SOCCER.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20648, 24 June 1935, Page 11

SOCCER.

Western Outclass Rangers in Dull Game. NOMADS WELL BEATEN. Western A and Thistle, first and second teams in the Hurley Shield competition, had a very easy win on Saturday, when the second round was continued. Western A completely dominated the game against Rangers, who were saved from a much heavier defeat only by their 'keeper. P. Mitchell. Xomads did a share of the attacking against Thistle, but the latter won easily. Western B defeated St Albans 5-4. the score fairly well representing the run of the pla}'. Technical Old Boys notched their third win. this time against Linwpod. Position of Teams. Goals Cli. W. D. L. F. A. Pts. Western A 0 1 38 14 18 Thistle 8 1 1 34 13 17 Xomads 4 1 5 21 25 9 St Albans .... 3 3 4 23 21 9 Western B .... 4 1 5 28 2S 9 Limvood 2 3 5 23 27 7 Technical O'.B. . 3 Rangers 2 1 7 19 37 3 PRACTICE FOR WESTERN A. The game with Rangers was only a practice for Western A Rangers took the lead earl}’-, but except when G. Cullen scored again for them, in a fast breakaway during the second spell, fchev were penned in their own half for three-quarters of the game. During much of that period, too, P. Mitchell was the only Rangers man engaged. He kept his goal clear against a heavy battery of shots, and he did splendidly in keeping the score down to six. In front of him. his halves and backs totally lacked an understanding. Individually there was a little more merit. Forsyth, right-half, and E. Barnes, next to him, did some fair defensive work So. too. in flashes did Fraser, at right back The defence’s weakness in opening up play, however, and its lack of unity, left the Western halves and forwards a very easy passage This was made good use of and, under difficult conditions—the ground was heavy and the ball greasy—the winners’ forwards gave a good display. Four of the five forwards scored— Smith and White each twice, and S. V, and G. Ellis once. S. V. Ellis’s goal, and one of Smith’s, were first-class efforts. Although Cullen should not have had the opportunity to score his I second goal for Rangers, _it was fair reward for following up and looking for openings. TECHNICAL DEFEAT LINWOOD. On a slippery ground at Lin wood Park, Lin wood were beaten by 4 goals to 2. Lin wood had more of the game than Technical, and only brilliant defence by the goalie, T. Jackson, kept the scoring down. The Technical forwards, with the exception o-f F. Graggs and K. Greenwood, were, not up to form. Graggs, however, made up the deficiency by scoring three fine goals and one from a penalty. He took a great deal of watching and was quick to snatch opportunities. A. Humm was the pick of the lVard-working half-back line, his long-range clearances proving a big advantage. Ji Teichart still maintains his usual form. ,A. Scott replaced A. Milne at left backhand, although a grafter, he was not. up to standard. The Llnwood forwards were unlucky, although they produced really fine field work. A. Wilson, J. Cockle and W. Thomas were well up with the game. H. Wilkins, at outside right,, was an experiment. He shows proiViise. but lacks the-weight. necessary for penetrating. It. Pilling, who played right-back, but later moved to centre half, shows natural ability to play in any position. A. Rennick. right half, played a sterling game on defence and was prominent with long-range speculators. L. Anstey, I left-back, had a handful with Craggs, but kept him subdued most of the time. V. Hammond handled well, but was beaten by four good shots. WESTERN B WIN. The game between Western B and St ; Albans wa w s marred by the heavy state of the ground at Sumner. Play was vigorous and goals were rattled on, but there was too much misdirected kicking ancL lack of constructional play. Westerly B owe their win to sounder defence and the great help given to their forwards by their centre half, E. Taylor. St Albans’s centre half. H. Stoddart, was a weak link, which imposed a good deal of extra work on the rest of the half line and the backs. Taylor's solid defence broke up many St Albans attacks, while he never failed to set his forwards on the move with judicious kicks. C. Leering, left half, played a solid game. He is inclined to use the line too much on defence, slowing up the game. The forward line has plenty of speed. S. Benger and R. Pattinson both showed versatility on attack on the wings and were well backed r-p by Hall, Nelllgan and Bourne. Hal Us goal was a bright effort. J. Henderson was the pick of the backs. St Albans felt the loss, through illness. Of their usual goalkeeper, M. B. Mitchell. His presence would probably have made the difference between defeat and victory. W. H. Cooke, who substituted. bad a hard day. Neither, N. Donovan nor J. Dryden were quite as sure as usual. The weakness in the centre of the half line caused C. Co ok, and X. S. McCann to cover a lot of additional territory, but tbev worked with a. will. Any opportunities given were quickly seized upon by the forwards, but their positional play could have been im moved. Too freouentlv passes intended for another forward were snapped up by an opponent as the player was not in position. More use could have been made of the right winger. X. Billcliff. He was starved for most of the first spell. R. Bennett was capable at centre, while Mallinsop and t fddell toiled hard. The left wing. x. Harrison, most of the St Albans THISTLE SUPERIOR. A keen struggle was anticipated when Thistle met Xomads at Richmond Park 3ii .Saturday, but the heavy ground and tbe greasy bell slowed matters considerably and Thistle, adapting /themselves more readily to tbe conditions, were clearly superior throughout. Tt was positional play and combination that enabled Thistle to dominate: tbe Xomads men. relying largelv on speed, found tbe going hard. With a clear lend Thistle were incline,-! to lie bank in the second snell and thus robbed play of much of i t .s early Interest. G. Walker, on the Thistle left flank "-as the outstanding forward. Several times be showed ’in in forceful, groundmaking runs, and bis understanding with R. Adam was one of the features of tbe •raipe. Adam, ton. placed more brightly ‘lnn usual. The halves n"d backs formed n n almost impregnable barrier to tbe Xomads forwards, so that L. Sh-nr. ip goal, was rardv troubled. The absence of C. Pickup was very noticeable in the Nomads front line which, as a whole, s.artlv lacked penetrative force. TT. Stonennn wa« out of place at ccntre-forwa rd—C. Pharr I wop Id h-ve been a better substitute—land on the wing TT. Samuels lost onnortunities by playing too far inside. C. Pharr and r>. Douglas were the onlv men who looked like getting through, bn* even tbev were below usual form. Voting M. Walker. Nomads right-half, toiled solidiv all the wav. More than once he out genera Bed his big brothers. \. and G.. in the Thistle team, hut they took it all with a good-natured toler-