Falcon Cup Soccer

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1065, 1 September 1930, Page 6

Falcon Cup Soccer

GLEN INNES OUT CELTS

Wins for Ponies, Thistle and Y.M.

THE lour Falcon Cup ties on Saturday were an even mixture of hard knockouts and easy wins. Corinthians held Ponies to a single goal in the first spell, but Ponsonby romped away in the second half for a 7—o win. Y.M.C.A. had no trouble in defeating Tech. Old Boys 4—o, but Thistle had a hard tussle with Shore to win 3—i. Celtic got the shock of the day 'when Glen Innes, a lively second grade club, administered Hie K.O. with the solitary goal scored after extra time had been ordered.

The weather was ideal for good football, but the surface was still heavy at headquarters, and rough ground hampered clean footwork. Ponsonby and Corinthians lined up at full strength for the preliminary knock-out, and as Corinthians had surprised Ponies with a win in the championship match a week previous, an even bout was anticipated

gethcr. Often the half would send Chalmers down the wing with the ball at his toes to centre neatly at the finish. once the forward hud a shot at scoring himself, but the ball just landed outside the net. The leftwing also, with Kay and Riddels, was often dangerous. Periodically the Technical forwards would get the bail and start -up the field, but they lacked combination, but McGladdery and Mo watt kept them well in hand. When half-time arrived, Y.M. was three up, Kay having netted two and Humphreys heading one in off a corner kick sent in by Chalmers. The Young Men’s team was changed slightly for the second half, Murray Kay and Chalmers changing with the backs, Mo watt and McGladdery. Y.M. showed an inclination to slacken up the pace in the second spell. Play became more even and Technical became more prominent in the attacking department. By no means downhearted, the Old Boys’ forward line stuck to its guns and tried its hardest to score. F. Roper, on the left wing, who was the most outstanding of the forwards, was particularly aggressive at times. It was a pity his efforts did not meet with better support. During a. Y.M. onslaught, about 15 minutes after the spell had begun, Chalmers netted from 20 yards out. This was the last goal to be scored, and when the final whistle went the Young Men were the victors by 4 to 0. If they had not taken things so easily after half-time it is probable their total bag would have been larger. Chalmers and Kav shone most in the forward line. They also proved promising as backs. Malcolm was the hardest worker among the halves. Mowatt and McGladdery were safe at all times. Among the Technical players F. Roper worked as hard as anyone. The whole team, however, played pluckily and stuck to the game until the finish, in spite of the fact that it was heavily outplayed by a senior and more experienced eleven. GLEN INNES DOWNS CELTS Although Glen Innes faced a strong wind in the first spell, it successfully held Celtic and, indeed, replied with inetrest to all the Celts’ sallies. The latter did not at any time inspire its followers with much confidence, for. although there was no doubt about its willingness. the players did not attempt to combine. On the other hand, the Tamaki team was always to be seen distributing the ball fairly, and it can hardly be said that there were any really outstanding players. On the whole there was not a great deal of difference between the teams. There was no score at full-time and an extra quarter of an hour was played each way. Celtic en masse was a failure and clearly not up to form, but one or two players certainly did merit praise. A. Hunter, in particular, was prominent in the first half, his versatile moves on the right-wing being a constant source of trouble to the Glen Innes defenders. But his fellow-for-wards failed dismally in their efforts to connect with many splendid crosses. Russell, in goal, played a remarkably steady and inspired game, his cool clearances under heavy pressure earning him unbiased praise and proving a veritable boon to Celtic. The only goal he let pass, a penalty shot, was not to be denied. From both sides there were outstanding cases of bad marksmanship. The Celts especially threw their chances to the wind in the first spell when the ball had to be retrieved on at least two occasions from the Outer Domain. A regrettable feature of the number of Celtic players resorted to foul play toward the end. Individual feeling at times reached a high pitch and the referee did not players. The ordering off of two men did not have the required effect on the remainder.

