EXCITING FINISH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 78, 19 April 1937, Page 9

EXCITING FINISH

Napier H.S.O.B. Win Aiter Being 10 Points Down ' Points down. HASTINGS H.S.O.B. BEATEN One of the most exciting club matches » to be seen on McLean Park, Napier, was witnessed on Saturday, when, after being down 15 to 5, Napier H.S.O.B. defeated Hastings H.S.O.B. by 17 points to 15. The final stages of the game, with Napier making desperate efforts to reduce their defiicit, had the spectators tense with excitament, and at the final score, the Napier supporters swarmed the field to congratulate their team. The teams were : — Hastings U.B. ; McCarthy, Fargher, Holt, Palmer, Patrick, Johuson, Garnett, Redward, Denton, Hugh'es, Rawiri, Ford, Trumper, Irwin, Ashman. Napier H.S.O.B. tLutehinson, Hawkins, Macey, Butler, Marr, Bradley, Clothier, Amner, Orawford-Smith, Ennor, W. Clothier, Willis, Bishop, E. Cox, Cray. The balf speedily became very greasy, and although the Napier baclcs tried hard to institute passingj rushes, a majority of them broke down for this reason. McCarthy was granted a penalty on the line, 35 yards out, and he found the uprighfs with a fine kick. The kick-off saw' Napier just beaten to the touch-down after a long chase for the ball. McCarthy gained applause when he stopped a Napier rush by fielding the -ball from the very toes of W. Clothier and cleared well. The game continued to move from one end of the field to the other, with the Napier forwards doing well in dribling rushes. Hastings took another three points when McCarthy obligicd with • another fine kick, the heavy ball going directly between the posts. Napier's first blood came when Clothier snapped up the ball at the base of the scrum and pushed his way 15 yards to the line in an extremely fast piece of work. Bradley converted. A surprise followed soon after, when Hutchinson, fielding the ball from a Hastings rush, kicked it into the hands of Holt. The latter eagerly accepted the chance and dropped the ball at the goal. After bouncing in the centre of the cross-bar it went over, for an easy four points. Immediately after the start of the second spell Hutchinson missed a difficult penalty. Soon after Napier instituted a fine rush, the ball coming from a scrum to Clothier, Bradley, Marr, Macey and , Hawkins in turn. When the last named went down Bradley was outside him to carry on, but was grassed a yard from the line. Napier missed many chances because their backs did not run strongly, and although they gained ground, were unable to seore. McCarthy then provided a sparkling try. In the te.eth of a rush he kicked the ball along the ground, where it was picked up by Palmer, and the pair raced down the line for the full-back to cross. His conversion gav© him 11 points as a contribution to the Hastings score. Napier retaliated near the end of the game when Hawkins walked over in the cox-ner. Hutchinson missed the kick. They repeated the perfonnaiice following a good run by Biradley, who handed on near the line to Butler, who scored near the posts. Bradley converted, and Napier were two points behind. The spectators were on their toes in the final stages as Napier made desperate efforts to seore again. Thfe forWards bustled the Hastings men, and Clothier naiTowly missed a field goal. Hastiugs, however, gained ground with a penalty, and twice came close to scoring. Time after tinie Napier reached the line, only to be thrusi, back, but finally Clothier seeured from a scrum, and passed pack to Bx'adley, who potted a neat goal, and time was called two minutes later. The scorers were: — Napier H.S. O.B. (17): Clothier (try), Hawkins (try), Butler (try) and Bradley (field goal and two conversions). Hastings H.S.O.B. (15): McCarthy try, two pexxalty goals, and a conversion), Palxxxer (field goal). Mr J. Laws refereed.