FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 14 July 1930, Page 3

FOOTBALL

SATURDAY’S RESULTS. SENIORS. United 9, Brunner 6. Excelsiors 27 v. Stars 3. Blaketown defaulted to Rivals. Cobden, a bye. Blaketown forfeiting to Rivals and •to Excelsior juniors, there was no football fixtures on Cass Square on Saturday afternoon. EXCELSIORS v. STARS. V- : " Excelsior seniors jburneyed to Greymouth. where they met and defeated Stars by 27 points to 3. As the scores indicate Excelsiors had an easy task. The. score was made up of tries by Jordan,i'.Koch, Bannister, Kelly (2) ami R. King Martyn converting three and a ..penalty goal, while Fong kicked a penalty goal for Stars. United defeated Brunner by 9—6.

BRITAIN v. HAWKE’S BAY.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association

NAPIER, July 12.

In, a game in which they were dennitely superior only in the last 15 minutes, Briteain defeated Hawke’s Bay by 14 points to three (two penaltyi:goals, and two tries, one converted, to one penalty goal) on McLean Park to-day ,before a record attendants, for the district of 12,000.

HOME TEAM ON TOP AT FIRST. Hawke’s Bay had the advantage in the first spell, their forwards breaking "through the opposition in all of thfe'fight w-ork, 1 while in the loose they were quite’ a match for the visitors. However, the British backs showed remarkable defensive prowess, and although Hawke’s Bay were on the visitors’ line for. the majority of the: spell, their thrusts were continually doomed to failure. Receiving more than their fair share of the ball from the forwards both in the scrums and line-outs, Hawke’s Bay lacked the enterprise of their vis-a-vis, and added to thisp was the spoiling and bustling tactics of both the opposing backs and forwards.

FINAL BRITISH DASH. With a quarter of an hour to play and the score only six points to three in*tlieir favour, Britain came witli the dash . which ha® been the feature of the second spell of their matches of the tour, and, throwing the ball about, apparently at hazard, but with always someone to take it, they dominated the play for the remainder of the game, finding weaknesses in the Hawke’s Bay defence, and scoring two tries in quick succession. Up .to that stage it seemed as if Hawke’s Bay would be able to get through the day with the honour of not having had their line crossed by the visitors.

THE OUTSTANDING MEN. Outstanding among the British backs were Aarvold, Morley and Jennings, the latter scoring all of his side’s points, except the converting of one try. In the forwards, Beamish got' through a heavy day’s work with colours flying. For Hawke’s Bay, in the backs Setford and Grenside were the most prominent-, lluru having an off day, and South being brilliant at times, but only passable at other times. The local forwards were an even lot with Wanoa and M. Brownlie the pick, the latter being very fit and playing a rattling wing, forward game. C. Brownlie was not seen very frequently in the loose,, but did a great deal of hard work in the tight. The teams were as telegraphed, McKay being the extra forward dropped from the announced Hawke’s Bay pack.

THE PLAY. ! t Hawke’s Bay’ wkin the Toss, and played with a slight breeze in their favour. From the kick-off, a scram soon resulted in the Hawke’s Bay 25, and from it the visitors’ backs got moving. ‘ The defence broke up the attack, and the Hawke’s Bay forwards dribbled to half way. The British backs threw the ball about, and' several such efforts brought them to the Hawke’s Bay line, but Ruru saved.

