ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21980, 15 June 1933, Page 4

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

By Corner Kick

NEW ZEALAND TEAM'S TOUR June 17. —v. Australia (second test), at Sydney. June 21.—v. Metropolitan, at Sydney (by floodlight). June 24. —v. Australia (third test), at Sydney. June 28. —To be arranged. June 30.—Leave Sydney for Wellington. OTAGO FIXTURE June 24. —Canterbury v. Otago, at Dunedin (F.A. Trophy match). THE ALL BLACKS Following on the heavy defeat inflicted on the New Zealand team in Australia bv New South Wales (5 —0) and Northern Districts (7—l), the loss of the first test match by 4 goals to 2 indicates that the tourists are improving, whilst the result of the last game played against an Australian eleven (a draw—2 goals each) gives definite confidence of a possible reverse in the result of the next test which takes place on Saturday. The short report from Australia of the first test which, takes place on Saturday. It is interesting to note that the Australian team included seven New South Wales players who lai;gely contributed to t the success of the test side. Commenting on the first test match, the Brisbane Daily Mail stated: —The New Zealanders do not compare favourably with Campbell's team of 1923, and unless they can improve on their showing in the test match they will not win any of the vital tests. A noticeable weakness is Christie at centre-half. Christie is a clever footballer, and he is far ahead of the rest of the team when it comes to footwork, but be is too slow to pace it with his more speedy Australian opponents. Chapman, who figured at centrehalf in the Queensland team, would be an improvement in the position. Chapman played at inside-right in the test, and was one of the best forwards on his side. The weakness of the New Zealand team was its fault in not playing to ti e outside men and its failure to shoot at goal when in the goal area. Kay, the team’s star outside-left, did not receive a fair share of the ball after the interval. Had the New Zealanders played more to Kay, he might have turned the tables in their favour. The halves were playing to the centre, and with the inside forwards crowding this spoiled many good chances. The forwards had many good chances of shooting, but they tried to walk the ball into, the net. All the half-backs play clever football, and feed the front line judiciously, but they are on the slow side. The strength of the New Zealand team lay in the back division. Both Gerrard and Graham played well. Their kicking was clean, and they kept a good eye on Smith. Zuill is a brilliant goal-keeper, and made many ntiraculous saves during the afternoon. F.A. TROPHY The first challenge match of the season for the F.A. Trophy, played at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday, provided a thrilling contest, which held the spectators enthralled throughout the full 90 minutes of the play. Once again Otago’s luck prevailed, and_ the Wellington representatives were defeated by five goals to four. With the half time score of 3—2 in favour of Otago, it looked odds on Wellington being finally victorious, as the northern representatives were playing great football. Without in any, way detracting from Otago’s win (all its five goals scored were worthy efforts), the Wellington team fairly outclassed the local side in combination and ball control. The manner in which the forwards swept down on the Otago goal with short, snappy passing, after the halves had worked the play into position for attack, was a revelation to the spectator's. Their three goals, the fourth being from a penalty kick, were the result of pretty movements, but, on the whole, the vanguard played too much close football in front of goal. The wing forwards' did not get the ball across quickly enough, and this allowed the Otago defence time to consolidate and block the attempts of the inside forwards to press home the Otago's style of play was in striking contrast to that of the challengers. Ope minute Otago would be penned, hard put to keep Wellington from scoring, and, with a couple of hefty kicks, defence had been turned into attack, with Hooper, Witchall, and Skinner making speedy dashes to Wellington’s goal. This style of play had Miles and Harris guessing at times, and resulted in Skinner, Hooper, and Witchall scoring a goal

