THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 21, 1938.
I. CORINTHIANS' SECOND SUCCESS
SERVICES BEATEN BY 3 GOALS TO 1 AT CAROLINE HILL
"THIRD BACK" GAME MAIN
TO LOSERS
OBSTACLE
(By "OUTSIDE-LEFT")
THE Islington Corinthians continued in winning vein yesterday, when they beat the Combined Services by 3 goals to 1, after leading at the interval by three clear goals, in the second match of the present series, which was held at Caroline Hill under dismal weather conditions and on a slippery turf before a comparatively small gathering of spectators.
play, rendered Tarrant practically a "passenger.”
The Services had a bright and en- terprising forward -line on view with Saw outstanding, and Grogan shining on the right-wing, while McGuigan, at inside-right, was a tricky forward" who worked hard for the openings.
As I stated earlier on, Pearson was wasted on the left-wing and Calvert's inability to turn a good pass into any- thing better, made these two men "passengers" for a greater portion of the first-half, although both came near to scoring once during this half. NOTICEABLE CHANGE
At the commencement of the second-
noticeable change came over the team.
half, Pearson assumed the leadership. with Calvert on the left-wing, and a Working up a splendid understanding with Saw, who acted as a "feeder", Pearson soon made his presence in the centre felt and warranted the closer attentions of the two wing-halves,
PLAYING A TYPICAL THREE-BACK DEFENSIVE GAME AND "W" FORMATION IN Dance and Wright,
Pear'son elusiveness in the Tatter ATTACK, THE VISITING TEAM MORE THAN HELD THEIR OWN AGAINST THE SER-stages of the game gave the Corin- VICES IN THE FIRST HALF, DURING WHICH SPECTATORS WERE ENTERTAINED TO thians' defence cause for worry, and SOME FIRST CLASS SOCCER. THE SERVICES TOOK SOME TIME TO SETTLE DOWN, AND the Services' goal was the result of it. On the run of the play the Corin- WERE NOT SEEN AT THEIR BEST UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON HALF, thians deserved to be in the lead at the WHEN PEARSON WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE LEFT-WING TO CENTRE-FORWARD; interval, although the Services threw AND CALVERT MOVED OUT TO THE WING.
away several glorious chances, while
Calvert was helpless against Whittaker, whose quick tacking and excellent backing up of his two backs provided one of the outstanding features of the game. Pearson, essentially centre-forward, was wasted on the left-wing, in the first-half, and received very
poor service
a
from Ferris, his supporting half, whose time was fully occupied in trying to hold a faster and clev- er opposing right-wing.
Consequently, Pearson was rarely, if ever, served with a decent pass, al. though it must have been
apparent
after the first quarter-of-an-hour's play that he would not get away with much against Dance or Clark, particularly the latter, who was very fast.
"BALL CONTROL"
Ball control was fully exploited by probably the cleverest inside forward seen in many a day. I refer to Avery, who completely puzzled the Services' halves, with his intricate weaving in and out with the ball, before parting with it. Avery's body sway was won- derful, and he passed two or three. op. posing players with comparative ease In fact it looked so easy as to be ludi-
crous.
Utilisation of wingers, the back-pas- to the goalkeeper when seriously har assed, and splendid understanding · be tween halves and forwards. were th main features of the Corinthians' dis play yesterday.
On the slippery surface, which wa made all the more treacherous in th second-half by a drizzle. the Corir. thians kept to their feet in a remark. able manner and swerved round op ponents with consumate ease.
BRADBURY SHINES Bradbury, brought into the team fc the first time in this series, gave a da: zling exhibition on the right-wing ar displayed a perfect understanding wit both Dance, his supporting half-back. and Miller, who was filing the unac customed position of inside-right, al though he is actually a left-winger!
Bradbury's two goals were perfec examples of the sharpshooter's art. His first was the result of clever
opening by Dance, who drew his ma before sending the ball through, an Bradbury worked his way in sufficienth close enough to place the ball softly past Church, The second he worke in from the wing before brilliantly net ting into the left corner, with barely a yard of opening visible from his ar gle of sight.
The most noticeable aspect of the Islington Corinthian's play yesterday was the co-ordination between -the various departments of the team.
THE "THIRD-BACK” Clark and Buchanan always took the opposing wingers, leaving Whittaker. the centre-half and "third-back" of the defence, to deal with either Calvert or
Pearson.
Dance and Wright, the wing-halves, but always took the inside-forwards, one of them Invariably dropped back to support Clark and Buchanan, as a "third-back", when Whittaker was for-
red to advance.
