SOCCER KICK OFF

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 642, 19 April 1929, Page 6

SOCCER KICK OFF

Start of Championships

TRAMS V. THISTLE TO-MORROW

THE official opening of the Soccer season is set down for to-morrow, when both senior division championship series will start in real earnest. The luck of the draw has matched Tramways with Thistle, and the clash of last year’s champions (Trams) with the champion club of the previous year, should provide a thrilling struggle between two teams of clever and experienced players. The curtain-raiser at Blandford Park to the big game will he the senior B match between Newmarket and Corinthians.

TT only needs a fine day for all roads to lead to Blandford Park ground which has rolled out in perfect order for scientific Soccer. The preliminary game will initiate the new senior B competition, and as the- two leading clubs in this division will earn promotion to full seniority next year the struggle for top of the ladder is sure to be keen from the word “go.” There will be a simmer of excitement when the two outstanding teams in the senior A division take the field for the principal game, and they are so evenly matched that the result is difficult to forecast. The Transport Boarders have retained all of last year’s evergreen veterans, the majority of whom represented Auckland in its brilliant games for the F.A. trophy against Wellington, while Evan Williams and Colin Bell have transferred from Ponies to the green and blacks. The strength of the Trams will be its solid defence with such back men

as Batty, McElligott, Simpson, Tinkler, Christie and Fyffie; while Spencer and Spong were in the best of condition at the electric tourney on Wednesday night. But the Thistle frofit line has a powerful thrust. With the flying wing men. Kay and Cumming, in the outside positions, and Hislop on the inside running to assist, the Thistle attack is extremely pointed and the Tram defenders will be ' opt busy. The full strength of the / histle defence has yet to be tried out. and the work of the newcomers among the backs will be watched with interest. It is rash to prophesy so early in the season, but Trams appear to have a margin in their favour for to-morrow's match with their most formidable opponents this year. OUTSIDE GAMES The other matches will be full of interest to the club supporters, especially the meeting between Shore and

