WANGANUI SOCCER TEAM RETAINS THE LAWRENCE TROPHY

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 May 1949, Page 6

WANGANUI SOCCER TEAM RETAINS THE LAWRENCE TROPHY

Three goals to two was the margin by which the Wanganui soccer representative team retained the Lawrenc Trophy against Manawatu on Vi - toria Park on Saturday. Wanganui d. - fended the northern goal and Manawatu kicked off into a strong breeze The Kidd brothers set Wanganui racing goalwards and J. Kidd just missed a goal by a small margin. Manawatu attacked, the ball going to Wellam on the wing. He sent a beautiful cross for Neale to goal— Manawatu 1, Wanganui 0. By this time the wind had risen to gale force and Manawatu was at a disadvantage. Wanganui failed to make the best of the wind and tried to walk the ball into the goal. Neale again scored for Manawatu from a rebound from the cross-bar, Stewart, having no chance. Later Wellwood worked Scott into a good position and he made no misstake from close in— Manawatu 2, Wanganui 1. Wanganui was doing better. Mutimer put in a solo run after beating Gorrard and sent over a perfect centre for J Kidd to rocket the ball just past Spence, and the score was 2-all. This score had the effect of speeding up play and the game proceeded at a fast clip. Each goal-keeper was tested at intervals but both men were experts in their position. Several breaks by Wanganui forwards were nullified by bad positional play, and after several of these sorties Mutimer almost scored when his shot hit the inside of the upright with Spence out of his goal, but Reeder appeared to come from nowhere to clear the ball right on his goal line. Manawatu broke away again and Stewart did well to clear a dropping shot from well out, and sent his forwards away again. Breed narrowly missed scoring when Spence cleared J. Kidd’s shot. HoweVer, Wanganui were not to be denied and A. Kidd paved the way when he sent across field to Mutimer, who once more centred the ball perfectly to Wellwood’s foot for the latter to crash the ball home from five yards out, giving Spence no chance— Wanganui 3, Manawatu 2. A few minutes later Manawatu hafi a man injured, necessitating his leaving the field, but it appeared to make no difference to Manawatu’s deter' mination and they battled on. Play was fairly even, both ends being visited at intervals, but neither side could pierce the other’s defence again, and an interesting and fast game resulted Wanganui 3, Manawatu 2. The senior B game resulted in a win for Manawatu by six goals to three The visitors showed more combination and better footwork. The teams were:— Wanganui: R. Stewart, Patterson. Taylor, Lowe, Kendrick, Breed. Mutimer, Scott, Wellwood, J. Kidd, A. Kidd. Manawatu: Spence, Reeder, Milne. Brun ger, Ryan, . Gorrard. Regan. Methven, Gould, Nearle, Wellam.