FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1935, Page 11

FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

primary school soccer SIX NORTH ISLAND TEAMS ENTER. TARANAKI TEAM’S SURPRISE WIN. WANGANUI IN LEADING POSITION. A surprisingly good knowledge of the game and no little skill was displayed by members of the six provincial representative teams taking part in the first rounds of the North Island primary schools Association football tournament, which was commenced at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, yesterday. At the conclusion of the first day’s play Wanganui was at the top of the list with two wins. Then followed Manawatu and Taranaki with a win each, Wellington and Hawke’s Bay. with a draw each and Wairarapa with two losses. Details of'the points table are: ♦ Goals Ch.

' ’ WELCOME BY THE MAYOR. The Mayor, Mr. E. R. C. Gilmour, and the chairman of the North Taranaki Primary Schools’ Football Association, \ Mr. G. E. Roper, extended a welcome to the visitors at Pukekura Park yesterday. The Hon. S..G. Smith telegraphed an apology for his absence and wished the players • and the controlling officials a successful tournament. “Last week I had very great pleasure in giving a welcome to the teams competing in the primary - schools Rugby football tournament,” said Mr. Gilmour. “To-day it affords me equal pleasure to welcome to New Plymouth teams competing in the North Island primary schools’ Soccer football iournament.” Soccer had not the great hold upon the public of New Zealand that it had in Britain, continued Mr. Gilmour. There it was the premier game and thousands during the season regularly flocked to see it played. The reason Soccer had not the same great hold in JJew Zealand was due, he. felt, principally to the fact that it had not been fostered and made known to the same extent as Rugby. Soccer was an extremely attractive game and, when it became more known, it . would grow and attract as enthusiastic crowds as game in New Zealand. Of late years a strong effort had been made to. foster the game in the primary schools. This was a very wise move ana was proving a great success. How successful this had been might be gauged from the fact that in the tournament there were competing teams from Wel- - • lington, ‘Manawatu, Wairarapa, Napier, 1 - Wanganui arid Taranaki. He was sure that the teams competing would maintain- a high standard of play and that they would in every way uphold the best traditions of the game. The public could rely upon seeing a good, clean game played in the best and most sportsmanlike spirit. The tournament would do much to advertise the attractions of the Soccer game. Indeed, he felt it would prove to be a memorable event in the annals of the game in Taranaki and that the steady progress the game had been making would, by the publicity given by the_ tournament, be noticeably accelerated in the future. “To’the visiting teams taking part in the tournament, and to those associated with them, I extend an extremely warm welcome to our town,” said Mr. Gilmour. “I trust that the weather will be good to you and that your stay will be a most oleasant one in every way. I feel sure that when the time arrives for you to return to your homes you will be able to go away feeling you have had a most enjoyable outing and that you have gained* for yourselves in New Plymouth many friends and many well-wishers.” WANGANUI SUPERIOR. In a game that produced a particularly K high standard of football, Wanganui beat Manawatu by 3 goals to 1. Wanganui combined better than its opponent and had a greater knowledge of what to do with the ball. The teams were:— Wanganui: Diinlop; Davis, Limpus; Nimmo, Wrigley, Vernon; Darby, Willacy, Kendrick, Kidd (capt.), Grandville. ' Manawatu: Burrows; Sullivan, McNeillie; Pagan, Bluemont, Beaton; McSweeney, Jones, Fingleton, Johnson, Dick. • " Wanganui had the better of the early exchanges until Bluemont broke through ahd Wanganui was forced to concede a corner from which Jones transferred to Fingleton, who beat the goalie with a lew shot. Displaying better combination, the Wanganui forwards hemmed in the opposition. After several unsuccessful shots at goal Kidd goaled as a sequel to the goalie punching opt an earlier shot. Wanganui, after suffering disappointment owing to off-side play, took the lead when Grandville centred with a long kick and Kendrick dribbled a yard or two to send in a "stinging shot that gave the goalie no chance. Playing into a blinding sun, Wanganui ‘did not fair as well in the second half and on more than, one occasion Davis and Limpus were hard put to keep the opposition out. ' Settling down' to a steadier game, Manawatu kept the play more even. Nimmo missed narrowly with a long shot. 'Play hung about |he goal-mouth until Kidd centred and Burrows cleared with a short kick, Kendrick slamming in a hot shot. Manawatu was unable to gain sufficient ground with its clearances and Wanganui bombarded the opposing goal with shots that just failed. Play swung to the other end and Fingleton missed goaling after a clever forward movement There--3 after fortunes fluctuated, Wanganui having slightly the better of the exchanges in the . latter stages. Wanganui 3 Manawatu 1 TARANAKI SPRINGS SURPRISE. Taranaki sprung a surprise by beating a much heavier Wairarapa team by 2 to T. Territorially Wairarapa had the betS ter of the game, but its front line lacked the -finish to turn .opportunities to account. The teams were:— Taranaki: Ramsdale p Canty, Allen; Knight, Carter, Holmes; Cursons, Beal, Bond, Jones, Quinlan. Wairarapa: Carruthers; Bostock, Corlett; Taylor, O’Brien, Daube; Williams, Roche, Duggan, Kell, Moss. Although the Wairarapa boys appeared much bigger, it was the Taranaki forwards who first showed initiative. However, Wairarapa swung play to the other end, where Canty cleared splendidly from a melee in the Taranaki goal mouth. A series of long kicks transferred play to the other .goal where, after paving twice in quick succession, Carruthers failed to hand out a terrific shot by Beal from a skirmish. Wairatapa attacked strenously and Ramsdale was called upon to. save several tunes, V but the- defence was sound and Taranaki managed to scramble out of danger. The Wairarapa forwards swung the ball about the field with long kicks. Rallying suddenly, Taranaki flashed upfield. Carruthers saygd and in doing so was injured. With Carruthers out of action and ? half a dozen Taranaki men bombarding its goal, Wairarapa vainly attempted to

