” Messenger kicking it, the applause was to be remembered. When the only goal was scored, the Stadium rang out cheers and plaudits for some moments —not the thunderous roars of an Australian crowd. Then the tension eased. One could feel it in the air that everyone thought it was the beginning of the end.