REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 136, 10 June 1937, Page 8

REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES

WIN FOR WANGANUI-TARANAKI WELLINGTON B DEFEATED . Playing at Cook's Gardens yesterday afternoon in a match which served as a good worn-out for tne coming nxture with the touring English siue, the combined wanganuiTaranaki soccer team defeateu the Wellington B team by tnree goals to two ancr a good exhibition of the code. Tne junior match between Wanganui anu Taiananl resulted in a win lor the former team by three goats to nil. 'the Taranaki forwards lucked combination ana their snooting was poor. The Wanganui players suoweu good team worst and made the most ol their opportunities. Mr A. Ramsay was tne reieree. The teams lor the big match were as follow: Wellington. Kelly, Langbottom, Dickson, x.. McGregor, butiand, P. McGregor, Cunningham, McGrory, Breneu, Heath and nalley. Wanganui - Taranaki. Healey, Proudloot, Reece, Whiting, Starling, Parkinson, Collingwood, Wilson, Eccleshaw, Kidd ana MacKie. Referee: Mr G. Langston. Tne game was easily the best seen this year, and the targe crowd oi spectators was treated to a sparkling exhibition o£ football. The Wellington forwards showed better combination, notably the left-wingers Cunningham and the diminutive McGrory who, though in the veteran stage, is probably one of the best forwards in the North Island. These two showed great combination and pressed the attack hard, but lack oi thrust in tne centre foiled any scoring in the early stages. Settling down to the game in the second naif, Brown, tne dashing centre forward ot the Wellington team, showed his njeitle anu, together with Heath and Halley, gave an exposition ot positional play wnich was hignly appreciated. The Wellington detence was hardly on the same plane as the attacking line and was a bit overshadowed by the Wanganui-Taranaki haii-bac.t division, ixeily, in goal, played a masterly game and thougn tested early and often, never made a mistake. For the Northerners, Healey, in goal, played an inspired game, easily the best he has shown this year. Time and again he cleared with opposing forwards all round him. Prouuloot, though perhaps not so fleet of foot as ot yore, was probably the best back on the field, particularly in the way he placed the ball. Reece, from Taranaki, was very sound anu never made a mistake, in the hallback division .Starling was easily the oest player, continually breaking up the Wellington attack. Whiting ployed his best game to date ana both he and Parkinson, ol Taranaki, showed great powers ot attack. Ecclesnaw, in the centre, hardly snone, as he did a tew weeks back, but he kept his men well together with nicely directed passes. Collingwood played a good game, thougn overshadowed by nls vis-a-vis Mackie, whose pace was too much for Langbottom, the hard-uorklng Wellington full-back. Kidd was not quite so effective as usual, and O. Wilson, though a great driobler. is more effective in the half-back line. Wanganui’s first goal was scored from a clever pass oy Collingwood to Mackie, and Wanganui’s New Zealand representative, using every bit of his great pace, dashed up in time and netted the ball, giving tne goal-keeper no show to save. Wellington then attacked in earnest and Healey was called upon to save twice in succession from shots from McGrory and Brown. Keeping up the pressure Brown, receiving from McGroiy, scored an easy goal. Whiting tnen initiated a local attack, which was upset by Bulland, Wellington, centre-half. The game at this stage was most interesting, the ball travelling from one end of the field to the other. Wellington was showing combination, but its defence was not equal to that of its opponents. Mackie was now putting in some grand centres and Collingwood, taking the ball in the air, scored a brilliant goal. Wellington now redoubled its efforts, and Healey was was subjected to a severe bombardment from Brown and McGrory, but his defence was good. The combination of the visitors at this stage was good to watch, and

was only foiled by the sterling defence of the Wanganui-Taranaki team. P. McGregor, Wellington's übiquitous half, at this stage gave a brilliant exposition ot the art ot heading, which, by the way iz sadly lacking in most of the Wanganui players. Soon after this a miskick by Langbottom, the Wellington left full-back, gave Collingwood a chance and he scored a brilliant goal with a clever cross-shot. A feature ot tne game at this stage was a series of dashing runs by Mackie, and though some times beaten by Langbottom, still he sent across many good centres, but Eccleshaw was unable to connect. The game was still very even and the naif-time call was welcome. Going off at a great pace after the resumption, Wellington made the pace a cracker, ana getting to the Wanganui goal area shots were rained in on Healey. For a time he kept his charge intact, but eventually succumbed to a dazzling shot from Brown. The latter was now p:ay:.ig a great game, much better than in the first half and only the careful attention bestowed on him by Starling prevented the Wellington pivot from scoring more often. Parkinson, too, was unerring in defence and the eventual victory of the country combined team may really be credited to the half-back line. About this time the veteran, Proudfoot, brought the grandstand spectators to their feet with a wonderful kick wnen surrounded by the opposing forwards. The game now swayed from one end ot the field to the other, but there was no more scoring. The local men and their Taranaki colleagues were just a trifle lucky to win. Wellington was more scientific, but Wanganui were, perhaps, a bit more dashing. Altogether, it was a most attractive game and delighted the spectators.