Wednesday, July 4th 1973

Second Division Soccer

Ngaruawahia had the best game of the season on Saturday when they met Cambridge away.

With only eight players, Ngaruawahia had the opposition playing their style of football. With the absence of Rex Nightingale, Steven Mark and Young, the team was reshuffled and hidden abilities became apparent to the coach, Charlie Gorman, as he watched his team dictate much of the pattern of play.

However, Cambridge carried the day by 3-1. Sandy MacDonald played in goal for the first time in two and a half years and had a reasonable game. A chip-shot and two point-blank drives were the only ones to pass into the net. An indirect free kick by Cambridge was admitted directly into the net by keeper MacDonald in order to gain a goal-kick.

The second half was played with seven men when Steven Hayward had to leave the field injured and it was from this point on that Ngaruawahia played with more purpose, resulting in a solo run down the right wing by Bill Burston who scored. Cambridge could not penetrate the Ngaruawahia defence – despite having twice the number of attackers as there were defenders.

Fourth Division Results: Ngaruawahia Green 2, Wanderers 5; Ngaruawahia Red 0, Hamilton 5.

This Saturday Ngaruawahia Red meets Ngaruawahia Green in a home fixture at 1 p.m. followed by the second division match, Ngaruawahia versus Hamilton at 2.45 p.m.