A DULL FIRST ROUND Play was far from thrilling before the early crowd, and listless exchanges with weak finishing filled in most of the first half, Ponsonby holding a slight advantage, but being unable to press it home until near the interval, when Sim, playing a lone hand, got a free run from a mis-kick by Taylor, and drove across a swift ground shot which the rough surface deflected. Lyon misjudged the run of the ball, and Ponsonby held a single goal lead on the change-over. PONIES BOLT HOME Ponies played a very different game after a refreshing interval, and were soon showing the Whites a clean pair of heels. Sim forced a corner, and placed the flag kick with his usual precision, for Forrester to head neatly to the net, and two minutes later McMillan tricked the defence to slip the ball to Forrester for another winner. Ponies were now right on top of their opponents, and from another hot rally 1 the ball came out to Bentley who slammed it back good and hard to the net. Then Innes got going in his liveliest style. and found Huston Stewart on the spot in the centre throe times running to rattle in a hat trick before time sounded with Ponies passing into the semi-final by seven goals to one. CORINTHIANS’ DISAPPOINTING FORM After the good displays given recently against Trams and Ponsonby, the form of Corinthians was disappointing, and in the second half there was only one side in it, and that was not the Whites. Lyon was safe in the first spell, but went off song in the second spasm, and was heavily bombarded when the defence in front of him crumpled up. Bell proved a useful recruit for Ponies, and Sutcliffe had a quiet day, but distinguished himself by saving a penalty in brilliant fashion. The half line was a clever trio, and after opening weakly, the firing line was in great form in the second spell, all five taking a hand in the big crop of goals. SHORE’S REAPPEARANCE Shore got a welcome hand from a moderate crowd on making one of its now rare appearances at headquarters, and with its unbeaten record in the B championship, not to mention Onehunga’s scalp in the Falcon knockouts. it was expected that Thistle would be hard pressed to survive the clash. Shore missed Bush and Hutter in the front line, Bradshaw and T. Smith filling the vacancies, while Thistle tried a new recruit in Belton at left-half, and the veteran “Darkie” Stewart was again called out to fill a vacancy at outside-left, where he was always a dynamic factor in Thistle’s thrust. Play was lively and hard from the start, but there was not a great deal of team work in evidence. There was some solid bumping of a healthy sort, but twice a thrust from the Scots’ spearhead in the centre was spoilt by McLeay’s kicking at the ball in the goalie’s hands, instead of shouldering him, and this uncomfortable habit was frowned on by the referee. A FEW CASUALTIES There was a spell of knockouts midway through the half. Renshaw and Hart collided heavily in a misunderstanding, and play was held up while the two Shore defenders recovered. Then Wright had to retire to the line to have a stud tear on the leg dressed. The Shore defence was very sound. Renshaw doing a lot of spoiling in the centre, while Jones and Peter Gerrard held Thistle's elusive right wing in check. The weakness of the Shore side was in the front line. Time after time they were sent away with perfect passes, but faded before reaching J. Gerrard in Thistle’s goal, and neither Wilson nor T. Smith on the wings showed any capacity for flying down the line with the ball. SCOTS TAKE THE LEAD Shore had a great chance of opening the scoring when Wilson missed an open goal and ballooned over the bar, and a raid by the Scots saw McLeay draw the defence to slip a pass to Hislop unmarked, and the ball flew just beneath the bar to the net for first blood. Thistle followed this with a clever combined sweep which went through the Shore defence, and A. Smith tipped McLeay’s parting drive just over the bar. A few minutes later Stewart sent a long centre to the goal-mouth, where the bounce of the ball beat the Shore goalie, and his partial save was pounced on by McLeay, who put Thistle two up at the interval. EVEN SECOND SPELL Play was more even in the second spell, but the Scots increased their advantage when Stewart lobbed a long pass across to McLeay for a third goal. Shore recovered when a free kick found Don Webb on the spot to net with a smart snap shot, and followed this lip by assuming the offensive; but the work of the forward line was painfully feeble, with a complete lack of speed and dash. The close of Play was all in favour of Shore, though the advantage was not pressed home, and Thistle passed on welldeserved victors by three goals to one. Hibbert and Wright were prominent in the Scots’ rearguard, and McLeay. Hislop, and Jas-. Stewart shone in the firing-line. Gerrard, Jones, and Renshaw were stout defenders for the seasiders. Don Webb and Blackie showed some bright flashes in the front line, but were starved all day, as scarcely once did a centre come from the line to the goal area. Mr. Shand kept admirable control over a hard game, and had the players well in hand throughout. Y.M.C.A. v. TECHNICAL Technical Old Boys were not very hopeful when they lined up against Y.M.C.A. in the Inner Domain on Saturday for the first round of the Falcon Cup, and the Young Men’s 4—o victory was quite expected. The game, however, was interesting enough, especially in the first half, when the pace was fairly fast. Y.M. was attacking nearly the whole spell, but the Technical defence made a plucky fight of it and tried its best to keep the ball out, against overwhelming odds. Malcolm and Chalmers were combining well to-