His Excellency the Governor, Sir Geoffry Northcote being introduced to the Islington Corinthians prior to last Saturday's clash against South China A.A. which the visitors won by an only goal. L. to R. are H.E.'s of A.D.C. Capt. Batty-Smith, Mr. Tom Smith, the visitors' Secretary-Manager, Mr. Lo Tung-fan, Chairman South China, the Governor, C'ark, the Corinthians' captain (partly obscured), Whittaker, Miller, Wright, Mar- tin, Avery, and Tarrant. ("Mail" photo).
The "W" formation in attack was never more clearly demonstrated. Bradbury, Tarrant and Pearce were always in a line, the wingers lying well up, although in front of the op- posing backs, while Tarrant was al- ways positioned in the centre in case he had to race for the ball.
(HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAME, IN TABULAR FORM, WILL BE FOUND ON PAGE 21.)
in the second-half, the Services should have levelled the score, although they were by no means consistent and only threatened in the openings minutes and soon after they had scored.
Bradbury opened the scoring from an opening by Dance, when he clever- ly placed the ball past Church from LESSONS FOR THE PICKING":
close range in the sixth minute, and AHARRASSING FORWARD"
went fur- Church, in the Services' goal, com- the Islington Corinthians Miller, although playing with an in-
when menced shakily although he improved ther ahead in the 17th minute, ured right-ankle, at inside-right, was
by leaps and bounds as the game pro- Tarrant brilliantly turned a centre ne of the most dangerous forwards on
In front of him he had one from Pearce into the net with a splen- isplay, as he continually harrassed the gressed.
posing defence and combined
well very reliable back, who was not slow did header. Nine minutes later Brad- thebury added the visitors' third goal after ith Bradbury, making this partner-to pick up anything useful from
the wing hip one of the most dangerous on dis- Corinthans' methods in defence, and taking the ball in from in the second half Church
The Services reduced the arrears in was fre- The Combined Services must be con- quently called upon to clear the lines the ninth minute after the resumption, ratulated on an excellent and plucky as a result of a punt back from Wat when Saw cleverly worked an opening to apply the finishing performance, although they should son. The latter, on yesterday's per- for Pearson have been on level terms at the inter-formance should qualify for a position touch amidst much fubilation. There
was no further scoring. val, missing several fine chances to- in the Colony Interport team next sea- wards
It may not be generally known. the early stages of the first son.
Ferris, in the left-half position, but the Corinthians have never was an excellent spoiler but was not played halves of 45 minutes cách – fast enough to cover, or hold, the op- until they came to Hong Kong. posing right-winger.
-He
lay.
half.
WATSON ON TOP
The outstanding figure for the losers was undoubtedly Watson, the right-back, who was magni- ficent on occasions, and, by tho early stages of the second-half, was well-nigh unbeatable for the ball.
Watson was made to carry the brunt of the opposing attack as Williamson, who was playing in front of him, Was never sound at any one period during the game, dilly-dally methods and poor distribution featuring his play.
was fairly sound in attack. There is also the fact that the however, but was powerless to hold majority of yesterday's team had either Bradbury or Miller, except, in played on Saturday, and, taking the middle of the second-half or soon into consideration the heavy going after the Services had scored their
one and only goal, when he spoiled yesterday they did extremely well Combined Ser- magnificently and distributed well, against the fresh but later again deteriorated.
vices side.
NEAR "PASSENGER”
I. Corinthians:-W. Wingfield; F. B. Clark (Captain) and A. D. Buchanan; one of the
не
G. Dance, W. Whittaker and ́: K. (... Bright, occupying
most important positions in the Wright, L. Bradbury, W. Miller, R. P. In the bargain, Sheehan, the left team, nt centre-half, gave a grand Tarrant, A. Avery and Pearce, back, was never fully alive to his res display and is well on the way. to Combined Services:Church (Royal ponsibilities, and although he tackled
Navy); Watson (Middlesex) and Shee- resolutely, he rarely gave Watson and Colony honours. Using his great tan (Middlesex); Williamson (Sea- support the latter was due, this task height to advantage, he intercept-[forths), Bright (Middlesex) and Ferris falling to Bright who was also very ed many a dangerous centre from (Royal Navy); Grogan (Middlesex), much in the limelight for his "shadow- both wingers, while his quick tack McGuigan (Seaforths) Calvert (Royal Artillery). Saw (Middlesex) and Pear- ing of Tarrant, who was completely ling after the first 20 minutes of
son (Middlesex). "stopped" in the second-half.