WANGANUI SOCCER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 92, 20 April 1939, Page 4

WANGANUI SOCCER

OPENING OF SEASON ] ABSENCE OF REFEREE APPEAL TO ENTHUSIASTS (By “’Hampden.”) The Wanganui Football Association’s 1939 season commenced badly. On Victoria Park Athletic and Eastbrooke were unable to play an official game because of the non-appearance of a referee. For some years now we. have heard the old cry over and over again: “Soccer is not as good as it used to be.” If this is true where can we lay the blame? . • • • The idea that players alone make for the success or failure of a game is wrong. No game can hope to succeed unless it has sound administration. This is the factor that Ultimately makes or mars any sport. It is only too true that officials and helpers can be found if something big is on the job, but few there are on hand to help carry out the tasks necessary to ensure that Saturday afternoon players can have their sport under the best conditions. Surely some of the past players and officials, who have had many enjoyable times at the Wanganui Football Association’s expense, could rally round and support the association today. Referees are badly needed and coaches are necessary if the game is to continue. We have plenty of players in Wanganui, perhaps more than we ever had, but there is no one to take them in hand. For some years the burden of the work has been done by Mr. Harry Ward, but indifferent health has compelled him to give up the junior section. Fortunately Mr. Ward’s services are not altogether lost to the game, as he is the man behind the newly-promoted Technical Old Boys team who, in their first match in the senior grade, accounted for Marist. Harry Ward has served the Wanganui Football Association faithfully. He has been president, referee, coach and selector, and primary schools soccer owes a great debt to him in-so-far that he was on hand every Thursday afternoon to arrange the primary school fixtures. It can thus be seen that supporters are badly needed in the game, and it is sincerely to be hoped that any who can will offer their services, either as coaches, referees or even linesmen. All these are necessary if the game is to go ahead. ¥ ♦ ♦ • Athletic and Eastbrooke had no official match on Saturday but played a friendly match which Athletic won by 2 goals to nil. Athletic look like having a well-balanced team and should serve up some good football. Eastbrooke will be without the services of Gray and Roper this year, but will have quite a strong side, capable of giving any team a run for ; it. Technical Old Boys are a light side but can be relied upon to go the full distance as they have youth in their favour. They have a sound defence in Smith, Patterson and Good. 1 A bit more punch is needed in the halves, and if Dashfield turns out for ’ them he will be a great help in this ' respect. The forwards are all speedy and will snap up any chances of > scoring that come their way.

Marist made a great game of it on Saturday, and it was only in the last stages that Technical won the game. Marist are also a young side but have one or two seasoned player in their ranks. In A. Fairclough and Cunningham they have two good forwards, and Cooper is one of the best wing-halves in Wanganui. That Cooper is keen is evident from the fact that he travelled all night on Friday to be on hand for Saturday's match, and Cunningham refereed a junior match on Victoria Park before coming down to Cook’s Gardens to play in a senior match. A word of praise is due "Ted" Fairclough for the admirable way in which he controlled the match. The international match played at Hampden Park, Glasgow, on Saturday was one of the most thrilling games ever played in the England v. Scotland series. It was played before 150,000 spectators in heavy rain from start to finish. England scored the winning goal in the last minute of the game. The Scots were on top in the first half, so much so that the English defenders continually passed back to the goalkeeper to ease the pressure, and it was from one of these backpasses that Scotland scored, Dougal following up fast and beating the goalkeeper for the ball to score what was Scotland’s only goal. In the second spell the Englishmen forced the pace and succeeded in getting the ball to Matthews on the right wing. Matthews was always dangerous and it was from his efforts that England equalised. When the match looked like ending in a draw Matthews put in a great run on the wing and sent in a terrific shot which Dawson, the Scottish goalkeeper, could only partially stop, and Beasley, running in, put the rebound into the net. Matthews was the personality of the match and was described as the greatest winger playing in the soccer game to-day. No doubt the Scots sighed for an Alan Morton on their wing.