WINS TO NAPIER O.B. AND HASTINGS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 72, 12 April 1937, Page 9

WINS TO NAPIER O.B. AND HASTINGS

M.A.C. and Celtic Nanwly Defeated MARIST BEAT PIRATES Bugby In Bawke's Bay wag of-. ficially opened on Saturday, when a start was made with the comhined Hastings-Napier seniorgrade championship. Two games were played in each town, and though this was the first real outing for the majority of the players the standard of play was pleasingly high. An indication of the interest likely to "be taken in Bugby this season, was that the attendance at fioth Hastings and Napier surpassed all previous records for the opening day.

The draw for the series aet down all home teams in the matches at Hastings, and piide of place went to the meeting of Hastings and M.A.C. Bef ore a crowd that would easily have overfiowed the main eovered stand had it all been gathered together, Hastings Jscored a hard-earned and very narrow hvin by a nxargin of 18 points to 12 I after being behind at the interval. On the adjoining area Hastings H.S.O.B, uei'eated Havelock North 17 — 11. This j game also produced good play, though it was eelipsed by that of the HastingsIM.A.C. encounter. I At McLean Park, Napier, the p'star" attraction was the meeting of Napier , H.S.O.B. and Celtic, and this j game was well up to mid-season performances of last' year, Old Boys coming ou-t on top by 16 points to 10. Contrary to antieipation, Marist, of whom I nj.uch had been heard owing i|) their r'finds," did not reveal the form ex-. peeted of them against last year 's |"wooden-spoonists,,; Pirates, and they I emerged victors by only lg points to eight, the issue being ija doubt up to the Jast xninute of the game. Junior and lower-grade competitions were not commenced, the opening date for these bejng next Saturday, but several of the clubs availed theraselves of the ehance olfered by way of cur-tain-raisers to get in^ some practice, and they kept the early-comers to Nelson and McLean Parks interested.