FOOTBALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1928, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

WEST COAST V. CANTERBURY. This rejneSentativo match between West Coast lin'd Canterbury B teams was played on Cass Square on Saturday afternoon and resulted in a \viii for Canterbury by 12 points (4 tries) to 6 points (two tries). The heavy rain that fell all Friday night and continued at intervals during the day until play started, caused tho ground to bo a sheet of water that soon cut up into mud, and prevented a good exposition. Tho attendance also suffered, tho weather dicing extremely wet with a cold southerly blowing until after the kick off, when the'wind dropped and there was practically no rain during tho game. The oh mo was played in four spells of twenty minutes. Canterbury defended the south goal, and following tho kick Stephenson ’marked a return, and play went to Coast quarters. Here O’Brien opened out tho play and the ball went out to Hart who dashed ovor to score well out. The kick failed to improve. Following the kick off a Canterbury rush took play to Coast quarters, a penalty helping them on. Then C. Pfahlcrt broke away, hut offside play gave relief. O’Brien let his backs away four handling but offside lost the advantage', and the ball went to Canterbury quarters, and from a line out the Coast forwards took the ball to the line where from an ensuing scrum A. King scored. J. King failed to enhance. 3—3. A Canterbury rush saw a forward penalised for offside and play went to tbe centre, A Coast rush saw Doughi ertv, Caulton and Ilagar look dangeri out but Payne sent the ball back to tho full hack J. King who returned and followed up in time to tackle Payne, who took the ball. A scrum saw McCleary pass out to Fong, but be knocked on, but Caulton following up well stopped a passing run. Pffihlert got the ball lmt his kick struck an opponent, and the position looked dangerous hut a Red rush saw Bannister lead and kicked, hut a force resulted. The first quarter then ended. Hart broke away, hot Houston marked and bis kick carried play near to the Canterbury line. The ball came hack from Edmonds and two penalties for offside went to Canterbury in quick succession hut Pfahlert broke through, but was taken nicely by Hart add O’Brien picking up in the loose went through the pack till Houstdii stepped him. Hrigar was penalised fob offside and the ball went to Fong whb mulled it, and a Sordini termed under the posts. The bail cafiio but jfi> McCleary who broke away and found the line at the half-way flag, a; fine relief. A Canterbury loose rush was -topped by Hagar who carried on with a rush from half-way to the line tv fieri' he lost possession, a force re'sliltiiig. The play went back to Canterbury line and from a scrum under the posts. McCleary Was penalised for picking out of the scrum,; relief coining, lmt the ball went tii Houston tvho ran and kicked, hut the ball went too far, a force resulting. Follbwiiig the kick out Payne went ntvay till Tainui stopped him, and play ii-erit to tJife Canterbury lido where t’aiitefb’tiry were penalised for offside, .j. King missed the shot and half-time caine with the scores 3 each.

The second spell opened with Canterbury opening out among the backs, handling cleanly till O. Pfahlert broke between and play went to the centre. Offside gave Canterbury a freo shot but the shot was a poor one. Mclntosh and A. King led a good rush but Canterbury came back, Jenkins making a poor attempt to. stop it. Houston came to light and Pfahlert went away till Hart tackled cleanly, and the ball wont over the line, Canterbury luckily forcing. Mclntosh took the kick out and broke through and Pfahlert went up and kicked but a force resulted. A passing run started by McCleary saw Pfahlcrt up ended and tile play came back to past half-way, where from a line out two halls got into play, and some laughter resulted. Penalties to both sides. King and Hart exchanged kicks and the return going hack to Hart, he ran and punted, getting to King before he could kick. Dougherty brought O’Brien down when looking dangerous, where Mclntosh kicked to Ogier, who knocked on and a rush to Canterbury quarters followed, a force resulting. The kick out went well up field and Jenkins, Fong and Tainui missing, the hall went to the line where Ogier dashed nj) to score well out. 6—3, and the quarter spell ended. From the kick off the ball went to

McClearv wild sent Houston away and play ended near the line. From the line out A. King secured and dropped over to score. .T. King again failed to lift the heavy ball. 6—6. Play went up and down the field, and then Canterbury kicked to Coast, quarters, where Fong, Tainni, Jenkins and King failed to handle cleanly and Hart kicking through raced over to score a good try. Stephenson failed to enhance. 9—6.

i Hagar broke away but was stopped by lanes and the visiting forwards broke away J. King missing badly hut A. King saved finely, but Ogier got to J, King again, a force resulting. Tunes broke away from the centre hut Houston stopped him and passed out to l’fahlert but Ogier sent back the play. Then from inside the centre Manihera and Low broke away. Tninui J. King and Jenkins muddling badly and Hart dashed up to cross the line and score his third try. 12—6.

