FOOTBALL.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1931, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

; ; r excelsiors v. rivals. •’ This game took place on Cass Square on, Saturday afternoon finder very 'pleasant .conditions.: It was bright a.nd sunny, 'and .there was no wind. The game; qnded ~in a win. for Excelsiors, by ii points (three tries, oiie converted) toi 8 •points (two tries, one converted). , .'.prom the kick-off Rivals attacked strongly! 'Getting, the; ball every time iTom’ (tho scrum, tliev opened out the play, but thel-e was'n failure to cut in, and’most ’ of the passing went across the field till it broke down. With Rival "forwards having control of the ball. Excelsiors' Were kept busy defending, and all; through the first half hour were soTOly pressed. Twenty minutes after the start a fine passing rush saw Rivals' handle well and the ball travelling from Webster, Houston, Pfalilert, Stopforth back to P.ahlert, who went over for a fine try. Webster converted and the score was o—o. ; .Rival# continued.to attack but Hughes relieved and the play went in a forward rush to Rival quarters for the first- time in the gome. A penalty for aft-side gave Alartyn a shot within range, but* he was not- successful, though the kick we® a good one, and Rivals forced, From the k ick ' ofi Excelsiors against attacked and from a • scrum .at the 25 flag, Davidson let Hughes ‘ away, Cutting in nicely he made a finq run to the full back and giving the dummy swerved inside and then passed to Nightingale, who scor-ed,-Alnrtyn’ converted with a very fine kick. 5—5, , , . . From., the restart Rivals again attfiqked flnd P ahlert picked up and with ft- nip®. flash scored again well opt. He failed' |o improve and the sc v ve B—s,' Shortly after Excelsiors \yepo. awarded a penalty well out but AR'rtyn failed T 9 improve the position iiHd half time eajne with the score. B—s in Rivals favour. In the second • half Die Rivals forwards were not nearly so noticeable and. Excelsior pack had some -advantage; in the scrum, getting their share of the ball. Early in the -spell from a free kick Pfahlert, had a shot at goal which hit the-crossbar and upright, but went back into play. There was some hard ; struggles near the line, Rivals striving hard t? score, before Hughes relieved with • ft kick past the 2o flagThen Thompson broke away but tilt ball went oyt at the centre. The Excelsiors now having the best of the play and from a passing run Schroder scored, but Alartyn failed with an easy kick, B—B.8 —8. • , The Excelsiors-continued to attack and there were several close calls, Rivals defending well. Then Davidson .broke away and passed to Aluir who came inwards and made a dash over to score a rather clever try. Alartyn again missed an easy shot. 11—8. Rivals came to the attack, and the ball went back to the centre, then Stdpforth made a great break through to within a few yards of the line but "pfiSsed wildly. A hot attack cbhtintied apd Houston made a hard dash but was lieis up on the - line. Then a forward struggle took place on the line *or aeverfll, minute#. and while the play was within a, yard of-.the goal line the signal was given for time and the whistle going ns the result of a scrum falling in,; tijne was called, leaving Excelsior victorious, by ,11 to 8,

On the ' play the winners deserve their victory. The Rivals flattered their supporters in. the first half hour when they Had all the best of the play but the failed to continue through the the forwards fading away badly in the second half and Excelsiors more than held them. Mr D. Heenan was referee. -:V NOTES.

/There was some unusual happenings in Saturday’s game on Cass Square that caused gome comment on the touchline. In two instances at least there, was the. deliberate tripping of an opponent, in one of which the player came down rather heavily. There was also a great amount of whistle when the ball was being put into the scrum. Time and again it took three efforts before the ball was put in to the satis, faction of the referee. A couple of penalties in the parly stage would soon have stopped the necessity for that procedure. Again' there were at least two marks .called for which were ruled out. In one instance the mark was a rather clever one in face of a determined rush and though the players themselves waited for a beat the whistle did not come and there was a heavy fall given instead.

COBDEN 14 V. UNITED 8. At the Cobden Domain, Cobden seniors defeated United by 14 points to 8, after a< keen tussle. There was very few good 1 concerted back movements, and the game on the whole lacked thrills, though’ during the Last quarter of an hour when United looked like lipsetting their opponents excitement was intense and there was very keen barracking.

