ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 19 July 1924, Page 8

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

( B v . t.'ril ion*.)

Marlborough got homo against NolMin Inst Saturday, anil are to he congratulated', in doing so. Marlborough s \ ruing' (cam put up a fine performance. They did' something good in peneirat - ino The Kelson defence, and had the weather been good the .spectators would have had something to delight in. \Vhen. however, Will some of our goalkeepers learn that the finest feature and the highest qualification in the art of goalkeeping is a display of judgment in coming out a sufficient distance to narrow down the angle from whence the shot is coming V In fact, all our goalkeepers are inclined to forget, the importance of this. The Marlborough goalie .could profit by doing the same thing. The Marlborough brtys were Well served by their whole defence, In which there was no weakness. Their backs .took full advantage, ami did not kick the ball too far forward, so that their forwards got it at the right time arid in the light place. They appeared to me to be playing with their heads as well as with their feet, ns all Soccer players should. Their halves were nippy and clover. Nelson’s back division was lamentably weak. Hurst, sen., being the only oustamlirtg player. Vet lie can and [will improve if he will do as I said before—leave,dribbling to his forwards. He cost his team a. goal last Saturday through it. W. Beveridge has not found Ids place yet.

Nelson's halves were .completely out of the picture. Thhjvloy could not. or would not hold his man. and lie should jearh that when lie draws his man to place the bail not to his immediate forward, but to swing it right • across the.field. Waller, at centre-half, had 1 a handful in Roberts, of Marlborough, but. what, with placing his team and trying to move them to the best advantage. he did rcijiarkably well. Yorgerison will never make a player until he learns tq..keep.liis place. He was here, there, and everywhere, arid never in his place at the critiea'l moment. The result, of cou/se. meant disaster .to his team.

Of the fotward line. Marlborough have a champion centre forward in Roberts, the Maori b.oy. lie has.everything in hi? favour—speed, a splendid command 'df the ball, and is a deadly shot. Richards, for' Nelson, did not give his usual exhibition, and he is quite enough experienced now to know he rnfmot play a team on his own. If lie will please to remember there are also another four forwards in the team perhaps he will score more, goals the next tinted ho visits Blenheim. Oh the right -Wing, Ma.fsh. of the Blenheim team, was the best man on the field. During the first twenty minutes of the game his centering was splendid. Why lie slowed down afterwards 1 don’t know. If it was for lack of training I. should advise him to do more. He would then be a tower of strength to Iris province. Both Nelson's right wing did yoeman service. But Jimmie Penton, like liis club-mate, is inclined to lie selfish. If lie will kick the ball about more hp will lie doing good to his team and to himself. Simpson did exceedingly well, .and should use his headpiece to more advantage by looking to see where his forwards arc. Marlborough's left wing, Saul and Ewart, did some good work. They play to one another beautifully. Saul’s goal was a beauty; also Ewart's. Now, Nelson have a weak spot in their left wing, and that is the inside man. Whatever In's instructions were, I am sure they did not. include the halfbacks. He lay too far back altogether, and the result was the half-backs were demoralised. When he was wanted he was missing. Another thing; if lie stepped well over the ball with one foot before driving with the other he would score more often than he does, and also come back to last, year's form. Many' oilier forwards might take this to heart, and keep it steadily in mind when on the field. The same remarks applies, to half-backs arid backs. .As the pric'and' only way to meet a ball Is to have the upper part of the body in advance of the foremost foot. Stevens did as well away from home as at home. His goal was well timed and well taken. ' lie is a stickler, and worked wejl for his side. He plays the game, arid after all the game is the thing, and if played-as such; it is going to attract; the numbers we expect. If not. then there's something wrong somewhere.

fq th? k’dltor.)

