Northern Holds Lead At End of Round

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27093, 30 May 1949, Page 6

Northern Holds Lead At End of Round

SOCCER

The Otago Football Association's fifth series of games was played on Saturday under most favourable conditions. These games marked the end of the first round, with Northern holding a two-point lead. The University-Green Island postponed game will take place next Monday in conjunction with the Junior National Cup trial match.

The main game at the Caledonian Ground resulted in a hollow victory for the leaders, the University team failing dismally after the first 20 minutes. Northern then settled down and ran out winners by 10 goals to nil. After leading by three goals to one. High School Old Boys could only share the points with Mornington in a 3—all draw. The match between Roslyn-Wakari and Green Island was an excellent one. and Roslyn deserved its 'win.

In the B Division, Southern played good football to beat Caversham, and Watersiders when visiting Mosgiel gained full points after a particularly fast and even game. Maori Hill just got home against Technical O.ld Boys, the second division leaders failing to show the same confidence as in previous games. The results were:— HS Old Boys 3, Mornington 3. Northern 10, University nil. Rolsyn-Wakari 3, Green Island 2. Maori Hill 3, Technical Old Bovs 2. Southern 6, Caversham 2. Watersiders 3. Mosgiel 2. POSITION OF TEAMS The following tables show the position of the teams in the first and second divisions :

A Division

OVERWHELMING WIN After University's excellent showing and its win against High School Old Bovs, Northern fully expected a hard game, but the students fielded a much weaker combination on Saturday, and the longer the game progressed the weaker it became, with the result that Northern, except in the early stages, completely dominated play. Pilling, Hill, Payne, and Gilbert tried desperately to bring some method into the University play, but Northern showed all-round superiority. The onesided nature of the contest made the game uninteresting. Northern's marksmen were W. Berry (4), I. Walsh (4). and N. McDonald (2), the gamte ending: Northern 10. University nil. Mr F. king was the referee. DRAWN GAME AT OVAL Easily the largest crowd attracted to the Oval No. 1 ground for some time was present for the match between High School Old Boys and Mornington. The first half saw some excellent exchanges by both teams, Old Boys being the more dangerous, H. Foote, at centre, beating J. Glen with two shots of the unstoppable variety after clever play. The Old Boys team was disorganised by the absence of J. Mason and I. Jones. Mornington’s defence has played better, and. with Cope missing, the attack lacked a leader. Nevertheless, Warner, Dickson and Flaws showed out Tn some clever movements. Easson scored two goals by being on the spot.

