ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23202, 28 May 1937, Page 10

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

TOURING ENGLISH TEAM OPENING GAME AT NAPIER VISITORS' BRILLIANT DISPLAY (Per United Press Association) NAPIER, May 27. The English Association football players opened their New Zealand tour at Napier to-day in fine weather before an attendance of 2000, when they scored a signal victory over the Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay team by 12 goals to nil. The visitors probably had not lost their sea legs, and this fact would account for some poor shooting. Their positional play was superb, the Englishmen never being found out of place. Their penetration was effective and they lost no time. Most of their attacks came from the right wing, but the scoring was chiefly from the left, Finch obtaining three goals and another he lost through offside play. The visitors' interception was splendid, and their ball control effective and pleasing. The home team defended really well considering the great superiority of the visitors. The home goalie, Hill, of Gisborne, put up a great fight, and considering his trials his record was a splendid one, some of his saving being cheered. Towards the end both sides tired perceptibly, but only for a short time, the. English attack being ' resumed with great activity. The home team won the toss and played in front of a slight northerly breeze, but was defending practically the whole of the time, the periods of attack being of brief duration. Due to the excellence of the combination of the Englishmen the scoring came fairly frequently, but the missed shots were much more numerous. All the members of the visiting team took their full share of the work, but their excellent combined efforts made much work for their opponents. One of the goals, the third, was accidentally netted by Brain, who mis-kicked into his own net.

Joy's effort was a perfect one, the ball being taken on the full artd glanced into the net off his chest. Collins's effort also possessed much merit, but to Finch went the honours of the day. His record of three goals should have read four. The actual scorers were: Finch (3), Leek (1), Thornton (2), Matthews (2), Collins (1), Joy (1), Lewis (1).

Mr R. Callacher was referee.