-As this niay lie of Interest, to tliost* who follow iho Soccer code, 1 hope yon may see. your way clear’to apace a. pari' of voiir sports column. Ah 1 waft oho who travelled and watched with keen interest the game hot ween Marlborough and Nelson'rep. B., played at Blenheim last .Saturday on a v'erv wet an/l-slippery ground, with rain and wind during the play making, a promising grime anticipated spoiled. Although Nelson were Heaton 5 goals to ti. it docs not signify that, it was onesided, but to the eoiHrary. it was a hard struggle .bv both teams from start to finish. There was no interval, as the weather was too wretched for •words, excepting in the last twenty minutes, the rain and wind having stopped, which was not in Nelson’s favour, as Nelson reps, held their myn during a howling wirid in f ile first half. McKeJli)r, goal, and the full backs, VV. Beveridge and Hurst; Sen.; were the means of saving Nelson time after time with their good defence. The "half hacks, Vdrgensen. W. Walters, and Thaw ley seemed a long time getting used to the conditions, as the forwards.- fit evens, Hurst, jun.. W. Bieltards, Fenton, and Simpson, had often enough to fall back and get the ball to carry same towards Marlborough's goal, where Richards put (lie goalkeeper hi many a tight, corner, ° but whose brilliant saving was worthy of honours, and tit,, spectators (a good number) showed their appreciation hv their applause; l n the second half Nelson was down for :t to | against them; in fact, the proper score should have been 2 goals to 1, as one goal, which was a doubtful one, was awarded to Marlborough,' This incident was when MeKollne saved a good Shot, but on being tackled he drew Ids anus wifi, the ball over the goal-line, tlion throwing the ball away ele'iir, which was kicked out/of •da tiger by Beveridge. Nothing claim fed. Nelsori goon got go-

mg with a faint breeze lasting about ten minutes in their favour. .The forward line showed good swinging combination, which was a treat K> see. 1 he Marlborough goalkeeper and right back were perfect in their positions, and saved 'their team that day. Marlborough soon enough rallied together, and Nelson's defence Was subjected to a very 1 hard and strenuous time, more especially the full backs. No time was wasted in tlie second half.-as (ho ball was kept going from one goal to another. Marlborough vims without any question - the better team, their forwards,'.especially the centre forward, inside, arid 'outside deft, were the dangerous trio throughout, ted by three first-class half bafiks, who were Uie mainstay in Marlborough's defence, especially the centre ,half, who'watched Nelson's centre forward as a centre half should do. The right full back was solid and sure in hi? defence, and the Marlborough goalkeeper was the best of the two’on the field. For Nelson. MeKcllar was very good, but was to bln me for cine if not two goals scored against him. one especially, when Marlborough's centre forward in the first'half broke through on his own arid had a large piece of ground to cover before he shot that goal. Nelson’s -goalkeeper should have left bis goal and met him, it being his only chance. The Nelson full backs, Beveridge and Hurst, sou., played a sound game in the first half, especially the former, who Saved many critical moment h when Hurst was far out of reach. During the second half the continuous pressure by Marlborough lorwards showed Hurst's ability. For the half - backs. Yorpcnscn, W: H alters, and Thnwlny' Jiatf ,T.ln{ of'work, but jt. showed Nelson's weak part very clearly. If tilings had, been otherwise Nelson's forwards would have Won the day. as they were starved throughout. Yorgcnscn played goqd. but- never stays in his position. His roaming till over the field upsets-in most case? the rest of. the. team. Wallets seemed to have -a, day off.'.as his play was not up to his usual standard-. Thawley played good.' hut was too s)ow in recovering when the wing man got past him. Nelson forwards. Stevens, Hurst, jun.. Richards. Fenton, and Simpson, showed good combination on their part.. The. treat-to see was the crosses made by Steven? arid Simpson;'- and Richards with his shooting. Hurst, jun., rind Fenton had often enough to go and Help -their half backs, as inside men should do, which meant the only hope, of getting a goal was by trying to get the ball up to Richards, who practically the w hole half was on his own, and his attempts at breaking through' were fruitless. Considering the nature of. the weather and state of'the ground, the game was very fast, and good! The:: referee's capable control of the gainc was worthy of praise; On the whole,' Marlborough was the better team, and deserved their win.—l am. etc.. GOAL NET.

P.S. —Throe special notes which should -be taken for the benefit of fu-' ture rep. matches which arc coming soon-First: McKcllar should got- rid of the ball quicker than lie is doing, as he has always that tendency in hanging on to the hall too long. Second: Hurst, sen., as left back, seems to delight in wandering too far away from his goal towards the side line. He should remember that his partner Beveridge cannot be expected to watch a whole forward line on his ' o\yri.[ Beveridge as right back, before rushing over to oppose the wing man, should see. that he is covered when leaving iiis position by his partner and one of the half backs. Thirdly and lastly: W. Richards must remember that 'he cannot beat a whole team, as he tried to do on Saturday at Blenheim. liis policy should have been to'pass ilie ball back to liis own men on the wing. This solo playing never succeed? in true football.-—G.N.. .