Neither side showed up In front of the goal until Foote opened the scoring for Old Boys, which put new life into the game, and some really fast exchanges took place. Foote added another, but Easson reduced Mornington's deficit. Then Bosworth turned the ball past Glen from a pass by Foote to make the half-time score 3 to 1 in favour of Old Boys. Buchanan, at right-half for Old Boys, was playing a sound game on defence and attack sending L. D. Smith away repeatedly on dangerous runs, but Glen saved all attempts at scoring. Sharp, in clearing, struck a player with the ball, the ball rebounding into no man’s land, and Easson was presented with an easy goal. Mornington staged a heavy raid on Old Boys’ goal, and Sharp was penalised, J. Warner bringing the scores level lust before time, with the score 3—all. Mr W. M. Smith was the referee. ROSLYN’S NARROW WIN At. Millar Park, Green Island, the visiting Roslyn-Wakari team swept into action from the kick off, and had the local side rattled for some time. P. Murphy was tried at centre for Green Island, but proved too small against the tall Holleyton, Roslyn centre-half. W. I Murphy partnered Booth on the left wing, the latter being the best of the local front line. Booth’s second goal was a real footballer's effort, and when he received from D: Farquharson he weaved his way through the defence to hit the back of the net for a grand goal. Farquhar’s display at left-half was outstanding, and he went close to scoring several times by backing up. E. Mason played soundly for the visitors and was well supported by F. Stanley and E. Burgess on the .wing. The half-time score of 3 goals to nil In the visitors’ favour was fully deserved. Mason and Robinson being the scorers. It appeared that Upland, the Green Island goalkeeper, misjudged two of these goals, and in the second spell D. Carr went into goal and Upland Into the forwards. Green Island played much better In the second spell, and when Booth put two goals on for Green Island some hard interchanges took place, with each goal having narrow escapes, but the Roslyn-Wakari defence was giving nothing away. The game ended: Roslyn-Wakari 3. Green Island 2 Mr R. Hall was the referee. MAORI HILL HARD PRESSED The early game, between Maori Hill and Technical Old Boys, at the Caledonian Ground did not at any stage produce a very high standard of football, the hill eleven failing to produce the form shown in recent years. This was to Technical’s credit, as it was preventing its opponents from settling to a closepassing game, and succeeded to such an extent that the Maori Hill goal had some very narrow escapes with shots that should not have missed. Laurence and W. Williams got through a tremendous amount of work, the former showing up well in the front line. With the changeover, Maori Hill, with a two-goal lead, was inclined to waste too many balls, and Technical seized this opportunity to press home an attack which brought one goal up, a first-time effort by Thomas. This was- followed by a bright down-the-middle movement which caught the hill defence in two minds, and W. Williams scored the equaliser. Play was very even at this stage, and the B division leaders went all out to obtain the' winning goal When Ferguson sent a strong clearance downfield. E. Newall sent on to W. Ives, who made no mistake with a hard drive. E. Newall was Maori Hill’s other scorer. The final score was: Maori Hill 3, Technical Old Boys 2. Mr W. Dodds was the referee. SOUTHERN’S COMBINATION TELLS At Tonga Park' Southern showed that they possess the players to turn on good football, as they fully demonstrated against Caversham. Most of their combined movements were not wasted until the ball finished in the net. Oliver was generally the leader and by his excellent placements had the Caversham defence troubled. It was in the babk division that Caversham showed its chief weakness, and but for Meiklejohn, who was back, half-back and forward rolled Into one, the score could have been greater. Meiklejohn played a very solid game for the losers. W. Hooper scored his side’s two goals by quick thinking, one with his head and a lightning first-timer from his boot. Oliver (5) and Brownlie scored for Southern which won by 6 goals to 2 Mr N. Williams was the referee WATERSIDERS WIN CLOSE GAME Watersiders journeyed to Mosgiel and after an exciting and even end-to-end encounter emerged winners by 3 goals to 2. Watersiders had a much better balanced front line, Doyle, the exSouthern player, giving the line more thrust as well as providing many openings for others. His first goal was a well-timed effort and gave his side a lead and confidence In the first five ■ minutes of play, which seemed to havp the tendency to make the Mosgiel players I adopt a defensive attitude. As a result, the Mosgiel forwards failed to see much of the ball. Eventually, however, a strong | raid ended in R. Pearce equalising. There were some fast exchanges, with the visitors showing more method, and Ander- , son scored for Watersiders from close | range. Back came Mosgiel and the | visitors’ defence was rattled when Burt j again brought the scores level before the 1 interval. The second spell was hard and even, both defences playing soundly, each goal having near misses, but just before time A. Davidson sent through to Flaws who scored for Watersiders with a fast left-foot drive. Mr D. Welham was the referee OTHER GRADES Second Grade,—Northern 8. RoslynWakari 2; Eastern 5, Southern 1: High School Old Boys 4, Maori Hill 4. Third Grade.—Northern 4, Technical

Old Boys 1; High School Old Boys 2: Watersiders. 2, Green Island 11, Maori Hill B nil; OR SC 3. Maori Hill A 2. Fourth Grade.—Roslyn-Wakari 8, Southern nil; Green Island 5, Otago Boys’ Hign School B nil; Northern 3. Otago Boys High School A 1: King’s High School 8. Mornington nil. Fifth Grade.—Mosgiel 2. King's High School 2; Caversham 8. Southern 2: Northern 9. Green Island 1. . Sixth Grade. —YMCA 5, Roslyn-Wakari 2; Mosgiel 2, Watersiders nil: Northern 9. Mornington nil.

P. W. L. D. Goals. F. A. Pts. Northern 5 3 2 22 3 8 Mornington .. 5 2 1 2 10 5 6 H.S. Old Boys 5 2 1 2 16 10 6 Roslyn-Wakari 5 2 2 1 10 15 5 University 4 1 3 3 21 2 Green island 4 — 3 1 3 10 1 Maori Hill B 5 Division 5 — 35 4 10 Caversham .. 5 3 2 13 20 6 Southern 5 2 2 1 16 <25 5 Tech. Old Boys 5 2 3 22 10 4 Mosgiel .. 5 1 3 1 13 21 3 Watersiders .. 5 1 4 9 28 2