Free Scoring Soccer

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 419, 30 July 1928, Page 6

Free Scoring Soccer

ONEHUNGAROUTED BY TRAMS

Ponsonby Maintains Lead

THE resumption of the senior Soccer championship on Saturday was marked by prolific goal scoring'. At Blandford Park the Ponies avenged ' the Chatham Cup knockout by downing Y.M.C.A., 4 —o; while at Onehunga the Trams overwhelmed a weakened home team by eight goals to nil. At Northeote the Shore team was weakened by three casualties, but managed to win after a hard tussle by three goals to one.

At Blandford Park the ground was in splendid order for the renewal of hostilities between Ponsonby and Y.M.C.A. The latter had knocked out the holders of the Chatham Cup by a 4—l margin a fortnight before, and Ponies were anxious to even matters. The game showed a reversal of form, and Y.M.C.A. went down after a stirring struggle by 4 goals to 0. The Young Men were weakened by the sudden iUness of Clanachan, who may not be available now for the next cup-tie bout, while Ponies had signed up a first-class acquisition in McCosh, who comes here with excellent Scottish credentials*, and showed himself a finished exponent of the code at centre-half. Wright moved out to , outside-right position and Innes went in to centreforward. PONIES’ HOT ATTACKS Ponsonby were soon on the aggressive, McCosh showing out early in robbing the Yormg Men and sending his forwards away on some lively raids. Wright got clear through, but shot wildly, and then Malcolm intercepted in the nick of time to stop another onslaught. But Ponies were not to be denied, and Wright slammed in a hot drive which Otter tried to head clear, only to deflect it into the net. Y.M. rallied and tested the defence; but a corner kick went behind, and two nice centres from Whaley went begging for want of a receiver. Humphreys looked dangerousw hen Miles spreod himself across his track, and Ponsonby took up the attack again. Innes placed a nice pass for Wilson to gather and work past the defence, finishing the sprint with a high shot to the roof of the nea. After lively exchanges Ponsonby pressed hard agadn and Balloch fastened smartly on a mis-kick by Malcolm; Ponies changing over with a substantial lead of three goals. YOUNG MEN AGGRESSIVE

Ponsonby took matters quietly on resuming, and Young Mem set up a sustained offensive which caused the leaders to smother up with some dogged defensive work. Y.M. swarmed round the Ponies’ goal, forcewl corner kicks which were fruitless, and secured a penalty which went West. Watts, Morry Williams and Mfles put up a stout resistance, while the Ponsonby target held a charmed life- Alter half an hour’s bootless battling, McCosh raised the siege with a long pass up-field, and a surprise raid with some clever head work saw Wilson centre and Innes head past Paton for Ptonsonby’s fourth goal. PONSONBY’S CHAMPIONSHIP CLAIM

Ponsonby showed a welcome return to the top of its form, and with the second round almost completed has now a strong claim on the championship, although surprises may happen. McCosh is a lucky strike at this stage, and should prove a valuable asset in both defence and attack. He possesses a commanding presence, and, although obviously short of a game as time were on, he is certain to be a thorn in the opposing sides in future games. Watts was in great form, and still displays some magnetic power of making his opponents miss a penalty kick. The Ponies’ defence throughout was very staunch, though some of Bell’s tackling was not above reproach. Wright was a lively substitute for right-wing, but was a hit reckless in centring. "\yilson and Evan Williams made a lively left wing, and Balloch is

a promising junior who worked well with Innes.

Y.M.’S LUCK OUT The Young Men had all the worst of the first spell, but missed some good openings. In the second half they were very unlucky not to score, and the figures by no means indicate the run of the play. The forwards- showed themselves a fine attacking force, and penned Ponsonby in its own territory for a long time without any luck, but the defence wag very sturdy and crowded the attackers unceasingly. Humphreys, Grant and Chalmers battled hard and cleverly, but the left wing was not so effective as in the previous match. The Y.M. defence was flukey in the opening stages when Ponsonby was attacking hotly, but improved as the game proceeded. It would appear to need stiffening if Y.M.’s cup ambitions are to be realised. TRAMWAYS’ RUNAWAY WIN The “Trammies” again journeyed to Onehunga, but found a very weakened home team confronting them, 'Whowell and Whimster being the most conspicuous absentees in the defence and attack, while the Corporation club was at full strength. The Manukau men held their more experienced opponents at bay in the opening stages, and Spencer broke the ice after a secondbarrel shot at a penalty kick which Cumming saved at first attempt. Tinkler, from inside right, added a second one before half-time, but Onehunga’s luck was out when a goal from Cotton was adjudged offside. SPENCER’S FULL HAND In the second spasm the home defence crumpled up badly, and the Trammies got in some deadly target

