SOCCER FOOTBALL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 228, 26 August 1929, Page 3

SOCCER FOOTBALL

ST. ANDREW’S IN STRONG POSITION. FLOCK HOUSE BEATEN. St. Andrew’s put themselves in a strong position in the Association football league on Saturday by defeating Flock House, who were the only other serious contenders for the premiership. Rangers, who have been displaying promising form of latCj sprung a surprise by defeating Athletic. Feilding secured their first championship points, It.S.A. defaulting. SENIOR LEAGUE TABLE.

RANGERS WIN. ATHLETIC’S DEPLETED TEAAI. With one man short and a somewhat depleted team, Athletic could not hold Rangers at North Street Park on Saturday, the colts securing their first win over the older combination by three goals to two. Tlie game was patchy, some bright incidents enlivening play. Rangers at times displayed good combination, swinging the ball about in good style. At other times the forwards were somewhat selfish. Athletic played a, good losing game and nearly equalised in the last few minutes. The teams were as under Rangers (white). —Kells, French, Hands, Sapwell, J. Smillie, Wagstaft, D. Smillie, Wilkinson, Altree, McLaren, Sharman. Athletic (black). —Cudd, Travers, I. Crowe, Hearsey, Marshall, Hook, 1. Childs, Wackrow, H. Childs, Rainford. . , , Athletic went to the attack straight away and 11. Childs swung a long pass to his brother whose shot went wide. Rangers made a determined counterattack, J. Smillie sending his forwards away. The bail came to McLaren in a handy position, hut a nice rising shot hit the bar to bounce infield foi an Athletic player to clear. Midfield play ensued tili T. Crowe broke away to pass to P. Childs who, eluding Hands, crossed nicely. H. Childs followed through fast, hut French came across rapidly to tackle him so that Ins shot went behind. Back came tho whites, Wilkinson and Sharman testing Hearsey. Continued pressure brought Rangers a corner, this not being turned to advantage. Athletic took a turn on the attack to force a corner. Ihe hall went behind, and from the goalkick the whites went away. \\ llkinson missed a shot, while shortly afterwards D. Smillie put a cross behind. Rangers continued on the offensive. Sharman crossed and D. Smillie tried a shot, a melee in the goal-mouth ensuing. Travers punched clear, and, the referee observing his action, gave Rangers the penalty. McLaren took the spot kick.and with a beautiful shot converted.

Rangers 1, Athletic 0. Spurred by this reverse, Athletic swung into action, Rainford trying a shot. Kells saved well for the colts to rally. Swinging the ball about in fine style, they raided determinedly and had hard luck in not scoring, several headers just When the blacks attacked in turn, Kells was given a chance to show his worth, the Athletic forwards following in- after a high pass. He was equal to the occasion, throwing clear. Athletic dominated play for a while, but a treekick for hands let Rangers away. Altree dwelt with the ball to lose it and Athletic retaliated. Tho Glnlds brothers had an understanding tor I. Childs to try a mcely-angled shot. French put the ball behind and from the resultant corner Rainford shot the equaliser. Rangers 1, Athletic 1. Athletic were nearly in again, hut P. Childs was ruled offside. End to end play ensued with Athletic holding an advantage. D. Smillie and Wilkinson ivere associated in a rightwing attack for the colts. A miss by Travers gave them their opportunity, Smillie crossing nicely for McLaren to find the corner of the net. Halttime was called almost immediately. Rangers 2, Athletic 1. Directly the game was resumed Rangers further increased their lead. Wilkinson sent up a high diopping shot which hit the bar to bounce through. Rangers 3, Athletic 1.

Encouraged by this success, the colts continued on the offensive and Altree broke through, Travers taking the ball from his feet. H. Childs brok© away, "tlie Athletic attack breaking down. Back came the colts, but McLaren missed a shot from well out. Continuing on tho attack, Rangers had the blacks bustled. Altree was offside, but was not noticed, and shortly afterwards McLaren put another shot in, but he was offsid©. Athletic assumed, the offensive to force a corner, from which, howevertliey derived no advantage. They could not hold the whites who made another stirring raid, Travers halting the movement. The blacks rallied, Hearsey and H. Childs being in tho van. French and Hands were prominent in repulsing the onslaught, the latter being particularly solid. Rangers came away, but McLaren went too far, tjaking the ball oyer the line. After a period of white domination, Athletic again rallied and Hearsey tried a solo call. With a typical Hearsey run, he went through the defence to put a strong left-foot shot past Kells. Rangers 3, Athletic 2.

With their chances improved, Athletic put more dash into their work, forcing a corner. They were nearly in from tho resultant play, but bad tactics lost them the opportunity. Rangers forced a corner aiid there was a hectic rally in the goal mouth, the blacks eventually clearing for H. Childs' to break away. . liands’s defence was splendid, the blacks being again repulsed. Back they came, but could not drive their attack home, and the colts resumed tlie offensive. J. Smillie sent Sharman a nice pass, tho winger’s shot being just outside the post. Athletic swung the ball about in an endeavour to equalise. Hearsey came across fast to try a lovely snap-shot which just veered outside. Hands against J. Smillie saw Athletic back ■ again, Rangers conceding a corner. Travers tried a lovely shot, but Kells saved brilliantly. With a minute to go, Crowe went in fast, but Kells saved again, full-time sounding with no alteration to tlie score. Rangers 3, Athletic 2. Mr H. Bird refereed.

AT FLOCK HOUSE. SAINTS WIN WELL. At Flock House the home team could not withstand St. Andrew’s who scored six goals to their opponents’ three. Corkindale (3), McShelfrey (2)

and Lyons contributed the Saints’ points while John and Goodall scored one each for the House, the other goal being put through by a defending player’s miss-kick. PRIMARY DIVISION. In the primary division Central, beat Tc Awe Awe by two goals to one after an even game. The primary representatives played a practice game against a fifth division team, the latter combination winning by three goals to two. RESULTS IN OTHER CENTRES. Dunedin.—Mosgiel C v. Northern 1Christchurch.—'Western 6 v. Technical 0; Nomads 2 v. Kaiapoi 2; Thistle G v. New Brighton 0. Auckland.—Ealcon Uup : Thistle 4 v. Ponsonby 2. CHATHAM CUP FINAL. WIN FOR AUCKLAND TEAM. Per Press Association WELLINGTON, Aug. 25. In the Chatham Cup final yesterday Tramways (Auckland) beat Seacliff (Otago) by four goals to nil. Heavv showers fell, making the heavy ground very slippery. Tramways led by one goal to nil at half-time. Playing against a strong southerly, the Tramways team was hot on tiie attack, right fiom tho pimp and nurro.vly missed scoring in the first minute. Seacliff, however, was unlucky on several occasions, bad shooting with good opportunities alone preventing scores. Tramways kept up the hot pace in tho second spell, but even against the wind Seacliff had periods of attacking, bad shooting again proving costly. The scorers for Tramways were: Dell, Lewis, and Spencer (2). After the game, Sir Charles Statham presented the cup and medals to the Tramways team.

P. W. D. L. Goals. For Ag. Pts St. Andrew’s . . 15 12 1 2 70 32 25 Flock House . . 18 10 4 4 70 49 24 Athletic .. 17 7 4 6 51 55 18 R.S.A . 17 5 5 7 48 43 15 . 16 5 0 11 25 32 10 Feilaing ... 11 1 0 10 11 48 2