Gazette Cartoon - 1 December 1923 - page 3
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SHIELDS POOTBALL SATURDAY , OCT . 20TH , 1923 AS " WANDERER " SEES IT . South Shields Continue in Winning Mood . Forwards Finishing Faults , Defenders Again " In the Limelight . " cannot be said that they reached anything like their true form . It was lucky for them that Greenwell obtained the winning goal early in the game for in the succeeding stages of the encounter they were not a very impressive side , the redeeming feature of their display being the magnificent defensive work of Bidley and Crown . Having secured the lead which their opening play fully merited , the Seasiders fell away consider ably and at one period of the game it looked as if they were going to be completely out played . If the Shieldsmen : entertained any idea at an easy ponat , their return meeting with the gastrians , they were quickly disillud . They never had any thing to spare and it was only the invinci bilty of ther defence that enabled them to preserve their unblemished home certificate . It was a narrow victory , but it was a victory , and two points cover a multitude of defi By registering a double success against ard erratio shooting , and two of the most Bury at Horsley Hill on Saturday , South glaring mistakes were made by Simme and Shields did what was expected of them , but Greenwell . The South Shields leader failed . to reach his true form , and this was largely due to the destructive breaking up tactics of Bradshaw , the visitors ' hefty young centre . half , who was one of the outstanding men of the afternoon . Powerfully built , he is quick in his movements and wonderfully accurate in hie anticipation and distribu tion . Bradshaw is only a youngster and quite new to League football , and at his present rate of progress ho looks like carv ing out for himself a brilliant career . Bury have every reason to be elated over their capture . a ciencies . POOR MARKSMEN . I would like to see the South Shields for wards display greater enterprise at close quarters . Four goals in five matches is nothing to write home about , and while I am not unmindful of the all - important fact that although the margins of victory have been narrow they have been getting the points , I am bound to say that their finish . ing work bas not been entirely satisfactory . Pretty midfield football is all very well as a means to an end , but unless these efforts can be sustained so as to produce the de . sired results they are quite futile and value . less in themselves . There was a good deal of that sort of thing on Saturday . Both teams seemed to expend the best part of their energy and skill in non - productive operations , and when put to the test in front of goal they failed miserably . There was some exeuse for the Bury forwards because they word at all times mastered and over shadowed by the opposing backs , but I am afraid cannot put forward anything in extenuation of the Seasiders ' shortcomings in this respect There is no point in mincing matters the plain truth , is that they were yery indifferent marksmen .. 1 19 . LACK OF BOHESION . I was not particularly impressed by the exhibition of the South Shields half - backs . It was evidently one of their off days . Hardy did some useful things during the early part of the game and usually had a big pull over Bullock , the Bury leader , but his play deteriorated after the interval and for the remainder of the encounter he was never very prominent save in defence when his clever headWork was of great service to his side . Hutchinson and Hird did not come up to their usual standard of proficiency in the.F supporting effore , their placing being often faulty . Lack of adequate support from behind had . the inevitable effect of lampering the movemens of the forwards . The South Shields team as a whole did not display that cohesion and businesslike co operation that has characterised previous performances this season . their A RESPONSIBLE JOB . 127 " 1 . It seems almost superfluous to stress the point that the defence is of vital importance to every team but I am inclined to think that the average foot ball enthusiast does not always appreciate the responsibility which devolves upon a custodian and his backs . A forward or a half back might be guilty of half - a dozen blunders of the worst description without any disastrous but not so a defender . pardonable of results accruing , One slight slip , a error judgment , or an indecisive clearance not infrequently means the losing of the game , and a man who contributes to the success of the opposing side , either directly or indirectly , is not easily forgiven . South Shields , in therefore , are particularly fortunate possessing such a wonderfully safe trio of defenders as Walker . Ridley , and Crown . and the fact that the custodian has not had to pick the ball out of the net at Horsley Hill this season is an eloquent tribute to their skill and capabilities . TO - DAY'S OPPONENTS . TOO EASILY SATISFIED . As I have remarked on previous occasions there is always a danger of a suocessful team taking too much for granted and while basking contentedly in the sunshine of past conquests they are wont to get a nasty jolt from an unexpected quarter . I do not suggest that the Shieldamen inclined to that fault on Saturday although there were times when they did not appear to be fully extended . Having obtained an early suc ress they seemed rather too keen to settle down to safety taction and the consequences If the previous achievements of the respeo . was that the visiting forwards were encour tive teams count for anything , South aged to take liberties . The surest form of Shields ought not to be coming back defence is in attack , and having the advant- empty - handed to - night . For the same age of such reliable defenders as Walker , number of matches played the Seasiders had Ridley and Crown there was not the slight - six points in hand compared with their Cal rapon why the other depigments of the opponents this afternoon , but it a gener team , ahobid not have concentrated all their ally recognised that the Orient would prob effort on aggressive movements . It was ably he capable of giving the Northerners not until late in the game that this policy one of their hardest games of the season . I padonted and from this point onward hone that the local men , at least have not |
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