8 Vic soccer teams in W.F.A. competition

The Victoria University Football Club will enter eight teams in the W.F.A. competition this season with the first three elevens playing in the First, Secand and Third Division respectively.

The club is fortunate this year to gain players who formerly represented Canterbury, Otago and Auckland universities.

The players are as follows:—

• Jim Courtly, a former Auckland University and New Zealand Universities representative who plays on the left wing.

• Russell Lill, a Canterbury, Canterbury University and NZU rep, on the right wing.

• Danny Chuke—a Canterbury University and NZU centre-forward.

• Peter Finkle, a Canterbury University fullback and also the 1968 Canterbury University Club Captain.

• Sieve Palmer from Otago University and is a NZU representative inside forward.

• Johnny Betteridg, also from Otago, fills the position of goalkeeper.

To date this season the club has played 3 friendly games, winning 3-1 against C.Y.F.C. and 6-1 against Levin United.

The First's game against Canterbury University on 22 March was drawn nil-all and the Seconds won 2-1.

In the first game in the Wellington Football Association season, the Firsts lost to Marist 1-2, the Seconds won 3-2 against Walersiders and the Thirds drew 2-2 with Lower Hutt.

Club Captain for Vic this year is Rod Bustard and the coach Ray Rayment, a former Wellington regional coach who in his playing years was an amateur of the famour London Club Tottenham Hotspur.

The practice times for the teams are quite long, with sessions held on Sunday afternoon, Monday evening at Boyd Wilson and Thursday evening in the University Gym.

The Firsts will have to improve their performances if the VUW Soccer Club hopes to enter a team in the Central League competition in 1970. For this a successful season in the local first division is essential.

Match reports of April 12 games:

Varsity v. Marist

In a fast even game at Macalister Lower, Varsity was beaten 2-1 by Marist

Both teams were untroubled by the windy conditions and played some good fool ball in the first half.

Marist opened the scoring midway through the half, and though both sides went close to scoring on several occasions, the half-time whistle sounded with no further additions to the score.

Varsity had the better of the early exchanges in the second half, and drew level in the 13th minute when John Gallagher scored with a fierce drive.

As the game progressed the Marist attacks became more frequent and in the 35th minute they scored the winning goal. This goal was hotly disputed by the University players, who claimed that the ball had passed at least a foot outside the post, but after consulting the Marist players referee Kennedy allowed the goal.

This type of dispute would not occur if the Wellington Football Association fallowed a policy of playing First Division games only on grounds whose goats are equipped with nets. There is far too much at stake in the First Division these days for a game to be decided by a suspect goal.

Varsity-Waterside

The second team beat Waterside 3-2 on a wind-swept Kilbirnie Park.

After having the wind at its back during the first half, and being level at 1-1 at half-time, the chances for a Varsity victory looked bleak.

In the second half it was almost all waterside, and it went into a 2-1 lead.

However Varsity scored twice as the result of two breakaway attacks and ran out the winners by the odd goal in five.

Scorers for Varsity were Robin Fox, Sieve Palmer and Roy Shuker.

Lower Grades

Down in the grades the only team to win was the Senior Seventh Division "A" team which beat Petone 1-0.

The third team celebrated its elevation to the Fourth Division with a 2-2 draw with Lower Hutt City

The Senior Seventh Division "C" side had a bye while all the other teams lost.

Scores and scorers:

Senior First Division 1, Marist 2 (J. Gallagher); Second Div. 3, Waterside 2 (D. Chuke, R. Fox, R. Shuker); Fourth Div. 2, Lower Hutt City 2 (H. Lateef, J. McNaught); Fifth Div. 1 Marist 5 (W. Greves); Sixth Div. 1, Wellington Working Men's Club 4 (J. Barrington); Seventh Div. "A" 1, Petone 0 (P. McGuiness); Seventh Div. "B" 2, Newlands 8 (R. Benton, H, Russell); Seventh Div. "C" a bye.