each. Witchall timed his run to a nicety, heading the ball from Skinner’s cross just on the point of it being fielded by M’Vean. Unlike Wellington, Otago’s line displayed little concerted play, and there was no interchanging of position as practised by the two wing pairs on the visitors’ side. _ Much of the credit of Otago’s win is due to the irresistible Hooper, who has a great record of goals in trophy games. He scored the “ hat trick ” on Saturday, following up his first goal with two fine headers from corner-kicks. M’C'orlnack was not as brilliant as usual. He put in a lot of solid work, but did not pair well with Witchall. Skinner on the left-wing played better than in ids previous representative game last year. Here, too, there was not the connected play with M’Lcan that lias been in evidence in club games, but M’Lean was mostly at fault through his habit of roving. In the half-line, Porter’s display was disappointing, and only on few occasions did he show his best form. Duncan, who has filled the right-wing position in previous trophy games, gave a brilliant display at righthalf. In this position he was very effective in holding the clever Wellington pair, Cunningham and Craig, and his judgment in dropping back to assist his backs frequently stemmed the Wellington attacks, Sutherland, who was making his first appearance in a trophy match, played hard throughout at left-half, and in the latter part of the game was holding the opposing forwards. Jeffery and M’Leod. The defensive piny of Coats, at left fullback was a feature of the game. After a shaky start, due, no ! doubt, to playing out of his usual position (right full-back)he played with great confidence, setting a fine example to his team by his resolute tackling. His partner, Taylor, did not at any period of the play display the form he did in last year's trophy games. Taking the play ' all through it is a matter for surprise that Wellington did not score more often, and had it not .been for the safe goalkeeping of M’Dougall they would no doubt have done so. Otago is fortunate to have a player of his calibre as a last line of defence, as he hag an easy, confident style which is of great value to. any side. The Wellington players were easily the best side that Ijas been seen in action in Dunedin for some seasons past. They were well balanced, and their accurate passing of, the ball was the work of finished players. The forward line was adept at the short passing game, but were too much inclined to run the ball through to score instead of shootjng more often.

Cunningham and Jeffery were a pair of fine inside players, and the former, despite the active attention of Duncan, put in clever work. Jeffery and M’Leod, on the riaht wing, delighted the spectators with many fine touches of smart passing movements. Janes, the young centre-forward, displayed fine ball control, but it was not until the second spell that l.e came to the fore with shots. Some of these lacked sting, but The one he beat M'Dongall with and which was the cause of a little argument was a fine one. Campbell, at centre-half, was without doubt the most accomplished pi aye? of the side, most of the Wellington advances emanating from b l ® shrewd play. His two wing men, Todd and Hindle, displayed robust tackling. the latter the better in placing the ball to his fonwards. The backs, Miles and Haines, were fairly sound. The former tackled well, but, as previously stated, they both appeared to be in doubt how best to meet the long, swinging style adopted by the Otago forwards. M V ean, in goal, lived up to his reputation as a safe* goal-keeper. He did not have the same amount of shots to contend with as did M’Dougall in the opposite end. but could not be blamed fop those that got past him, Taici. g tue game all through, spectators had no reason to complain of the class of football served up by the teams, and “Soccer” in Dunedin should receive « great fillip after Saturday’s display.

CANTERBURY’S CHALLENGE NEXT Arrangements for the next trophv gam6, which will be against Canterbury, were put in train at the last meeting ol the local Management Committee, when Saturday. June 24, was tentatively fixed for the match, which will also be played on the Caledonian Canterbury should be in/a position to field a strong side, having no players away with the New Zealand team and having also the option of calling upon West Coast players of representative standing. The local selectors have wasted no time in announcing the Otago players for tine match, the team being as follows: —Goal, J. M’Dongall; full-backs. L. I 'oats (cantriin), H. Cope; halves—S. Duncan, A. Perry. J. Baillie: forwards—A. Gorrie, J. Witchall, W. Hooper, T. M’Comack, C. Skinner. In this selection the selectors have, with the exception of Duncan, given the players the positions in which they have been playing in the club competitions, and improved combination is tonfidently expected to result. Four of the team which defeated Wellington on Saturday have been dropped, viz., Taylor, Porter, Sutherland, and M’Lean, the newcomers being Cope, Perry, Baillie, and Gorrie. The last three players have been playing well in club games, but the inclusion of Cope will come as a surprise to most, as he has not been at his best in recent club games. He has, however, had experience in big football, having been a member of the Otago side which wrested the trophy from Wellington in 1931, and in that game he rose to the occasion at a period of the play when Otago badly needed something of the kind.

FLETCHER CUP COMPETITION The resumption of club games on Saturday has special interest for local supporters of the game, as the two lending teams, Mosgie! and Maori Hill, meet for the first time this season. Neither team has suffered a defeat so far, but each has lost a point to Northern. These teams are capable of giving fine displays, and a large crowd is expected to witness the game, which will be played on the Caledonian Ground. Northern, which is next on the league table, three points plnvs High School Old Boys at the Gardens, and with the latter team showing much improvement in its last game against Roslyn-Wakari, the match should prove of interest.