keep' the ball out,, Beal goaling with a short smart kick five minutes before the end pf toe spell Fortunes were Shared- m the earlier stages of the second spell. Carruthers retired suffering from his earlier injury and was replaced by- Bostock, Pinfold going to outside left and Roche playing at full-back. Attacking vigorously, Wairarapa disorganised the opposing defence and when Canty, mis-kicked Duggan sent in a short shot that beat Ramsdale all the way. ? , Wairarapa. maintained toe pressure on the Taranaki goal, the Taranaki defence givjng ‘a sound' .display. Principally as the result of fine play by Holmes, Taranaki got within, striking distance. Beal passed to Cursons, who sent in a ground shot, which the .' Wairarapa goalie deflected with his toe. Wairarapa gradually won its way to half-way, where Taranaki was at a decided disadvantage. With but a minute to go Wairarapa attacked fiercely and Moss hit the cross-bar with a high kick.. Taranaki was still in difficulties when time sounded. Taranaki ‘ 2 Wairarapa.' 1 WANGANUI BEATS WAIRARAPA. beat Wairarapa by 3 to 1 in a game of fluctuating fortunes. Wanganui combined well and gave an improved display, compared with its previous form. Wairarapa again lacked the ability to finish off promising move-" ments. The teams were:— Wanganui: Dunlop; Davis, Limpus; Nimmo, Duncan, Wrigley; Boss, Rush, Kendrick, Kidd, Grandville.'

Wairarapa: Bostock; Roche, Corlett (capt.); Daube, O’Brien, Spring; Williams, Taylor, Kell, Moss, Penfold. With a series of smart short passes Waneanui gained and held toe ascendancy for ten minutes, Wairarapa making only brief excursions into opposing territory. Wairarapa attacked and Penfold attempted to goal, but he was too far out to succeed and Dunlop cleared. Grandville, Kidd and Kendrick combined in a fine movement that carried play to halfv'ay. From a throw-in Boss secured and centred, Kendrick beating the goalie with a low kick.. . After a period of fluctuating fortunes play hung about the mouth of toe Wairarapa goal. Roche and Corlett worked overtime on defence and Kidd swung in a hot shot, Bostock clearing brilliantly. Wanganui was still on top when halftime sounded. _ Thrusting aside toe opposing defence, Wairarapa was unlucky not to goal within the first minute of the second spell. After fumbling Dunlop managed to hand behind a powerful shot by Moss. As m the earlier match the Wairarapa forwards were unable to finish off likelylooking movements. Play was transferred to the other end where, from a scramble, Kidd swung in a low shot that slipped through Bostock’s hands. A clever solo run by Kidd put Wangahui on the attack, but the efforts, of the forwards were repulsed and Wairarapa turned the tables and hemmed the opposition down. After many fruitless attempts Kell gained possession from a rebound off an opposing player and goaled with a stinging shot that, left Dunlop standing. Making a last-minute effort, Wairarapa attacked vigorously

