SOCCER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19840, 14 May 1927, Page 5

SOCCER

THE SEASON’S PROGRESS NOTES AND COMMENTS (By “Afton Lad.”) The football shown last Saturday was the best so far this season and, although there is still room for improvement, it is pleasing to seo the game with a rising tendency. No doubt after all the new stars have been tried out and teams become more settled, spectators will be treated to better combination and more methodical play than is being served at present. A Crop of Goals. Goals have been plentiful so far and Saturday’s crop was a record for the season, eighteen being scored, ten in the senior and eight in the junior. The reason is not far to seek, ■ not that there arc many weak spots in the various defences, but the one place where teams require strength is the pivotal position, and, with perhaps the exception of Eastbrooke, alb the other teams appear to lack strength in that vital position. Eastbrooke Happy, Eastbrooke continue on their winning career and quite upset the critics with their decisive victory at the expense of Workshops. The ’Brooke are a quiet moving lot with every man pulling his weight, which means a lot in V?am work. Thistle Improving.

A big improvement was shown in the form of Thistle last Saturday, A bad start cost them dearly but playing with commendable pluck in the second moiety Thistle came very near sharing the spoils with their more fancied opponents. A repetition of Saturday’s second half form should see Thistle in a better light soon. Players in the Limelight. Webster and McMillan gave a good exhibition of back play last week-end and Killeen in goal had an easy day, but whatever the ’keeper was asked to do was done in worksmanlike fashion. No better placed corner kicks have been seen for many seasons now than those placed by V. Clapham. They were all on the dot and, as the ball drooped into goal, the ’Shops defenders must have felt rather anxious. McKechnie is playing at the top of his game just now and cannot be overlooked when the final selection is made for the Canadian match. Upton and Jones formed a very lively wing on Saturday and appeared to be too much for the defenders opposed to them. Dick, one of the ’Shops ’ new men, is an acquisition to the team. Having represented Canterbury on many occasions at right-half, it is a pity that tho player has not yet filled his true position in the intermediate line. Mackley failed to settle to his usual game and with Glover and Webster always near at hand the ’Shops’ dangerous man got few chances to shine. Grover was again guarding the Mills’ citadel on Saturday awd although better than the previous week he failed to impress, Proudfoot is the Mills ’ strong man in defence and the redoubtanle “Tammy” is a tireless worker. Ballantyne has not yet returned to the form displayed last season and it is evident he requires a half-back of the Ritchie type behind him. Almond, the Mills’ new inside left, justified his inclusion and deserves further trial.

Hope and Cowan are a strong pair on the right but do not get the support from Davidson as they did last term. Kidd and Bain are fast striking a happy combination and more will be seen of this wing before the season is much further advanced. Lan slow and Fyfe are strong defenders fc, Thistle, with all the capabilities whi. > o to make a good centre-half | ni ‘l ’ ->u W riter considers that owing to ! t? ‘ ’ a strong pivot Langslow bo . t x *- *w■? with a view to solving the , pj<. xl lor the Canadian match. •" lean Blows In. • acw Soccer player arrives in ! is always keen competition he various clubs as to which ' s i[ book the ] isrfv? went round « iturday about • ii-yv player and the sieuths got busy. Workshops, however, ran the quarry o earth and the player is no less a peronage than a leading American Soccer jiayer who, if all goes well, will make lis debut to-day on the ’Shops’ extreme left. 'No doubt he will be keenly watched as American Soccer players are scarce in these parts and mayhap his style ma- lend variety to the game in Wana 1.3 Canadian Game. The players selected for training purposes commenced on Tuesday evening when a good muster attended Victoria Park under Mr J, Savage. Most of them are keen to play in such an important fixture and with Mr Savage as trainer the selected men will not lack condition on the day of the big match. Possibles v. Probables. A Possibles-Probables match next Saturday is arousing keen interest and no doubt the selector will have to risk an experiment or two to find suitable men for some of the positions. In the writer’s opinion not enough care was taken in the selection of the seventeen players in the first place. Two at least have not shown convincing form to justify inclusion and better judgment must be brought to bear if Wanganui is to give the visitors a real test. “Afton Lad” considers the following teams comprise the pick of lecal talent: — Possibles.—Grover, Webster, Proudfoot, Newsham, McKechnie, Fyfe . Glover, Cowan, McLeod, Davidson, Ballantyne. Probables:—Killeen, Richards, McMillan, Dick, Langslow, Glover, Hope, Mackley, McDonald, Thomson, Bain.

To-day’s Fixtures, Fixtures for to-day are:— Thistle v. Workshops. Woollen Mills v. Eastbrooka. THISTLE CLUB TEAM EOB TO-DAY’S GAME T!b® Mfowraig- win represent: Thixtfc Sa tkeir ntatrii ngnmst Worit-

shops:—Walker, McLeod (captain), Langslow, McKay, Land, Fyfe, Little, McLay, Fairclough, Kidd and Bain. Reserves: Bell, Moyes. [The Sports Editor wishes to point out that in future teams will not be published on Saturday, but must be handed in not later than 7 p.m. on Thursday for insertion in Friday’s issue J

Shield Table to Date. Eastbrooke p. .. 3 w. 3 L. 0 D. 0 p. 6 ’Shops ' 3 1 1 1 3 Mills .. 3 1 2 0 2 Thistle .. 3 0 2 1 1