Soccer Knockouts

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 685, 10 June 1929, Page 6

Soccer Knockouts

CHATHAM CUP SURPRISES Triumphs for Scots SOCCER was devoted to sis Chatham Cup lies ou Saturday with some elose decisions and surprise knockouts. The survivors were Trams. Celtic. Thistle. Bon Accord, .Maru. rewa and Xorthcote. Thistle and Y..M.C A. provided the toughest bout, extra time being needed, and another thrillin', encounter saw Celtic K.O. Ponsonby in a floodlight finish Trams won Easily, but Onehunga and Belmont went down to B clubs by the narrow margin of a goal to nil. The three Scottish clubs all survived for the next round.

There was a good attendance at headquarters when Thistle and Y.M. opened hostilities quietly in the preliminary game. Both clubs were at full strength and an even struggle was anticipated. The Young Men were the first to jump into their stride, the Scots being unusually slow to settle down, and after 20 minutes’ free play Y.M. were two up as the result of u clever overhead hook by Humphreys, and some opportune anticipation by McAuslan, who was in an offside position when presented with a “sitter” by Ferguson foozling. THISTLE’S GREAT BURST Things looked blue then for the Black and Whites, but they pulled themselves together and cut out the pattern-weaving for ten minutes of long, sure passing raids, such as Auckland sprang on Navy, and after Kay, Chalmers and Webb had netted in irresistible style the boot was on the other foot, and Young Men were still the odd goal down at half-time. Kay’s goal was a typical effort when he cut in to fasten on to a long pass and slip between the backs. The Scots’ second score came from the opposite wing, when Hilliard saved a centre from Cumming for Chalmers to dash up and net; another right flank thrust and the ball came in for Webb to connect and drive home from close up. HILLIARD’S FINE DEFENCE Play was lively in the second spell, Thistle’s attack carrying a much stronger finish than the Y.M. raiders, who were inclined to stand off the opposing backs instead of bustling them. The tT.M. front line was further weakened by Whaley being lamed, and Y.M.’s hopes were sinking fast. But for the magnificent display of goalkeeping by Hilliard, Y.M. would have been outed easily, but the rangey colt took Kay’s lightning crosses and shots cleverly, and was courage personified in the way he went down to clear melees in the goal mouth. Although twice winded and taken behind for first aid he was game to the last swift shot. EXTRA TIME NEEDED Humphreys headed a desperate raid to the Thistle end and forced Hibbert to concede a corner. Clanaclian. whose perfect flag placements were a feature of the game, planted the kick fair in the goal mouth, and after Riddolls had a pop the ball came out to Humphreys, who made no mistake about equalising. Thistle fought hard and furiously for the knock-out goal, but were always held up by the indomitable Hilliard, and there was intense excitement when the whistle went with the scores even. The Chatham Cup conditions require extra time, and Thistle had the better of matters in the extra two quarters. Cummings ran down and centred to Hilliard, who cleared under pressure, but Hislop came in and scored, and in the final change over a penalty against Otter saw Kay score from the spot kick, and out Y.M. by five goals to three. Thistle deserved to win, but with Hilliard keeping the attack at bay the Young Men lost through failure to press home their offensives, and futile long-range pots in the original spells. Mr. L. C. H. Dawson made a welcome reappearance as a referee and kept good control over a bout which might have become very unorthodox or out of hand. CELTIC SETTLES PONIES

