CHATHAM CUP.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20375, 4 August 1934, Page 12

CHATHAM CUP.

Thistle Defeat Dobson. FULL OF INCIDENT. LIVELY DISPLAY OF SOCCER AT ENGLISH PARK. i The largest crowd to attend a Soccer ! match at English Park during the past two -or three seasons saw Thistle i (Christchurch) defeat Dobson (Greyj mouth) there this afternoon. The : meeting of these teams in the Canteri bury-Westland final of the Chatham/ j Cup competition had been eagerly awaited, and the crowd, including a quota of West Coast visitors, were not disappointed. On a dry, firm ground, both teams played lively football, and the game was full of incident. Thistle won convincingly, 3-0. Though the visitors were fast and aggressive. Thistle were easily superior in ball control and positional play. Despite the handicap of playing through three-quarters of the game with only ten men—Clements went off with an ankle injury—the home side, chiefly through their halves, dominated the play. Clements's injury was believed to be a double fracture of the right ankle. He was sent to the Christchurch Hospital for an X-ray examination. The teams were: Dobson—A. Pickering. W. King, J. Erskine, J. Anderson, J. Richardsofi, A. White, John Anderson, D. Hamilton, J. Rush, X. Short, A. Coutts. Thistle—M. Mitchell, H. Johnston, G. Sutherland, J. Paton, A. Sutherland, A. Walker, G. Clements, D. Sutherland, R Adam, J. Bruce, G. Walker. THE PLAY. i G. Walker was responsible for an ■ early thrill From a long pass from j A. Sutherland he bored in and squared j the ball across the goal-mouth, where i it beat everybody. Dobson took a turn, | attacking vigorously, but Johnson | stopped Hamilton. Again A. SutherI land set Thistle going. D. SutherI land broke through, but “ hands ” was ; ruled against him. From throw-ins, John Anderson squared splendidly to ! Short, who was stopped by ’Paton i Both sides were swinging the ball freely, with Dobson’s pace and aggressiveness matching Thistle’s con- ! trol and positional play. Rush and j Ccutts led a Dobson attack that | Mitchell checked when he went down on the ball. A Brilliant Goal. Thistle scored first after twenty minutes’ play. Again, A. Sutherland developed the move. From Bruce, G. Walker eluded J. Anderson, and scored with a great left-foot drive, the ball turning in off the post. Thistle 1, Dobson 0. j When Dobson raided, Johnson rob- ! bed Rush, conceding a fruitless “ corner.” Thistle attacked immediately, and a pasing bout among the forwards let G. Walker in for another goal. Thistle 2, Dobson 0. ! The Thistle halves, playing a great 1 game, fell back on their goal to smother j another Dobson raid. “ Corners ” saw i both goals threatened. Thistle’s goal the more dangerously, but Mitchell j punched Coutts’s flag-kick clear. Play : swung back and Pickering was under fire. He turned out a crashing drive from D. Sutherland. Adam and G. Walker moved to finish it off. but j Walker was off-side. Dobson had a j “ life ” when Pickering turned a ball j from G. Walker on to the bar, and then just whipped it clear from Adam. | John Anderson, who had changed places with Rush, led another Dobson attack that Paton broke up. Clements who had been injured earlier, was oft again now. Then John Anderson broke through solo, bringing Mitchell down to hold a fast, low drive. The spell ended shortly after with the ! score: Thistle 2, Dobson 0. The Second Spell. Thistle resumed against the sun and without Clements. An early drive from Rush struck- the Thistle upright, high up. Dobson were doing better now, and only G. Suthei land’s smart “ header ” kept them out. Then Johnson relieved with a hefty cross-field kick. Thistle battled back. Adam let ! out to G. Walker, and D. Sutherland j snapped the centred ball heme. I Thistle 3, Dobson 0. Under pressure i again, the Thistle defence was rockj like. G. Sutherland, particularly, rei peatedlv slowed up. Well-placed close ;in to Dobson’s goal, Adam was too | slow in finishing. Richardscn set the | Dobson wings going and Mitchell had |to handle from Coutts and Rush. Thistle were not content to hold theii I lead, but continued to hunt goals. From well out White twice swung the ball to Thistle’s goal-mouth, where Mitchell gathered it up. Thistle took up the running again, and a close in shot from Adam gave Pickering the chance for a fine save. In fast exchanges Rush was close to Thistle’s goal with a “ speculator,” from the. sideline. Both goals were under warm fire before the game ended: THISTLE 3 DOBSON 0 Referee: Mr E. B. Harris. AUCKLAND MATCH. Thistle (Auckland) Meet Petone. Fer Press Association AUCKLAND, August 4. The North Island Chatham ('up final was played under most unfavourable conditions «t Blandford Park, between Thistle (Auckland) and Petone (Wellington). The ground had a heavy surface of slush. Within a minute of the start Thistle were threatening, but a short shot by Kay was disallowed owing to off-side by Woods. The Auckland men held the ground until a breakaway was started by Scott-Brown, who sent to Campbell and on to Cunningham. M’Cosh beat him, however. and Thistle returned. From half-way again Wright sent to the Thistle outside, Woods, whose long angle-shot bounced out after beating M’Vean. Intense excitement followed when Petone returned. Leslie drew Gerrard Out. hut Williams protected the net with his feet and body, while Watson and M’Grory closed in. The greasy ball bent the attackers, allowing Wright to clear. Fifteen minutes from the start a cross from Woods (Thistle) was snapped In by Kay. Thistle 1, Petone 0. Th‘3 Aucklanders held play with long half-line passing until Petone cleared from a corner, but two movements fell down at M’Grory. Leslie and the outsides were showing splendid ball control. After Another ten minutes the visitors looked more dangerous. Thistle’s breakaways were now ineffective, and Woods was persistently off-side. Leslie gave some thrills in close attacknig, but

Gerrard saved desperately a. minute later. He mulled another open-goal chance. Petone Equalised shortly afterwards when Woods popped the ball in 7 1 \U, e 1 C :r rrard was out of eoal. Petone 1, Thistle 1. The second half started In heavy rain. Leslie collapsed shortlv after a head-on collision with Williams in Thistle s goal-mouth, just before halftinve Williams had also to return to the dressing-room. Two men short, Petone defended, but Thistle’s finishing Avas weak. Leslie returned within five minutes, but before Petone could turn the tide, Kay netted from a free kick. Thistle Petone 1. Cunningham returned to the field and Petone kicked through, but Gerrard and M’Cosh were awake. The visitors took ten minutes saln5 aln thje offensive, and a great piece of forward passing was stopped by Gerrard. After thrilling midfield plav, a penalty against Haines was shot wide Soon afterwards Williamson goaled from a pass, although M’Veajj made a great effort. Then Wright tapped a chance, to take Thistle’s totol to four. After good half-line movements by Petone who apparently were tiring, the game finished just as the visitors were to take a free kick. The game ended: THISTLE a petone *.!!!!!! i Greymouth Games. GREYMOUTH, August 4. Seniors—Runanga 2, Greymouth 0. Juniors—Blackball 6, Runanga 2* Marist 3, Cobden 3.