SOCCER TOURNAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1935, Page 10

SOCCER TOURNAMENT

HIGH STANDARD OF PLAY WANGANUI HOLDS POINTS LEAD. TARANAKI LOSES TWO MATCHES. A standard of primary school Association football hitherto unknown to New Plymouth was seen at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, yesterday when the North Island primary schools’ Soccer tournament was continued. Clean, fast and highly entertaining football was provided by Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu when they fought out a game that end- ■ ed in favour of the Bay by 2 goals to 1. At the end of the day Wanganui with three wins was at the head of the championship table. Wellington and Hawke s Bay were next with five points each. The full list of championship points is:—

HAWKE’S BAY MORE AGGRESSIVE. More aggressive football and better combination were features of Hawkes Bay’s game when it beat Wanganui by 3 goals to nil. Hardgrave (Hawkes Bay) and Kidd (Wanganui) gave impressive displays. The teams were:— Hawke’s Bay2 V. Richardson; Young, Sims; Hartshorn, Hardgrave, J. Richardson; Smith, Cullen, Gibson, Burgess, Dean. . Wanganui: Dunlop; Davis, Limpus, Nimmo, Duncan, Wrigley; Darby, Rush, Kendrick, Kidd, Granville. Wanganui was in difficulties from the start, Hartshorn dribblihg the ball to. the goal-mouth. A moment later Dean sent in a stinging shot, Dunlop booting clear. Wanganui turned the tables, but Hawke s Bay rallied and forced its way to Wanganui’s goal, where Hardgrave narrowly missed goaling. Wanganui conceded two corners and then Gibson netted with a smart short shot. Carrying all before them, the Wanganui forwards charged down upon the Hawke’s Bay goal, but Richardson took Kendrick’s shot and cleared. Lack of control of the ball cost Hawke’s Bay many opportunities. Not long before half-time Hardgrave struck the cross-bar with a solid shot. Early in the next spell Dunlop foolishly left his goal and Gibson crashed in a shot to beat Limpus, who attempted to remedy the goalie’s mistake. Hawke’s Bay continued to bombard the Wanganui goal until Granville brought relief with a fine dash down the field with the ball at toe. Wanganui pressed, but Hawke’s Bay broke through and Dunlop was called upon to save twice in quick succession. Kidd, working solo, ran to within striking distance of Hawke’s Bay goal. Thereafter Wanganui, adopting short passes as a means of attack, more than held its own for a time. Once more, however, aggressive Hawke’s Bay entered foreign territory and Cullen goaled before the bell sounded. Hawke’s Bay 3 1 Wanganui 0 /■ TARANAKI OUTCLASSED. . Taranaki was unable, to cope with tire , Wellington attack and Wellington won .by 8 to 1. At one stage Taranaki rallied and playing close up to the opponents held its own for a time. However, Wellington took charge and rattled on a big score by passing the ball about ■ freely. The teams were.— Wellington: Gordon; McKenzie, Kells; Russ, Arons, Adams; Lavin, Duncan, Yoeman, Price, Guthrie. Taranaki: Ramsdale; Canty, Allen; Knight, Carter, Holmes; Cursons, Beal, Bond, Jones, Quinlan. Wellington attacked from the outset and within two minutes Lavin goaled from a melee at the goal-mouth. The Wellington forward line, passing the ball about freely, maintained pressure. Yoeman sent a fine pass to Duncan who, after dribbling a few yards, netted with a high shot. Introducing more vim into their play and concentrating on short passing bouts the Taranaki forwards held their own in midfield for a time, but invariably Wellington returned to Taranaki’s goal, Ramsdale clearing cleverly several times. Taranaki made its first excursion into Wellington territory as the result of good work by Beal, who passed to Cursons, but the latter failed to make good. Quinlan flashed along the opposite line but lost possession and play reverted to the other end, where Lavin sent in a high, angular shot. A minute later Yoeman headed into the goal from a scramble in front of the net. Taranaki attacked, but was repulsed. Price dribbled a quarter of the length of the field and passed to Yoeman, who goaled. Then, from melees, Duncan and Price netted in quick succession. For the second half Cursons, a taller boy, replaced Ramsdale in goal, the latter playing on the wing, but the change had little effect, Duncan beating Cursons with a long ground shot. The Wellington forwards appeared to slacken in their efforts, and although continually on the attack did not make the best of their opportunities. Taranaki attacked and Jones missed with a long shot. The attack, however, was short lived, Kells kicking to midfield. Play hung around the Taranaki goal for the greater part of the half, although occasionally Taranaki entered foreign territory. It was during one of these incursions that Carter put the finishing touches to a clever bout of passing by netting Taranaki’s only goal. Wellington 8 , Taranaki 1 HAWKE’S BAY RATHER LUCKY. Manawatu was rather unlucky in being beaten by Hawke’s Bay by 2 goals to 1 in a game that produced some of the finest school football seen at New Plymouth. A draw would have been a fairer indication of the merits of the two wellmatched teams. The teams were:— Hawke's Bay: Mercer; Young, Sims; Hartshorn, Hardgrave, J. Richardson; Smith, Cullen, Gibson, Dean, Newman. Manawatu: Burrows; Sullivan, McNeillie; Pagan, Bluemont, Dick; McSween'ey, Jones, Singleton, Johnson, Edwards. Passing the ball' freely, Manawatu scored from the kick off, Burrows taking tire ball when he was over the' goal line. After several frantic attempts to equalise Hawke’s Bay succeeded when Dean netted after the half-backs had -transferred play from midfield to within striking distance. Hawke’s Bay swung the ball about freely and maintained pressure on the opposing goal. Dean centred cleverly and Gibson missed goaling by inches. Manawatu conceded two corners in quick . succession. Cullen, the midget of his side, was the outstanding figure on the field, being the life of the attack. He was more than a match for his bigger opponent. Manawatu became aggressive. Edwards centred well, but Singleton overran the ball and Hawke’s Bay repulsed the attack. Gaining possession of the ball at half-way, Hardgrave dribbled his way through the opposing defence J and netted from a short way out.

