ASSOCIATION CODE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 255, 25 September 1933, Page 10

ASSOCIATION CODE

WANGANUI BEAT MANAWATU. At North Street Park, on Saturday afternoon, in the final representative Association football match of the season, the Wanganui Association s side beat the Manawatu team to the tune of five goals to three in play that levealed the teams as being very similar in all departments. At the interval the scores were even, but the visitors took full advantage of the wind thereafter and Manawatu went under. The teams were as follow: Manawatu (green).—Crowe, Askam, Travers, Cumming, Coombs, Rabbitts, Bridgens. Eliott, Young, Hearsey, McSheffrey (captain). Wanganui (blue). —Walker, Thompson, Taylor, Kidd, Crumbley (captain), Cave, Bell, Dashfield, Heath. Newman, Quinn. . Commencing forty minutes fate, Wanganui set the ball rolling into the wind and met with strong opposition which sent them back at a good pace for Manawatu to gain a corner which bore no fruit. Play hovered about the visitors’ goal and Walker had his work cut out to preserve his citadel. The assault persisted for a little time and gave the visiting backs a good deal to do, but relief was ultimately gamed for a short period. Coombs and Ra.bbitts were working splendidly and the River City forwards had no chance, so that Manawatu were soon on the aggressive again. A surprise attack was not beyond Wanganui, however, and it was the work of a moment for Heath to beat Crowe after the leather had been worked upfield with skill. Wanganui were now testing the Manawatu backs more, and the balance of play was definitely in their favour. Wild tactics spoiled much of the play and for a time neither side utilised all their chances till Manawatu consolidated to force the position strongly. It was too great an effort for the visitors and when Eliott found the net it was a fine reward for consistent attack.

Stimulated to a remarkable degree by this success, Manawatu knuckled down to hard football for a time and Hearsey was prominent in causing the goalie anxiety with well-directed long shots. However, the pace slowed down, and although the local side held the territorial advantage, the result was not iilustrated in tangible manner. The wind was allowed to drift the leather instead of being utilised to advantage, and the result was that several times an open goal opportunity was lost. After forty minutes Wanganui again ca.me into prominence, and it was all that Askam and Travers could do to keep Bell and his associates out of the danger zone. A reprisal succeeded, however, and Thompson and Taylor had to exercise a great deal of ingenuity in clearing. Their forwards took up the attack with alacrity and a splendid exhibition of combining individuals failed to beat Coombs and the green backs. Half time sounded with the teams still on even terms.

The initial attack of the Manawatu forwards in th© second half went dangerously close to the Wanganui goal, but it was a short lived attempt and it was only the work of moments for the blue backs to hold the mastery of the situation. The pace was on and in the anxiety to find tlio net or give tlje back line more trouble there was some wild play, and Manawatu were as a result placed at a disadvantage. Tile visiting forwards carried the attack into the opposition territory for a time, but the greens replied to finally settle down to a more even pace just inside the half-way line. Wanganui infused more energy into their tactics and after a brilliant rush, in the course of which a forward had to leave the field with temporarily injuries, a goal came to the blues from Quinn, to give them a 2—l lead. There was now evenness of play and the ball alternated b.etwen the respective goal areas with abandon. A penalty was awarded to Manawatu, but the wind drifted the leather past the goal. Manawatu took a fresh lease of life and after a temporay rebuff Hearsey came at a cracker pace to finish a nice movement instituted by Young to equalise again. Wanganui were stung into action and were not to be satisfied until they were- in the lead. A series of well sustained forward expeditions had the homesters worn down temporarily and Heath took the opportunity to get through a steady defence and heat Crowe with a hard shot at close range. Pretty play enabled Manawatu to find the Wanganui area, and a series of corners had to be conceded, hut the blues survived the onslaught and a break away by Heath was successfully capped off with practically no opposition.

Now two goals down, Manawatu played with abandon and instituted rush after rush in an attempt to ensure a better position, and the pace again became a cracker. A particularly fine attempt failed when Coombs led a great rush right up to Walker’s goal only to lose the ball. The greens were definitely superior now and forced Wanganui to concede corners and generally assume a defensive attitude. Full time sounded, however, with no additional scoring. Mr A. H. Hesketh was the referee. LOWER GRADES. Tire conclusion was reached in the lower grade competitions prior to the commencement of the senior match, and during the afternoon the trophies were presented to successful teams by Mr R. E. Kempson, chairman of the junior management committee. The winners were as follow :

Sixth grade.—Young Shield (“knockout”), College Street, who beat Convent School A 2—l in the morning and Terrace End s—o in the afternoon. McKenzie Cup (league), Convent School A.

Fifth grade.—Dick Trophy (“knockout”), Te Awe Awe Scouts. St. Andrew’s Cup (league), Te Awe Awe Scouts.

Sixth grade—Goldfinch and Cousins Trophy (“knock-out”), Te Awe Awe Old Boys. Chinese Cup (league), Rovers. OTHER CENTRES. Christchurch.—ln the English Cup final, Thistle 6 beat Nomads 3. Wellington.—First A division. Petone 2 v. Waterside 2. First B division: N.A.D.A. 4 v. Stop-Out 1. Dunedin.—Maori Hill won the Fletcher Cup by holding Mosgiel to a draw 1-all.