STABS 25, V. BLAKETOWN. Blaketown seniors suffered a heavy defeat at Victoria Park on Saturday at the bands of Star fifteen, the match being only a picnic in the second spell for the latter team, who have greatly improved of late, and now look like being serious contenders for championship honours. The Star forwards all worked hard; right throughout, and could hardly be individualised. Fong played his usual good game at first five-eighth, but should remember to run as straight as possible. Ruches, the wingrer, was a useful player, whilst the veteran, Reynolds, scored two hardearned tries after excellent runs down, the .side line as the result of passing rushes among his backs. Earthonne played improved football, his handling however, being at times faulty. Henderson was safe at full-back. Guy gave

his backs every chance with the ball. Furness played his usual hard game at wing-forward. ** Blaketown forwards did not play up to expectations, whilst, on the other liaind, their; backs frequently indulged in pretty passing, movements which ended fruitlessly through too much individual, or selfish, play, Pascoe being the worst offender. Bunt' anfi Negri were the pick of the backs AfeDonald, a forward, who was tried out on the wing; played fairly well. The full-back} •Mills, was always safe, and. saved his tsidie repeatedly.i AlcEnaney, on the wing, got few chances. Henderson, the half-back, was poor, his passes being very ordinary. JUNIOR REP. MATCH. LAKE BRUNNER 11 V. GREYAIOUTH 9. At the Cobden Domain the Lake Brunner Sub-Division representatives gained a meritorious win over the Greymouth junior representatives by 11 points to nine, after a hard, tough somewhat scraggy game. The visitors had: the better of the game territorially. The winners’ pack were superior to the Greymouth eight, but the Greymouth rearguard showed better form than their opponents, though neither set of backs showed much combination, CANTERBURY V. SOUTHLAND. t* CBy Telegraph—Per Pre*s Anoeiation) CHRISTCHURCH, July 25. Canterbury scored a last-minute victory over Southland in the first rugby representative match of the season, The ground was -greasy, but. the wen* ther wan fine, Canterbury scored ten points early in the game, Then the Southland forwards took command of the game, and at half-time the,score was; —Southland 21, Canterbury 10. The Canterbury attack and defence improved ju the second half. Southland forwards weakened, and gradually the home side’s score crept up. until a minute before the rail of time a try was scored near Southland’s goal, which Mull an converted, the final score being :—Canterbury 24, Southland 21. The Southland forwards were the main driving force in a formidable team that opened' its game poorly, but, after the first quarter of an hour, took almost complete charge of the first half. The Canterbury defence for a time went to shreds before the devastating forward rushes, which the visitors staged by fanning out for short passing, a clever dribbling work. Canterbury openecL well, but after putting 'on teft points thqy could do nothing 1 more in the first spell, during which ; the visitors put on twenty-one points in not much more than that number of minutes. Honours were fairly even ' in the second ‘half, but the Canterbury j backs, in which Oliver was a great ' driving force, took on a new lease of life towards the end, and won the . game./.,, I The biggest crowd* this season attended Lancaster Park. The bank was j packed, as were also all the stands ex* cept tlie new one. The crowd waß estimated at about 9000. WANGANUI V. TARANAKI. NEW PLYMOUTH, July 25. Wanganui has a much stronger rugby team than last year. Although Ta-ra-Jnaki won by 16 points to 12 to-day, the win was not comparable with the Taranaki victory by fifty-five points to five at New Plymouth, last year. Taranaki to-dav was the stronger attacking side, but Wanganui had more of the ball, and tackled well. The ground was heavy, but the exhibition was good.' Taranaki’s ' score consisted of three tries, two converted, and a penalty goal; and Wanganui’s score was two tries and two penalty goals. NORTH OTAGO V. SOUTH CANTERBURY. OAMARU, July 2-5. In fh© representative Rugby match yesterday, North Otago defeated South Canterbury by 17 to 16. It was a splendid! exhibition of Rugby. AT OTHER PLACES. DUNEDIN, Juyl 25. Rugby results were : Alhambra 11, beat Southern 6; Varsity A. 12, beat Kaikorai Varsity B. 10, beat Union 8; Zingari 14, ‘beat Dunedin 0; Pirates 2A, beat Taieri 3. Varsity A. have won the premiership. . Southern who were in third place for the championship were beaten by Alhambra 11 to 6 WELLINGTON, July 25. Rugby results: Poneke 14, drew with Hut.t 14: Wellington 21, beat Eastbourne 19; Marist 19, beat Old Boys 11: Petone 32, beat Berhampore It; ■Oriental 14, beat Miramar 7; Athletic 19. beat Varsity 9. AUCKLAND. July 2-5. Varsity 3, drew with Ponsonby 3; Grammar 22, beat Marist 6. The position- of the teams now is: Grammar 16, Varsity 15, Ponsonby 15, Manukau 13, Alarist 12. SYDNEY, July 25. The dnter-State Rugby match between New South Wales and Queensland was witnessed' by 10,030. Queensland won by 15 to 3. The rep. Rugby Union match yesterday was a try-out to obtain nlnvers for the New Zealand tour. Queensland ov-erwhelminely defeated New South Wales by 28 t-o 8.