NUAFC 1968-2018

United Beaten by Hamilton
The Huntly Press, Wednesday 17th June, 1970
1970
After going down 8-1 to Hamilton in the first round
of the competition, United slumped again with a 6-0 loss
against them at Muir Park, Hamilton on Saturday.
This was the first game this season wherein United
have failed to score. Rating so far this season is as follows:
Losses 8, Draws 1, Wins 1, and one cancelled match. From 11
games United have gained 4 points.
Commencing with 10 players United was soon down
1-0 and it was 30 minutes before full strength was achieved.
Hamilton commanded the game and thoroughly capitalized on
the many weak spots in the United defence. Hamilton’s
outside right proved a bother to Barry White, but he stuck to
his job and broke up several attacks.
The players to show out for United in an otherwise
drab team were Barry White and Jim McCaig. United’s
keeper was extremely shaky in goals, fumbling almost all
shots, weak and hard, that he managed to get to. More plays
could have been cut off if he had moved out to meet the ball or
got his body behind it.
Clyde Turner had an uninspiring run on the right
wing, as did most of the others on the field in their positions.
On the field it was very noticeable who attended
practices and those who came “for the ride”. Members of the
Ngaruawahia United A.F.C. are reminded of the tactic talks on
Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. and practices on Sunday
afternoons at 2 p.m.
Ngaruawahia United travelled to Mangakino on
Saturday to meet Mangakino in the second round, after
drawing 2-2 previously.
As happened last week, United found themselves
short of players and had to call on several newly-registered
high school boys to assist.
United found Mangakino’s ground very rough and
very narrow. Crosses to the wings were continually going out
and many team members suffered from cuts on the legs from
the stones and chips on the field.
Mangakino looked the superior side, while United
could not finish off their attacking moves. There was a
definite lack of cohesion in the forwards, compared with the
understanding that Mangakino had in their line.
United scored their only goal in the second half
when their inside forward curved the ball into the net. The
United halves were kept very busy containing the fast
attacking plays of the opposition with their keeper making
Mangakino Defeats United 6-1
The Huntly Press, Wednesday 8th July, 1970
some daring saves and timely dashes out onto the field of
play.
The 6-1 loss was rather flattering to Mangakino.
Towards the end of the match United repeatedly caught their
opposition off-side – something they had been doing all
through the game without the referee seeming (to) notice.
Mangakino’s outside left was a player who walked off the
field in protest at being caught! He was given the opportunity
to apologise to United but did not wish to do so.
This match brings United to the position of 1 win, 2
draws and 10 losses.
Ngaruawahia United meet Huntly Thistle this
Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. on United’s new ground in a
friendly match. Thistle missed out on their second round
clash with United when they travelled to see the Jardines play
Auckland, giving United their only win of the season (by
default).
United Downs Putaruru
The Huntly Press, Wednesday 15th July, 1970
Having gone down to Putaruru by 4 goals to 2 in a
Putaruru home game in the first round, United were
determined to try to reverse the score, and so it almost
happened on Saturday, when they were at home to Putaruru on
the High School grounds.
The No. 1 ground at the High School was quite firm,
considering the rain and adverse weather over the last few
days. The sky was bleak, and United elected to play “uphill”
for the first spell.
Putaruru almost had it all their own way in the first
half. An early goal by John Coatham for Putaruru livened their
spirits and they kept pressing. However Ngaruawahia united
were not confined to their own half for much of this time.
Their forays into the visitors’ penalty area almost resulted in a
goal when attacker and defender alike scrabbled around on the
goalline for about 30 seconds before the ball was cleared.
Putaruru’s only goal (by Coatham) was an easy one. United’s
keeper slipped while moving to cover the ball and it rolled into
the corner of the net only inches away from his fingers.
United took over the play in the second half and
looked like a team with purpose. It was well into this have
before United scored. The outside right brought the ball right
down to the line near the corner and then cut it back at a
narrow angle for Robin Turner to turn into the corner of the
net with his head.
Minutes later Robin again netted when a through-ball
from the half-back line caught the defenders wide open and
Robin placed the ball neatly away from the Putaruru keeper
and into the net.
During the second half the sun had come out and
United were in the position of playing directly into it, but this
did not seem to have any effect on their attacking play. The
few times that Putaruru broke away with the ball, they were
closely hounded by the Ngaruawahia defence and the shot
stopped or saved and promptly returned to United’s forwards.
Robin Turner once again came into the picture in
the last ten minutes when he turned a ball back onto the foot of
Allan Rose, who drove it powerfully into the roof of the net to
bring the final score to 3-1 and Ngaruawahia United’s second
win of the season.
United’s keeper and fullbacks worked hard, ably led
by Maurice Frankhouser, who directed them in the off-side
play most successfully. Sandy MacDonald and his outside
half-backs, Barry White and Clyde Turner, did much in
keeping any Putaruru attack bottle up. Barry got through a
mountain of work in his position, and George Sunnex played
exceptionally well at outside left and was well supported by
Allan Rose. Robin played well and intelligently while Stuart
was found all over the field hounding the opposition
continually.
The referee, Joe Templeton, had a thankless job, but
did it well and fairly.
Jim McCaig directed his team from the sideline with
encouragement and jibes and was pleased to see the win. This
win was a good indication of what was to take place on the
morrow when United meets Thistle of Huntly in the first
“official” game at Centennial Park.
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