SOCCER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 198, 4 August 1928, Page 8

SOCCER

(By

“Centre Half")

Whakatu once again managed to do what United have failed to accomplish so far, that is, take a point from the Rangers. This game completed the second round of the SachsJohnston competition, and leaves the top teams in a very interesting position, Rangers just holding a one point lead over United.’

Rangers were very lucky to escape with the loss of only one point. Whakatu are certainly coming away at the end of the season, and Rangers will have to look to their laurels as the Magpies have eyes on the Hibbert Shield.

Hastings Y.M.C.A. fielded a weak team against United in their Hibbert Shield game, and put up a poor showing as well. United, although without Wilson, Bell and Dave Penman, had the game all on their own.

Newdick played a fine, steady game for the Y.M. at back. He has the makings of a fine player if he keeps progressing as he has done this season.

McAleese and Brehant were the only other members of the side to show up at all.

» » * To-day Rangers meet Napier Y.M.C.A. in the Hibbert Shield, and the Blues should eliminate the Y.M., but after the Rangers’ displays recently anything is possible. The winners then meet Whakatu, and one rather fancies the latter as finalists with the United.

United are at Palmerston to-day, trying conclusions with Petone in the Chatham Cup. Petone, according to Wellington papers, are strongly fancied, and are evidently expected to achieve a walk-over, but in the event of them catching United at their best, the Wellington boys will be thoroughly extended.

• • • It is to be hoped that a game can be arranged between Hawke's Bay and Poverty Bay before the season closes. These encounters have usually provided good exhibitions of the game in the past, and the best Hawke’s Bay eleven available would undoubtedly extend the majority of teams from any minor associotions. • • c TWO DISTINCT METHODS OF ATTACK. The successful team in any form of sport is undoubtedly the side which adopts as a plan ot campaign “combined action’’ tactics, and the game of Soccer, with its quick changes from defence to attack, probably calls on the team spirit more than any other outdoor sport. The individualist style of play is therefore of very little value, especially among forwards who adopt either of tho two recognised methods of attack, namely the long passing and the short passing game. Under these two distinct styles of play all sorts of combinations become possible.

• • ♦ As the name implies, passing is an essential feature, out it must never be forgotten that passing is merely a means to an end.

To be effective, the short passing game consists of attacking by means of short rapid passes. Too often the passing is slow, and thus robs this style of play of half of its power of unsteadying the opposing defence.

The short passing attach is generally almost conducted by the three inside players, but there is no reason why the outsides should not hove an equal share in such an attack.

Properly played, it is undoubtedly a dangerous form of attack, but requires a greater degree of accuracy than the long passing play, and when it fails it is generally due to some fault on the part of the forwards. For short passing the forward line i sranged in a more or less straight line across the field, the wing men slightly in advance of the insides, the latter playing rather nearer to their centre forward than to the outside plovers. • » « SACHS-JOHNSTON SHIELD.

P. W. L. D. for ag. Pts. Rangers .. 8 5 0 3 32 8 13 United ... 8 6 2 0 36 1.5 12 Whakatu . 8 2 3 3 19 *6 7 Hast. Y.M. 8 2 5 1 •18 31 .5 Nap’r Y.M 8 1 6 1 18 41 3