Fast play that swung from end to end with surprising rapidity characterised

the opening -tages of the second spell. Eventually the Hawke’s Bay front line brought pressure to bear and Sullivan, McNeillie and Burrows worked overtime cn defence. Manawatu bustled the opposition but, with the defence disorganised, was unable to finish off its attack. There was little between the teams and honours territorially were shared, the players giving a first-class exhibition. Manawatu made a last-minute attempt to equalise, but Johnson’s shot hit the upright and Hawke’s Bay scrambled out of danger. Hawke’s Bay 2 Manawatu 1 . WANGANUI WINS EASILY. Displaying superior combination and a better knowledge of the game generally, Wanganui trounced Taranaki to the tune of 7 goals to nil. Wanganui was always on top, Taranaki lacking vigour and initiative. The teams were:— Wanganui: Dunlop; Davis, Limpus; Wrigley, Duncan, Vernon; Boss, Willacy, Keidrick, Kidd, Granville. Taranaki: Cursons; Canty, Allen, Knight, Carter, Holmes; Collinge, Beal, Bond, Jones, Quinlan. Play had not been long in progress before the Wanganui front line, working as one man, thrust aside the defence and Kendrick beat Cursons with a short shot. Kicking the ball about with freedom, Wanganui had Taranaki more or less continually on the defensive. Granville, Kidd and Kendrick combined in a smart movement that terminated when Willacy headed over the net. A moment later he kicked a fine goal. After a period of play in front of the Taranaki goal Wanganui was awarded a penalty kick. Kidd’s kick hit the upright, but Kendrick made no mistake from the rebound, slamming in a shot that left Cursons standing. Taranaki made an excursion into Wanganui territory, but an opportunity was lost when Jones kicked over the net. Play was returned to the other end, where Willacy centred cleverly, Kidd netting with a stinging shot just as the bell sounded. Flashing along the line, Collinge centred and twice Dunlop was called upon to save. Playing closer up to their opponents and with greater vim, Taranaki had every appearance of goaling, but Wanganui was not to be denied and play was transferred to the opposite end, where Cursons made a clever save. Willacy, Kendrick and Kidd swung the ball about cleverly, the latter beating Cursons with a high shot. A moment later Cursons in stopping a high shot knocked the ball to his feet and Kidd headed into goal. Kidd added another goal, when, from a corner, he turned the ball in with his head. Although the score mounted Cursons played a great game in the goal, saving time after time. Wanganui 7 Taranaki 0 YOEMAN SCORES FOUR GOALS. Although a. times stubborn on defence, Wairarapa was no match for Wellington, which won by 6 goals to nil. The game was a triumph for Yoeman, who accounted for four of Wellington’s goals. The teams were:— Wellington: Gordon; McKenzie, Adams; Russ, Arons, Greatbatch; Lavin, Dunsmuir, Yoeman, Darragh, Price. Wairarapa: Carruthers; Roche, Corlett; Taylor, O’Brien, Spring; Williams, Daube, Duggan, Moss, Pinfold. Wellington opened its scoring account early in the spell when rice centred and Yoeman goaled from a melee at the goalmouth. By means of long kicks Wellington managed to keep play in Wairarapa territory. Mis-shots and off-side play cost Wellington points. A bout of short passing ended when Yoeman netted with comparative ease. Wairarapa played a sound defensive game, but was unable to cope with the clever free passing methods of the opposition. Yoeman netted another goal when Carruthers missed in an attempt to punch out an earlier shot. Carruthers was called upon to save from the outset of the second spell and thereafter Wellington maintained steady pressure. Occasionally Wairarapa broke through, but it ’acked the ability to make the best use of opportunities afforded. After several unimpressive attempts at goal Dunsmuir goaled from a scramble close to the net. The standard of play deteriorated considerably, Wellington 'easing up. Arons kicked from half-way to the goal mouth, where Yoeman received and netted with a low shot. Just as the bell sounded Darragh received from a melee and goaled with a hot shot. Wellington 6 Wairarapa 0 The referees were Messrs. J. McKay, W. Johnston, Heyes, R. Johns, L. Henderson and E. Kenny.

P. W. L. D. for ag. Pts Wanganui .. • • 4 3 1 0 13 5 6 Wellington .... 3 2 0 1 15 2 5 Hawke’s Bay .. 3 2 0 1 6 2 5 Manawatu .... 3 1 2 0 9 5 2 Taranaki 4 1 o 0 3 23 2 Wairarapa .... 3 0 3 0 2 11 0