CELTIC SCORE EASILY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 126, 14 June 1937, Page 9

CELTIC SCORE EASILY

Napier Old Boys* Big Defeat SCORE NO REAL GUIDE * ' Contaraty to expectations Celtic rau up a tall score against Napier H.S.O.B. to win by 17 points ta nil. However, the actual run of the play was very even throughout and certainly not as one-sided as the score would indicate. The Old Boys forwards were surprisingly outplayed at their own type of game, and with the Celtic backs showing fttt improvement there was a better all round finish ahout the team's play« Tha teams, were as. follow : — Celtic. — Harvey, Hannah, Pullen, Gibbs, Reid, Halligan, Tomoana, Mataira, Bennett., McCourt, Hannigan, Kelly, Piper, Maaka, Bowers. Napier H.S.O.B. — Hutchinson, Austin, Macey, G. Cox, Olothier, Bradley, Marr, Amner, Griffiths, Ennor, Craw-ford-Smith, Baynes, Bishop, Mathewson, SmithThe home. side early secured a territorial advantage, the forwards enjoying, a more than averagje share of che ball and they saw to, it that the backa were well fed. The scoring openecf when. Harvey secured a great goal with a spfendid ' iong-range free drop at the posts. Celtic continued to press hard, though Old Boys were erer dangerous and required little eneouragemenfc to. turn . defence into attack. Another penalty gave Pullen thc chanee to inerease the score but immediately following this Old Boys 1 took up the attack in earnest, They dld everythingt but score during the next 15 minutes and Celtic' & defenee was sevefely ' tested'. It was just' when Old Boys were within an ace of scoring that there was a tbrilling change of fortunes. Intercepting the bail a few yards from his owu goal-rline, Hannah broke through and nicely drew the defence to send Bowers away over the second haff of the field for a try between the posts. Pullen converted. The. ensuing play was bright. and fast, with each side in turn attacking, Celtic being re- ; warded when after an exeiting chase, Pullen beat thc opposition uear the dfead-baH area.

With 14 points up against them, Old Boys showed a big improvement m the second spell and their ' backs came more into . their own., However, Celtic backled with praiseworthy determina- • tion and their persistency in, this regard was euccessful .in kecping the ; Old Boys froni actually crossing the goal-line, thougli there were occasions when it was certainly a close call. ; The only score of the spell was a ; solo effort by Bennett, who came out - of the ruck well past the quarter-way ;and Qutstripped the opposition to 1 score under the bar. Hannrgan, how- 1 ever. missed a "sitter." The Bcqyers • were Celtic : Pul- 1 len (try, penalty goai, conversion), ; Harvey (penalty goal), - Bowers and Bennett (try each). Alr 1). Graham was referee. \