DRAWN GAME AT HAWERA

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 19 June 1933, Page 6

DRAWN GAME AT HAWERA

OLD BOYS AND OPUNAKE. DRAB FORWARD STYLE. Playing at Hawera, Old Boys drew with Opunake, each securing an unconverted try. With both teams keeping p..ay tight. there wiere. few bright patches in son cl forward work, ana only op rare occasions were the-backs m action. On the run of play Old Bovs were the better combination and were unlucky not having secured at least another three points. The teams were : /

Old Boys (red, white and blue).— > Campbell, Hooper, nee, Smith, Dowdle, Morrissey, Dymond, Archer, Garvey, McLean, Malcolm, Kernsk, Robinson, Nolan. Opunake (green).—King, R. Mai colm, J. Malcolm, Spence, Hohaia, O’Connor, Casey, T. Robinson, Harrison, Leatherbv, Ruakere, Dudley, O’Shannes-sy, Smith. Wilson. Old Boys kicked off against a stiff wind and a succession of forward j thrusts had Opunake bustled, a- force giving a much needed respite. Opunake took full advantage of the wind to gain ground, and hard following up ic--1 suited m, a melee deep in the Old Boys' twenty-five. The defenders were penalised, but Harrison’s attempt to goal was unsuccessful. The monotony of a drab struggle at mid-field was broken when the Old Boys forwards opened a sparkling dribbling rush which carried piay to within a yard of the Opunake line. Two line outs followed in succession, Opunake making a timely clearance to the twenty-live. So far the backs had few opportunities to handle the leather, and the game resolved itself into a colourless forward struggle. Keeping the ball down the green pack deeply invaded the Old Bovs quarter, touch being found close jto ‘the line. A five yards scrum enI sued, from winch Old Boys cleared to the twenty-five. Accurate tackling | halted another green breakaway, and I Morrissey brought relief with a kick |to touch at midfield. Raking: loose \ rushes by the Old Boys forwards had j Opunake hard put to maintain an J adequate defence. Morrissey secured following a scramble 10 yards from f the green line, but lost- a try in an I endeavour to "'dummy” his way over i when Hooper, in support, had a clear [run. Hohaia let Opunake away with a splendid kick and again Old Boys were hard on the defensive. The greens ! heeled the ball from a scrum on the twenty-five and Casey cut in to transj for to Hohaia. who scored a well, deI served try. Harrison’s attempt to convert failed.—Opunake 3, Old Boys 0.

j The hopes of bin Boys supporters i were roused when the forwards, in a crisp passing rush, handled the bail • j well to within 10 -yards of tlie- green ’ line, Robinson’s pass to Smith at the critical juncture unluckily going astray. A smart solo breakaway by Robt ins-on again gained ground, but the - v.n'g was too crowded, the attack I -breaking down deep in the green terri ; tory. A succession of long range kicks ■: enabled Opunake to regain the pos;.I tional advantage, and for some minutes Old Boy» were penned m their twenty-five. Hard, effective tackling I :pt Opunake at bay and off-side play bv a green forward enabled Mornsse.v jto clear. The -respite was- brief, HarI risen found touch handy to the coiner, and two scrums followed, but j ain a- green forward was found offside, Morrissey kicking to safety midway between the twenty-five and half way as the spell ended. ! Opening the second spell, the Olci Bovs forwards initiated a dribbling ! rush which carried play almost to .the ! .en line, a solid melee following a ; line-out practically at the corner. -Old 1 Boys seemed to have every prospect iof scoring, but Opunake cleared in ! time. Mc-rrissey essayed a- field .goal and from the stand appeared to have 1 ind the uprights, but the. referee ! ruled the kick as unsuccessful. Old l .vs were in a tight corner when the lOp tin akb forwards showed sparkle in I a." combined rush practically to the . hne. Morrissey gaining relief with a i long punt to well past midfield. Upunakei were badlv bustled in a- drilling rush in which the -Old Boys forwards and backs combined, and MorI riissev capped the movement with a spectacular cut-in on the wing to race

■ -mtn-d and score handy to the posts, j His attempt to convert faded. —QpuI u'-dec 3. Old Bovs 3. , Both sets of forwards . commenced to .show more dash with the Old Boys l pack making repeated breakaways, only j to be halted by the consistently sound | tackling and clearances by King. Ou-u- ---! na-ke were compelled to force in the face of a particularly fast rush, and King again brought off a- last minute save a minute later -Old Boys once more were in a handy position and tested the defence in a succession or sharp tin usts that kept Opunake fully extended. Morrissey was a-ffoi dod a shot at goal following an Opunake infringement. but- failed in a particularly good effort. Plav fluctuated m fast rushes between t-lie green ..twenty-five and midfield, Old Boys- making desperate efforts t-o- score. Opunake forced from a kick over the line and from

the drop out succeeded in-again reaching t-he neutral area. Dymond paved the way for a breakaway, and again Old Boys were hammering on the Opunake line. There was every chance of a score but the ball was kicked out : behind. A long range kick and fast following up saw Opunake m the Old ; Boys’ quarter for the third time in . the spell, but the greens were repulsed ; and were hard on the defence as the ■ game ended. [ Mr. O. Murphy refereed.