A Handsome Lead

NZ Truth, Issue 1227, 6 June 1929, Page 17

A Handsome Lead

(From; "N.Z. Truth's" Wellington Rep.) Challenge Cup matches .. are' set down for Saturday, and picking the winner presents a pretty puzzle. rUf Soccer were riot what it is 'DtairioiAds, the only team to come through -seven matches without a loss,.;;cbu(d ' be safely judged the winners. . x <■: ■ ::■ DL'T with the incentive of a knock - out competition to pull the laggards together there are at least I'our teams in' the contest who may down the redoubtable 'blacks.' One of these teams is the .side which I'ctone are meeting m the first round of the contest, the dashing, reckless Institute boys. Institute this season have don" much to atone for their poor record last year and they may now be 'ruK-ii'dGCl as the surprise packet of the competition. ! The strength of Institute is one which is envied by other and more powerful sides — they tnke their scoring change?:. Petone should handle them, but they will have to be on their toes to do it. Institute will be giving nothing away. No one .who saw that dashing match at the Basin last Saturday, can agree that Diamonds are a better side. Fore and aft, Petone won that game with ten men. Leslie lost it for them. With .two glorious chances right In front of the goal-mouth, the bullocking centre shot anywhere but In the right direction. One of his kicks must have been from less than ten feet away. Petone's weakness was pointed out m this column a week ago, when the judgment of "N.Z. Truth" was: "If they shoot they'll win." The villagers did everything but that. Other games m the Challenge Cup are more obscure. Marist met Waterside who drew with them last Saturday, when the Irishmen deserved a win, but robbed themselves of. the chance of being second on the championship table by sheer clumsiness. A.s for the championship, it is too early to shout, but Diamond men 7Tiust be getting ready. With six points lead and .seven matches to play, it looks as though only a miracle can prevent the blacks from getting there. It is at least one hundred to one that they will carry off the honors; ana on their : consistency, sound defence, and snappy wing play— R. McLeod and Daniels together are a particular delight— they will have deserved it.