SOCCER REVIEWED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 852, 28 August 1933, Page 11

SOCCER REVIEWED.

Technical Well Beaten in English Cup. NOMADS AND WESTERN WIN. Thistle, Western, Nomads and Rangers remain in the semi-final of the English Cup knock-out competition, following Saturday’s first-round matches. Rangers have qualified with a bye in the first round. Thistle had no difficulty in eliminating Technical Old Boys, 7-0. The losers showed nothing of their usual dash and vigour, and although they attempted speculative shooting, were poor marksmen on the day. St Albans had a fair share of the game in which Western beat them, 4-1. Lin wood also extended Nomads in the first spell, the half-time score being 1-1. Nomads did better after the interval and won 5-1. Technical 2>iaappoint. Technical Old Boy* disappointed against Thistle. Thej* played piuckily, blit lacked much of their usual dash. In shooting from all angles and ranges they adopted correct tacticf*, but their marksmanship was very poor. Thistle won jiist as easily as the score indicates, without producing, except for a period in the first spell, any brilliant football. Neate, Technical right back, wa a unusually erratic, and this let the Thistle left wing pair, G. Walker and Bruce, in time after time. ft also expbaed Bissett, who put up a creditable display in goal, to a heavy fire. Had Adam been on his usual form. Thistle would probably have *oored more goals. He repeatedly mistimed his connections with passes, and his own passes frequently went astray. Both his inside men, Bruce and Sutherland, worked hard and effect!vely. Technical were strongest in the halves. Weir, Gordon and Clark acquitted themselves creditably against the formidable Thistle half line, and contrived to give the Technical for- 1 wards a fair share of the ball. Smith and Walls were the only two of the front line, however, to Took at all dangerous, and then only occasionally. Johnston and A. Sutherland turned out again for Thistle, both with damaged knees. This did not impair their effectiveness, though, and Sutherland showed excellent control in the centre half position. Spirited Play. Western were undoubtedly superior in the game at Malvern Park, but St Albans put up an unexpectedly Spirited resistance, and often had the opposition defending hard. St Albans had a fair share of the play territorially, but good work was wasted by weak finishing efforts. Good combination was Shown by both teams, Western especially turning crisp passing movements to advantage. They were handicapped, however, when W. Ives (inside right) left the field with a strained thigh muscle. The veteran E. Colville, who scored three goals, deserves special mention. At inside left he was alWayS forceful, and one of his goals, when a miss by J. Dryden let him through, was a great piece of opportunism. A. M’Mllfan played a useful, if r6ving, game at left half, and it was unfortunate that he should have headed the ball through his own goal after the goalie had saved. Still, it was a great shot that deserved to score. S. Cdwtheray, With his solid tackling and crisp clearances, was the best of the backs, though W. Kelly, too, put in some good work. Steady and safe, G. Colville was an ideal last line of defence. He dealt confidently with all shots, and his height and reach gave him a great advantage in clearing corners which, by the way, were placed too far in towards the goal. St Albans showed great improvement on recent form, but their finishing efforts were woefully weak, and the inside forwards generally failed in backing up. The outside left, L. Gordon, was on his game, and, varying liis plav well, be was the most progressive forward. He sent across some clinking shots from the wing, one of which led to the goal off A. M’Millan, and he really deserved to score. The halves were grafting all the way, and especially J. Liddle, on the left, they shirked nothing. The hacks, J. Dryden (right) and G. Rump (left), went well on the whole, but they were inclined •to be caught out of position by the fastmoving Western forwards. » « Nomads on Top. In the first spell Nomads had a great struggle with Linwood at Richmond Park, but soon took command in the second spell. Their steadier play wore down spirited opposition. A. Trotter, F. Adams, C. Sliarr and L. Douglas all scored fine goals in break-througn tactics. E. Timms and W. Waddell, the wing halves, were sound against a fast attack. C. Good and J. Streeter were often bustled, but Hall in goal was efficient with his handling. The Linwood forwards were ably Jen by W. Wilson and W. Thomas, who inspired a greater confidence than has been shown for several weeks. W. Ilson tolled hard throughout and registered after a great combined effort. A. Gordon played above his usual fori*y but does not take enough advantage ox shooting at goal when in a good position. A. Porter and T. Waddell pla>ed the spoiling game, but ' Wer <; overwhelmed in the second spell. T. Berry was an excellent custodian. His clearances with both feet and hands proved to be very disconcerting to the Opposi-