The second game was necesarily well behind schedule time in starting, and it was obvious the aid of the electric floodlight system would be a welcome solution of the light problem. After the fierce finish of the preliminary match the Celtic-Ponsonby affair appeared tame and flat in its opening stages. Early on a long cross by Innes went out to Ward on the opposite wing, and he netted in fine style with a swift low shot. Celtic made a poor response to Ponies’ lively raids and lacked cohesion in its movements. Ponsonby forced some corners, which were well placed but wasted, and the Ponies’ shooting was wide of the target. Play brightened up toward the end of the spell. Simm being dangerous with strong centres, but, unfortunately the veteran lost control of himself when held up by Lornie, and his illegal attempt at reprisals on Lornie’s person brought the inevitable penalty of being sent to the bank by the referee. Half-time sounded just as the Celts had missed an easy chance of equalising. REAL ELECTRIC SOCCER Although without Simm, the Celts restarted with a strong offensive and play quickly warmed up as Ponies battled hard to keep their lead. It was unfortunate for Ponsonby that Lornie conceded a penalty through handling, and although Lyon saved Rimmer’s first attempt, the second from the follow in equalised. This inspired Celts to renewed efforts and Gavan ran through to centre strongly for Lyon to mull the clearance, and as Lornie tried to clear Watts nipped in to put Celtic in the lead amid loud cheers The electric floods were then turned on. and the white ball brought into use. Ponies had ample opportunities of retrieving this change of fortune, but lacked a finishing punch to their raids, and just before time sounded another shock attack by the Celts saw Rimmer put the issue beyond doubt, and the Ponies knocked out by a 3 —l decision. Celts deserve credit for their plucky win, as Ponsonby, with a goal lead and extra man, had all the odds in its favour. BON ACCORD BUMPS ONEHUNGA A third Scottish victory went to the Bon Aeeordians on the Domain, when the B graders put Onehunga in the discards by the narrow margin of the solitary goal scored. Here, again, the Scots benefited by the wasted opportunities of their opponents. Onehunga held all the advantage of territorial play and attack, but wild blazing and feeble shooting combined made th« Manukau attack quite impotent - even crack marksmen like Moon, Whimstrr, and Gill failing to find the target in repeated attempts. Roid, Ximmo and Corbett in the Bon Accord defence v. ere greatly responsible for Onehunga’s tailure to score, as the veterans harassed the attackers ceaselessly, wliih always sure* with their clearances, and morns was very sound between the wiri ’ T - e ?, nly F oal of the & ame came jell on in the first spell, when a left flank attack found the Onehunga baeks fauUjn- and Xiccol tore i n to slam through a straight one. which was to°ho)d* f ° r Zuill s usu ally safe hands 1 RAMS OVER-RUN CORINTHIANS ..J! I®'"* 1 ®'"* of the draw gave Tommies an exercise canter with Corinthians at hint n a *L ark ' llnd the transporters took no chances by fielding their full strength The B colts fought gamely

against their more experienced oppor ents and Jones and Ahern were warded with a couple of good soul, but m the meantime Trams had 7? lected seven of the best, \vb, „ CI ' distributed between Spencer Christie, Spong, Simpson. Bell Williams. With its unbeaten this season, including a win overth X! -Iv,'! u;l1 ~ *>o*o£ last tear, the tramways Club is beirr tipped as the likely team to fetch th Chatham Cup baek to Auckland- bir -theretynany a slip Twixt the cup BELMONT BLOWN OUT The knock-out game at Devonnor was a fair try-out between the weak est of the senior A grade and th strongest of the B, and here asair the B’s triumphed when Manurewa wo* by the only goal netted, and passes into the next round at the expense of Bei mont. It was thought the Devonpor lads held a winning advantage ir, meeting the B brigade on a familiar ground. The tie was hotly contested throughout before a good crowd, Manurewa being accompanied by a numbeof enthusiasts, including several of tht fair sex. There was no score at hahtime, when Manurewa had shown th* better form. In the second spell Williamson beat Wylie with the only goal of the game, a penalty kick later on being saved by Wylie at the expense of a corner. Belmont tried hard to even the score, but the attack was not convincing, and the Manurewa defence was very solid. Time was called with the A team eliminated by the E graders after an interesting tussle. RANGERS OUTED BY NORTHCOTE Both clubs had the long jonmey to Onehunga to decide the survivor in this bout, and after the close finish in the championship game the previous Saturday another close bout wa> anticipated. Northcote is no stranger to Chatham Cup competitions, beins the first Auckland area winner only tu be knocked out by the miners at Huntly. The “Cotes” will be welcomed in the second round of the knock-outs, after disposing of Rangers by three goals to one, and with three senior A and three senior B clubs surviving, the following rounds to be played by floodlight should provide some stirring knock-outs.