with Spencer as the crack sniper of the marksmen. The “All Black” centre added four more of the best to his bag, making his tally for the match a season’s record of five goals for a game. Davis added his quota of one, and then Christie made it eight with a powerful drive from long range, which flew past Cummings into the corner of the net.

SHORE’S CHAPTER OF* CASUALTIES Shore paid a visit to its Tsorthcote

neighbour, and appeared to have an easy chance of adding two points to its total, but met .with a series of acci - dents which made the remainder of the team extend themselves fully before a win was recorded. Early in the game Woolley’s knee gave out on him again, and it is feared this promising young player may have to give the game a spell

for a time, and Shore will find him hard to replace. After Moore had scored from a strong centre by Bradshaw a similar trouble to Woolley’s caused Tipton to retire for treatment, and a shot from the veteran Murray Hayes was rushed

through by Northcote to equalise matters. Tipton

was limping badly when he returned to the arena, but with a man short the Shore forwards broke through again, and Moore gave Jay a. nice opening to crash 13 a hard shot to the net. More trouble met Shore when Dan Jones collided heavily with Hall and had to retire hurt, but the Devon port lads stuck to attack as the best defence, and the Moore-Jay movement saw the latter net again. Northcote then made a strong attempt to reverse matters, but found Colebourne and Gerrard a solid last line of defence, and Staples -was very safe In goal. The shooting of the ’Cote forwards was very erratic, and Shore ran out the winners by three goals to one. MORE PROMISING JUNIORS The curtain-raiser at headquarters between Rangers and Tamaki gave the early birds another opportunity of seeing two of the leading junior combinations in action, and play at the opening was of a high-pressure type when four goals were scored in about ten minutes. But the pace dropped a lot in the second spell, when no further goals were scored, and the defenders had found the measure of the opposing forwards. Rangers ran out winners of a real good contest by the odd goal in five, and produced some promising players. Tamaki, too, is a fine type of team, which only needs cohesion and coaching in some of the liner points to make it a good combination. SECONDARY SCHOOL SOCCER PROPOSED AUCKLANDWELLINGTON MATCH The junior management committee of tho Auckland Football Association has received a letter from the New Zealand Council, suggesting that games bo arranged between Auckland and Wellington secondary school representative teams. The council is prepared to play a game at Wellington as a curtain-raiser to the Chatham Cup final on August 25. The Wellington Association has agreed to the proposal provided Auckland is prepared to receive a secondary school team from Wellington on August 18. The council expressed a keen desire that the games should be played and stated that the arrangements might prove a forerunner to a Secondary Schools’ Association. INTER-HOUSE MATCHES Fixtures for the first round in the above competition to be played on Wednesday next at 4.30 p.m. are as follow: A Section.—Auckland Milk Company v. Booth, Macdonald and Co., Inner Domain No. 1; Farmers’ Trading Co. v. W. H. Tisdall, Ltd., Victoria Pai'k, No. 1; Auckland Power Board, a bye. B Section.—Tramways v. Abels, Ltd.]' "Victoria Park No. 2: H.M. Customs v. Hellaby’s, Ltd., Blandford Park; Kent’s, Ltd., v. Milne and Choyce, Inner Domain No. 2. CHATHAM CUP Y.M.C.A. V. YVAflo WANDERERS Y.M.C.A. will be represented in the Chatham Cup provincial semi-final against Waro Wanderers at Hikurangi on Saturday next, at 12 o’clock. Goal, Paton; fullbacks, Mowat, Otter; halves, Dick, R. Riddolls and Malcolm; forwards, Chalmers. Grant Humphreys, McAuslan and Whaley. WELLINGTON V. CANTERBURY Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sunday. The following Wellington Association football team has been selected to play Canterbury in Wellington on August 11:—Fletcher, Steele, McGir.r, Farquhar, Campbell, Burke, Barton, Campbell, Leslie, Lack, Stark.