ATHLETIC V. HUTT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 136, 10 June 1937, Page 22

ATHLETIC V. HUTT

Wet weather, a greasy ball, ana a slippery field do not always produce the best football, but they level up teams by breaking dowp back combination. If the forward packs are at all equal, in wet weather a fast and exciting game frequently results. Although Athletic are at the top of the senior ladder and Hutt, with a run of bad luck, almost at the other extremity the Athletic v. Hutt contest at Hutt Recreation Ground yesterday was both close and exciting, and up to the last minute might equally well nave been' won by either team: Athletic won by an unconverted try and a potted goal, but Hutt were frequently within feet of scoring and a Hutt attempt to drop a goal a few minutes before time did not miss by much. The ball shot backwards and. forwards, from line to line, and became so greasy in the second spell that a. spectator could not predict at which end of the field it would be in the next 30 seconds. Three, times in the second spell what appeared-to be almost certain tries for one! side were turned into dangerous attacking movements by the other, and the first set of forwards had to race back to their own' end again. The Athletic patted goal was also of the unpredictable quality. The Athletic forwards were attacking strongly gnd were within ten yards of the Hutt line with the ball at toe, when a Hutt speculating kick tool? the ball right between them and left the field open for Hutt retaliation. Mclntyre, the- Athletic full-back,, however, snapped up, and instead of the Hutt forwards carrying on unopposed, they saw the ball ■ carried the - wind through their own posts. Fast following up by Wales resulted in the only try of the day being scored for Athletic. "Tones centre-kicked, Wales took the ball on the bounce, and. sent to Stott,. who passed" back to Jones, Thomson going over well out. j Athletic were--without; the services of their usual two .five-eighths, both of whom had slight Knee trouble. Their inclusion, however, would probably not have made much difference. • -Athletic were not able to rely upon the usual good team work and handling of their backs, and as more rain fell, the emphasis was thrown almost completely on the forwards. Athletic played with the southerly breeze in the first half and utilised "up-and-under" Jactics to advantage. The Hutt backs showed improvement over recent Saturdays, and on several' occasions made some pretty; movements. Their combination was not generally as good, however, as-'that of Athletic.

In the forwards the position was different. The Hutt forwards played a particularly good attacking game, and sometimes covered fifty yards in dribbling rushes. The Athletic forwards also played well and tended a little more to support their leaders as against the occasionally more brilliant solo work of some of the Hutt forwards. The Athletic ball control was good. There was'little^between either pack in scrums.and line-outs. Athletic defensive-play, both forward and back, was reliable, Mclntyre being exceptionally Steady in his handling and kicking. .There was no score in the second half, but on two occasions within ten minutes of time, good Hutt play nearly pierced the Athletic defences. '■' .'. . ■' . The teams, ■were as follows:— . Hutt.—Perkinson'; Phillips, Hahs.en,' Gillespie; Robinson, Sargisson; Kilmister; Perno, Potter, Corkin, Cassidy, Devine, Foley, Koefed, and Andrews. Athletic,—Mclntyre;, Forbes. Jones; Thomson; Stott, Dowdle; Mack; Cooper, Mollier,: Wyeth, Wells, Guy, Edwards, Gunn, arid Wales. : ;

The referee was Mr. J. Moffitt.