but was unable to improve its position, play swinging to the other end, where Kidd goaled from a scramble. Wanganui 3 Wairarapa 1 A LAST-MINUTE DRAW. After having a one-goal lead from late in the first spell until near toe end of the game, Wellington was forced into a draw when Hawke’s Bay netted a penalty goal. The game was always fast and interesting. The teams were:— Hawke’s Bay: N. Richardson; E. Young, J. Richardson; M. Hartshorn, E. Hardgrave, A. Newman; A. Smith, L. Cullen, P. Burgess, A. Dean, A. Gibson. Wellington: Gordon; .McKenzie, Kells; Adams, Aarons, Greatbach; Lavin, Dunsmuir, Yoeman, Darroch, Guthrie. Solid play in which* each side showed initiative characterised the first spell. Fortunes changed quickly, both goalies saving brilliantly. Wellington opened the scoring when Richardson cleared and momentarily left his goal open for Darroch to net from close in. Wellington was having toe better of the exchanges near the end of the spell. The Hawke’s Bay front line commenced the second spell in impressive style, but lacked the ability to turn opportunities to account. Wellington rallied and Guthrie tested Richardson, who banded behind. Play flashed to the other end, where Hardgrave, a diminutive figure, robbed his opponent of the ball and twice shot at goal Gordon saved, however, and after a skirmish cleared well downfield. Wellington hammered away at Hawke’s Bay’s goal, but Dunsmuir's shot at goal went wide. A mom-

ent later Lavin tricked two opponents and sent in an angular ground shot that Richardson handed behind after throwing himself at full length. Play reverted to the other end, where Newman kicked a penalty goal. L. Hardgraves played an invaluable game for Wellington and was outstanding on both attack and defence. Wellington 1 Hawke’s Bay 1 FINGLETON’S STERLING WORK. Principally as the result of the sterling work of Fingleton, Manawatu outclassed Taranaki to the tune of 7 goals to nil. The Taranaki front line was but a shadow of its former self and was no match for its clever opponents. Ramsdale was handicapped by his height and was unable to reach the high shots sent in by the opposition. The teams were:— Manawatu: Burrows; Sullivan, McNeillie; Pearson, Bluemont, Graham; Pagan, Jones, Fingleton, Edwards, Beaton. Taranaki: Ramsdale; Canty, Holder; Knight, Carter, Holmes; Cursons, Beal, Bond, Fleming, Quinlan. Playing cleaner and crisper football, Manawatu had a decided advantage in the opening exchanges, Pagan, Jones and Fingleton combining well. The Taranaki players did not keep their positions as well as they might have and on one occasion Fingleton broke right through and sent in a hot shot that Ramsdale managed to hand behind. A few minutes later Canty failed to clear cleanly and Fingleton charged through unopposed and sent in a shot that gave Ramsdale no chance. Manawatu scored again when Rams-

dale made the mistake of leaving his goal; Fingleton passed across the goal to Pagan, who netted easily. Beating three men in a solo ru-i, Fingleton ran practically into toe goal before kicking to score. A minute later Fingleton kicked a high goal that Ramsdale was unable to reach. ■ After Taranaki had made several unimpressive attacks in which golden opportunities were lost, play swung to the other end, where Fingl ton netted with a splendid angular shot. With ten minutes to go . Beaton centred to the goalmouth and Fingleton rushed in to net, Ramsdale being knocked over in the skirmish. A minute later Bluemont goaled, Ramsdale being too small to the high shot. . Manawatu 7 Taranaki ® The referees were Messrs. J. Hill, P. Gardner, E. Kenny, J. McKay and R. J.' Page. t

W. L. D. for ag.Pts Wanganui. 2 2 0 0 6 2 4 *> Manawatu ..... 2 1 1 0 8 3 6 Tardnaki . 2 1 1 0 2 8 2 Wellington .... 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 Hawke’s Bay .. 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 Wairarapa .... 2 0 2 0 2 5 0