MATAURA PLAYS GREAT FOOTBALL TO BEAT THISTLE

Southland Times, Issue 23553, 6 July 1938, Page 14

MATAURA PLAYS GREAT FOOTBALL TO BEAT THISTLE

By

INSIDE RIGHT

Mataura has now fulfilled the hopes of its supporters. It has beaten Thistle and established itself in what is practically an unassailable position in the Mangan Cup competition. The game between these two teams was expected to be one of the highlights of the season and none who saw the match at Mataura on Saturday would be disappointed. The game was played at a fast pace, the standard of play was high, and the better team won. There can be no denying that Mataura was the better team on the day, but there may be some who question the fact that the country team deserved to win by four goals to two. Thistle appeared to be unlucky not to score on more occasions and a margin of one would possibly have given a fairer indication of the merits of the respective teams.

Consistently good form has been shown by Mataura throughout the present competition and its win on Saturday was well deserved. It has played solid rather than spectacular football and the members of the side all appear to pay strict attention to training. On Saturday, the positional play of the members of the country team was almost beyond criticism and their combination was all that could be desired. It was a great display of football. That both teams showed dash and enterprise and did not relax their efforts at any stage was one of the most pleasing features of the game. From a spectator’s point of view, the game was all that could be desired. There were many sparkling movements made by both teams and the final stages of the game when Thistle was trying desperately to score provided an abundance of thrills

Tire other senior match on Saturday was played in Invercargill on the Biggar street ground between Corinthians and Central. Corinthians won by four goals to three, but although the scoring was close, the game did not produce a good standard of football. It was a ragged game, enlivened at times by bright patches of individual play. Young players on both sides did much to give sparkle to the game. H. Pinkney, on the wing for Corinthians, played an excellent game. He made several good runs, scored one splendid goal and paved the way for other of Corinthians’ goals. Playing on the right wing for Central, L. McKeever, another young player, also stood out for clever attacking and solid defensive work He is very fast, has a good kick and knows how to vary his play to meet different conditions. On Saturday he was well marked by Maconie, one of the outstanding players of the Corinthians team, but nevertheless he more than held his own.

McDonald, at full-back for Corinthians, and Gorrie in the Corinthians forward line also played good football. For Central, Batchelor played a solid and an energetic game, and Buchan and Ferguson were prominent in the forwards. Ferguson, by the way, is another young player, who has all the makings of an outstanding footballer. He scored a fine goal on Saturday.

he has scored goals from every position in the forward line. In O’Donnell, Preston North End possesses an unorthodox wing, ever on a roving commission, and capable of capitalizing the faintest chance. The quick thinking and adaptability of Broome, Aston Villa’s outside right, has gained many goals for his side.

The new style of wing play exploited by such players has come to stay—in comparison the old method seems tame and colourless. Most Australian wingers have adopted the old method of play, although the practice of “cutting in” is perhaps more evident here. Much could be done to follow this new development in the game. One factor necessary for the success of the new wing play is speed, and Australian wingers possess this in abundance. The interchange of position between wing and inside man is no recent development, yet this scheme is rarely exploited by Australian players. No move is more calculated to perplex a defence, and many wing partners could perfect this plan with but little practice. CHIEF FAULT OF WINGERS The chief fault of wingers here is that they attempt too many angled shots. If a winger can “cut in” until he reaches the penalty area he enlarges his angle and thus makes a larger target of the goal. Such moves often result in goals, whereas acutely-angled shots from far out invariably fail to reach their objective. A profitable plan is for wingers to converge on the goalmouth when their fellow-winger is crossing the ball. The complete winger is the one who varies his game—at one moment crossing the ball; at the next “cutting in”

for an attempted shot. Muri, the former Wallsend right-wing, was an admirable exponent of this game. Ball control, allied with speed and a powerful shot, made him a forward to be feared.

Crowhurst, of Metters, is probably the best Australian wing of today. He possesses the ability to cross the ball accurately with either foot, is ever alert to “cut in,” and is a dangerous shot. Wilkinson, of Weston, possesses skill of a high order; he, also, is an opportunist, although his physique is a handicap near - goal. Left-wings of real skill are few. Whitelaw, of Wallsend, is perhaps the best; he shoots hard and accurately, and also crosses well. Ball, of St. George, is a clever wing, of whom much should be heard. There is no better way of learning a game than by watching proficient performers. and young wingers would do well to study the methods of these men, and to base their styles upon them.