GAME AT MATATA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 13, 19 May 1939, Page 6

GAME AT MATATA

SUCCESSION OF THRILLS EDGECUMBE BEATEN 10-0 (By 'Pant'' lor the Beacon) To date three matches have been played in the llangitaiki union competition. As in former years the crack Matata squad has moved into the lead with wins over Edgecumbe and Tc Teko. The latter combination, lias yet to score a victory, going down to Edgecumbe in their initial outing by ii substantial margin. Recently the Matata Magpies worked and talked their way into a good win at the expense of Edgecumbe. FAST AND CLEAN. Last Saturday at Matata I witnessed one of the cleanest games imaginable. Four pounds worth of spectators roared their approval at the brand of football turned on by both teams. Good clean football and that is what we want. Te Teko, led by the veteran Tom Whiteh', kicked off favoured by the breeze. There were brighj spots right from the word go. R. Howell secured from a scrum and flashed through the Te, Teko backs, with EHowell racing handily. It was a grand sight. These Matata inside men inspire confidence to their forwards, but to the opposition they are as welcome as the *flu. GREAT DASH The ball on this occasion was handled by Rugby and E. Howell, then to R. and M. Lees. Maurice in past years has been content to evade would-be tadders by finessing, but this season he has cultivated a powerful fend, an, acquisition. It teaches the other fellow to go low. Froggy Renata from Te Teko did not and htt the ground with n- thud. It looked as though Matata would be in ea,rly for a try, but the winger dropped the pass. From this,, stage onwards the play of both teams reached great height:,. The visitors smothered, tackled and attacked like demons. Whitely, Schooner and Parks in the vanguard were ably assisted by Ran Pakeha; Kaipara and Jamieson in the rear. Watson kept the Matata forwards moving and also garnered a lot o£

the ball from the scrums. MATATA PACK The Matata pack in fact were going surprisingly well R. Thompson, Morkel, Dan Rota and Conn proving a good quartet. The first try came from a forward melee, R. Thompson touching down in a handy position. The kick went wide. Half thnn scores 3-0. The second spell was a repetition of the first Matata making desperate efforts to add to their score, but great tackling by the Te Tcko lads frustrated their efforts. R. Lees made three Hying runs but on each occasion was well lowered by Wi Kalpara. However partial success eventually came his way and after being dragged down inches short Logan scored. The kick missed. HOWELL POTS GOAL . Shortly before time E. Howell was fed from a scrum and in a (lash sent over a perfect field goal. Matata n bj r winning 10-0, ran true to expectations. A record of five years standing went by the board in this match, this being the only occasion during that period in which the Ma,tata rearguard have not crossed the line. As previously mentioned the Te Teko defence was superb but for all that on three occasions the homo inside backs cut it to ribbons and only mishandling by the wings prevented tries. NEW FULLBACK In the winning team Scotty Watson was the most prominent of the forwards, with Morkel and Dan Rota showing to advantage. In Aubrey Rota at fullback Matata and Rangitaiki have a definite successor to Chnrlie Francis. This youth is a two footed artist and should go a long way if he does not catch the "swell, head" malady that often cuts short a lot of youthful promise. Eddie Howell and brother Rugby are displaying very fine form indeed, both seemingly yards faster off the mark than last season. Ron Lees is thi> "mystery man' of the rearguard. Since l!).'3O and his debut in senior football lion has scored something like 270 tries Quite a good bag and ns the average spectator one wonders how he does it. Ron is about as fast ngain as he appears and this, com I bined with a natural swerve and hesitation prop explains tlie "mystery." Maurice Lees is the coming player of the party. GOOD TE TEKO MEN It is hard to individualise among the Te Teko backs. Kaipara, Ran Pakeha and Jamieson were the best of a gallant band. Schooner Whitely >tnd Parks were prominent in a good bustling pack.