Bad handling by Fong, Pfahlert and Tninui again let down the Coast forwards, hut J. King marked and relieved, but Payne came back, Pfalilert missing him badly, and soon after time was called with Canterbury victors bv 12 to 6.

On the play Canterbury were lucky to win, as the Coast forwards had. easily the, best of the play, but the Coast backs went to pieces on occasions, especially in the concluding quarter. The Coast forwards were always in the picture, hut the poor tackling of the team, and the faulty handling of the backs gave the game away. Canterbury forwards battled along all the time, having the best of the line outs, and tackling solidly. The backs handled well throughout, and | they tackled well, but the ground conditions were against passing mils, and the ball went astray on most occasions. Their tackling and handling were the winning essentials. The place kicking in all attempts was very poor, tie: greasy ball and poor holding for the kicker being responsible. . Mr E. W. Heenan was referee.

THIRD-GRADE FINAL. As a curtain-raiser the third-grade tie was played hetwen Excelsior and School. The game, in spite of the wet ground and heavy hall, was an interesting one. Excelsiors won by 9 points (tries hv Schroder, Thompson and Diedrich) to nil. The winners throw the hall about in good style and well deserved their win. Mr McMannway was referee.

TARANAKI BEAT MANAWHENUA NEW PLYMOUTH, Sept. 9.

Playing in boisterous and showery weather, before an attendance of two I lemsand, Taranaki defeated Mnnnwhennn to-day by thirteen points to twelve. All Tarnnki points were scored in tile first spell, and all Mannwlionun's in the second, this being lrfgel.v tine to the fact that a powerful wind blew directly down the field,

N.Z. NARROWLY WIN. freitaS One of The best FORWARDS. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Sept. f).

A crowd of 16,000 was at Carisbrook on Saturday to seo tho second Test match between tho All Blacks and New South Wales, hut tho majority must lnivo been disappointed with the play which was below international standard. It is safe to say that the hotter side lost, and it was*only in tho last few minutes that the All Blacks looked like a winning side.

Tho Now South Wales team has a set of fast backs who throw the hall ailxiut with abandon ovcli tin tlifcir own lino. The forwards played tho 3— 2 —3 formation in tho scrum, and got more than their share of the ball. Malcolm; the visitors’ scrum-half, was the best player bn the field and his play throughout was stamped with cleverness. Tlie New South Wales threequarter lino was) very sound, and Westfield, the full hack, played nil outstanding game, fielding, kicking and tackling brilliantly. Of tho forwards Loudon, O’Coriiirir and Lamb were tho best.

The All Black' hacks did not get many opportunities, btit home of them were not impressive, and alterations will have to lie made for the Third Test. Holden, Brandinioyilch and Hook were! not up to international standard, while Cooko was well-watched hut he proved that ho is a really classy player. Porter, Freitas and Knight were outstanding in tho forwards. Two peculiar incidents happened in the second spell; the flrfet being when Freitas touched down, after a great run, hut it was discovered that one of the line umpires had his flag up and of course, the try was disallowed. The lino umpire, unfortunately, first had his flag up, then pulled it down and finally put it up again just ns Freitas went over, aiid his actions brought a demonstration from the crowd The second incident happened just before the call of time The All Black forwards broke away in a great passing rush, into which some of the hacks joined, and just as Cooko was going to pass to Porter the latter was obstructed," ami the referee gave a try for obstruction There is little doubt that a try would have been scored as Porter had two men outside of him, with a clear field in front of them For the winners, Robinson find Knight scored, while a try was given for destruction Brandaiiovitieh converted two of the tries and kicked a ■penalty goal. For New South Wales, Cerutti, Loudon, Hemingway and Malcolm scored, one of the tries being converted by George. Mr G. S. McKenzie of Dunedin was referee.

SEDDON SHIELD .MATCH. NELSON, Sept. 9. i " Nelson finally retained the Scddo-i Shield for 1928, by defeating Motiiek."Goklen Bay to-day, by one unconverted try to nil. Nelson’s try was scored during the first five minutes of play. Rain then fell during the rest of the spell, and it was impossible to pick up the slippery ball. Play was confined to the forwards. There was little to choose between tlie teams. Both fullbacks Bowers (Nelson) and Sexton (Bay) wore outstanding and handled wonderfully under the had conditions. AUCKLAND BEAT WANGANUI. AUCKLAND, Sept. 9. 11l a Rugby match, Auckland defeated Wanganui by 1C points to 3. The match was a ragged display relieved by some bright movements by the Auckland backs. MORRINSVILLE DEFEAT THAMES HAMILTON, Sept. 9. In, a Rugby match for the Peace Cup Morrinsville (holders) 11 defeated Thames (challengers) 3. WELLINGTON DEFEAT HAWKES bay. WELLINGTON, Sept. 9. Wellington beat Hawke’s Bay at Wellington on Saturday in a Rugby match by 11 points to 8.