Coming again, the \ British backs were broken up by South and Steere coming through. Aarvold saved from a Hawke’s Bay forward advance, and then a long kick by Evans went over the dead ball line. The following play was mostly among the forwards, in midfield. Dunne got offside, tut Gren-. side’s kick at goal fell short, and Poole kicked to half way. Setford sent the-Hawke’s Bay backs to the 25 with a good line kick. The Hawke’s Bay backs and forwards badly bustled the defence/ but M. Brownlie failed to hold a difficult pass, and a scrum followed. M. Brownlie broke away and the position was dangerous until Wanoa took a pass oft side just in front of the goal. Hawke’s Bay forwards again pushed to within striking range, but were again, pulled up by a penalty, frpm which the, British made a loose

attack, iii which Poole short punted, and Anrvo.d riucd on, but Evans beat aim to it.' Hawke’s Bay almost immediately took play to British territory, but Morley got possession, and he dummied his way down the side line, and kicked infield. Grenside marked, relieving the pressure. The British forwards and backs were engaged in in-and-out passing, and an interception by Setford on the line just kept them out. 4 FIRST SCORE. M. Brownlie got offside, which gave Jennings a chance, and lie drew first blood with a nice kick from an angre. Lambie set the Hawke’s Bay backs going, and the ball went to South, whose pretty dodging run took him to a line out right on the British goal line. Offside play enabled Basset to line well down. Hawke’s Bay forwards continued to get the ball away to their backs and the British defenders were kept busy stopping passing rushes. Incidentally they were found equal to the occasion.' The Bay forwards, bustled the defence on the line, and Bassett was caught in possession. Britain cleared temporarily from a scrum, but the Hawke’s Bay forward pressure continued to be severely felt. A CLOSE SHAVE. Cyril Brownlie passed back from a line out to Grenside, who was bunvpeu out at the corner by Morley. Grenside wa s laid out for a time as a result, but he was able to continue with a bandaged head, Hawke’s Bay battered their way at the British line, and only a wonderful defence, in which Morley frequently shone out, kept them out. A force down gave relief. Dunne charged Lambie when lie was in po session, but Grenside’s kick at goal from near half-way was short. Half•time came with Hawke’s Bay still on the British line.

Territorially Hawke’s Bay had easily had the better of the game, but in defence the' British backs had done great work.

SECOND SPELL. Britain hung on to the ball from the kick off at resumption, and Evans had a fruitless shot. The Hawke’s Bay tactics continued, as in the latter part of the first spell, getting possession from the scrum. The home side bustled the defence. However, Aarvold came through, and kicked, and Evans saved, and sent the ball out at the Bay 25. With the ball at their feet, the Howke’s Bay forwards returned to the attack, but Martindale found the line. Then Aarvold came through, but Setford took, his short punt ,thus keeping off the temporary attack. From a free kick near hall way, Jennings landed a beauty.—British 6, Hawke’s Bay 0. Fast loose play in midfield saw the Hawke’s Bay forwards hold an advantage over the visiting pack, but the British backs refused to allow anyone to get far. Knowles, Aarvold and Novfs took the ball to Hawke’s Bay’s 25, where an injury to Lambie caused a delay of some minutes. He resumed with a bandaged ankle. The Britiv were now in attack, and Setford marked on the line to gain relief, and play again went to midfield. Here Knowles picked up from the loose, and transferred to Novis, who kicked well into Hawke’s Bay territory, but Evans changed the complexion of things with a great line kick. Welsh was then temporarily out of action. Poole held on to M. Brownlie, and from the free kick 'Grenside raised the crowd to its feet by scoring Hawke’s Bay’s first points.—Britain 6, Hawke’s Bay 3. Play resumed at a great pace. The British backs attacked, and Jennings scored at the corner as South brought him down. Jennings failed to convert. —Britain 9, Hawke’s Bay 3.

The British forwards seemed to improve at this stage, being able to bold their opponents and occasionally break through. Jennings (again got away, and centre-kicked, but a force down resulted. However, from a scrum, Poole, Aarvold, * Novis and Jennings handled, and the last named again scored. Martindale converted from the side line.-Britain 14, Hawke’s Bay 3. The British attacks had found the Hawke’s Bay defence weak, whereas the Hawke’s Bay attacks always met a sound defence. The British had turned the'tables territorially in this half. The Hake’s Bay forwards came again, however, and tried several movements, only to meet a stonewall in the British backs. The whistle sounded with play in midfield.

Mr W. Grantham (Wairarapa) refereed.