SOCCER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 139, 14 June 1937, Page 5

SOCCER

BEST OPPOSITION ENGLISH AT AUCKLAND EIGHT GOALS TO FOUR CAPTAIN’S BROKEN LEG [ Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, June 12. The English amateur soccer team met the best opposition it has experienced on the New Zealand tour to date when the visitors played the Auckland provincial representatives at Blanford Park this afternoon. The English side gained the decision by 8 goals to 4, which was fairly representative of their superiority. The I early stages saw Auckland rather I overawed by the brilliant record of ’ the visiting team, but the local side, 1 adopting bustling tactics, upset the ‘combination and stragetic play of the [visitors and at one stage appeared likely to command a lead. The Englishmen, by reason of their better combination, thrust on attack ’and greatly superior work in the air, quickly ran to a lead of two goals, but Auckland hit back gamely to reduce the deficit to one. England then applied the pressure and ran to a 5-x lead, but Auckland, realising it was outclassed in the finer points, adopted aggressive tactics which earned it two further goals. The crowd of’about 7000 was wildly enthusiastic when Auckland, shortly after the resumption in the second spell, took the score tn 5-4, and for an exciting 35 minutes the teams hammered away to gain supremacy. Unfortunately for Auckland, Cameron, who had given a brilliant exhibition, badly misjudged a soft shot from one of the English forwards, allowing the ball to trickle through his lingers. The morale of the provincial side was broken by this unexpected reverse and the visitors pressed home their advantage to win comfortably.

In view of the controversy regarding the replacement rule it is peculiar that the Englishmen should be the first to avail themselves of the opportunity of substituting a player owing to an Injury. E. Tunnington, the English captain, in a collision with Hooton, suffered a broken leg, and Pickering replaced him. Although outclassed both in positional play and strategy, Auckland managed to hold the visitors, probably by reason of the fact that the halves, compensated for their bad passing by aggressive tackling. Hooten and Blackie, wing-halves, played excellent games tinder the circumstances. Cameron, with the exception of two grave errors which cost goals, again played brilliantly, while Angus, Kay and McCallum showed ability to take advantage of the few opportunitier, that came their way.

The brilliance of the Englishmen was a revelation Io the crowd, which showed its full appreciation of the subtlety of the visiting players. Collins, Eastham and Thornton were out standing players in the English side. Goals were scored for the visitors by Thornton (3), Eastham (2), Mathews, Leek and Finch, while Angus (2), Kay and McCallum netted for the home side. FOR SECOND TEST MATCH NEW ZEALAND TEAM CHOSEN [Ter Press Association.] AUCKLAND, June 13. The following New Zealand team has been chosen for the second Test match against the English soccer team at Auckland next Saturday: —Haggett, Cameron (Auckland), Cawtheray (Canterbury), Blackie (Auckland), A. Sutherland (Otago), captain; Jeffrey (Wellington), Wood, McCallum (Auckland), Leslie (Wellington), R. Scott (Westland) and Kay (Auckland).