Celtic at Devonport. Shore is the oldest club under the A.F.A. regime and Celtic the youngest. The Shore senior team has fallen away somewhat from its former high rating, and is having some difficulty in filling such critical positions as goalkeeper and centre-half, but it will have the advantage of youth on its side and will benefit by playing its first game on the home ground. Celtic has collected an experienced eleven, mostly of senior players from last year’s leading clubs. The debut of the green and white hoops is of more than usual interest, and the game at Devonport should prove a close contest. Ponsonby has suffered more than any other club in the loss of senior players, but is fortunate in having a solid lot of last year’s juniors to draw from. Ponies meet Belmont at Victoria Park for their first championship ! bout. The Belmont Old Boys are for- f tunate in fielding all but one of last season’s lively young team, and appear i to have promoted a most useful junior in Nicholson. The game promises another close finish in which superior team work may find Belmont victorious. The remaining game is the meeting of Y.M.C.A. and Onehunga on the Domain. Both these clubs have also had to reconstruct their last year’s teams, and have called on some likely reservists from the lower grades to fill the gaps. Onehunga has a very solid, bustling side, while the Y.M. defence does not look too sound on paper. Both sides have shown good form in the practice trials, and with so much new material in both teams the result is uncertain, but the Manukau-sidera appear to have the best chance of notching the initial win. SENIOR B GAMES There will also be some close and interesting bouts in the senior B division. The combined NorthcoteBirkenhead clubs should provide a solid team to meet Bon Accord in its premiere appearance under the A.F.A. flag. The North Britons have a strong leavening of experienced players, and may prove too clever a combination for the newly-united “Birkcote” Club at Victoria Park. Rangers and Metro will fight last season’s battles over again on the Domain and are very evenly matched. Tamaki at home may prove too much of a handful for the reorganised Philomel team, but the naval men often enjoy producing the element of surprise. } Senior A Grade North Shore.—Wise, Colebourne, Gerrard, Goldsworthy, Renshaw, Bush, Blackie, Webb, Dow, Haycock, Saxon, Bradshaw. Y.M.C.A.—Hilliard, Mouatt, Otter. Malcolm, Chapman, Riddolls Humphreys, McAuslan, Chapman, Woods, Whaley. Reserves: Wallace, Clanachan. Belmont. —Chesney, Murphy, R. Bach, Nicholson, Lithgow, A. Yarnton, Allen, Hemp. Wylie, Adams deal. Onehunga.—Zuill, Mellor, Peterson, Woodhall, Bentley, Jackson, Whimster, Cotton, Moon, Gill, Jones. Reserves: Griffiths, Jeffries. Ponsonby.— Kinghnm, Taylor. J. Morrison, Dick, Lornie, Times, Bullock, Stewart, A. Morrison, Wilson. Reserve: Saunders. Celtic. —Hall, Rimmer, W. Grant. Scandle, Hunter. G. Grant, Tocker Jenkins, Whowell, G. Wright, Sharpies, Donaldson, Mooney. Catch 2 p.m. boat Devonport. Senior B Grade Newmarket.—Craxton, Potts, Curtis, S. Smith, Davies, Scholes. Ansley, Sanford, Blockley, Armstrong, Hilton, J. Smith, Flashman, Bettersliill. Rangers.—Surtees, Hallett, McKain, Polwin, Rae, Dean, Kennedy Birkenhead, Macferson, Coyle, Cumming, Johns, Still, Kerr. Corinthians. —Jamieson (2), Harvey, Grimes, Dawson, Yendall, Kay, Huston, Nicol, Nicholson, Hilton, Ahern, Woods. Tamaki United.—W. Hoy to, K. Caldwell, R. Purdie, W. Watson, S. Diamond, S. Bowler, R. Adams, G. Stone R. Jeaves, R. Welsh. Metropolitan.—Flatman, Robinson. Andrews, McLaren, J. Colledge, Waldron, G. Colledge, Massam, Holmes, Fryett, Pollard. Philomel.—Murch, R. B. Taylor, D. B. Miles, R. H. Brenn C. H. Gilmour, L. H. O’Flynn, O. R. Harlow, T. R. Curnock, C. F. Langley, I. L. Black. O. L. Coulton; referee, Mr. A. J. Tully; linesman, Mr. J. Beadle; reserve, Kemp. Northcote. —Stott, Battershill, Shel- ' don, Elsby, A. Holman. Meek, Mellborne, 1 S. Holman, Pugh, Roberts, J. Mullanis. Reserves: Thompson, F. Mullanis and Neads. , . Bon Accord. —Morris, Reid, Saunder- ' cock, Corbett, McLachlan, Liddle, Brit- ' ton, Hall, Dunsmore, Tremain, Kane, Mc--1 Ilwraith, Feeney. Second Grade Shore. Wynne, Smith, Hart, Ross, Craig, Pine, Hutter, Jay J. Bartley, Powell, Smith. Y.M.C.A. —Harper, McComish, Thompj son, Wallace, Shenkin, Gardiner, Gale, i Whelan, Rushen, White, Kemp. Ponsonby A and B players in the second grade practice at Victoria Park at 1.45 1 p.m. Third-grade practice Outer Domain, • 3 p.m. Third Intermediate Grade Shore.—Sowden, Mirris Chubb, Barn--3 hill, McClusky, Healy, Horsley, Kerr, i Whitely, Reid, E. Bartley. Rangers.—Practice match against Com- ' rades: Hall, Tomkins, Bruce, Smith, McCaig, Waugh, Smith, Wolfenden Kennedy, Grindrod, Cargo, Wilford, Marks, Kerr. _ ~ Y.M.C.A. —Mitchell, Buckley, Pedley, McKincean, Thornes, McKinven, Young, Sutherland Cole, 'Wright, Pollard. Fourth Grade Shore. —Cleal, Ormiston, V. Smith, Llllicrap, Corvie, Ferguson, Shand, McCluskey, King, C. Ekman. Bartley, McBelrnont. —G. Robinson, KJssin, Ashwin, Madden, Saunders, Brentnall, Galloway, Holloway, Meiklejohn, Hotchkiss, Nicholson, Hunter, Bowen. Tamki United. —De Silva, Stofie (2), Darwin, Barry, Prober t, (.’lark, Baskett, Claridge, Henery, Watson. * Fifth Grade Shore. —F. Cameron, McKenty, Gibbs, Stewart, McKenzie Sims, Howie, Hoverd, Sevi, Tremair., Farquliarson, E. P. Smith, Baldwin, Walters, Oliver, C. Gilbert, N. London. . Belmont A.—Ward, McLeod, W illiams, Fraser, Burnett, Walker, Hankins, Cornr wall, Hoverd, Lee, Stott. Belmont B.—Yarnton, 'West, Dixon, ‘ Kay, Smith, Young, Blair, Adams, Clist, 1 McDevitt, Johnstone. 3 Tamaki United. —Caldwell, Baskett, Barry, Morrison, Ren, McChesony, Ak- ’ hurst, Austin, Keys, Turner, Moir, W elch. r Sixth Grade 3 Shore. —Baker, Davidson, Hennings, Stevenson, Wilson, James Allen, McGregor, McCarthy, C. Ekman, Mc--3 Gregor, Cameron, Latta, Lillicrap, Bates, Lethbery, Paterson. Belmont.—Saxon, Murray, Heap. Pas- > coe, East, Francis, Patterson, Keane, Wheeler, Crabb, Everard. . Tamaki United. —Browning (2), Darwin, 1 Jordan (2), Larkin, Neville. Pipikoi, Tin- * ley, Gilbert, Holdsworth (2). Seventh Grade j Tamaki United.—Marshall, Black, Xeed--3 ham. Cammed (2). Kerr, St. Clair, I Negus, Watson, Phillips.