FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4304, 15 August 1921, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

PAEROA BEAT HAURAKI PLAINS.

The first representative match to be played under the jurisdiction of the Hauraki Plains Rugby Unipn was played at Ngatea on Saturday, when the Paeroa representative team played a Plains fifteen. Paeroa won by 10 points to 3, but the game on the whole was very even, the Plains team, if anything, having slightly the better of it„ Although the play was very clean, two players, Chamberlain (Paeroa) and Millington (Plains), were the victims of unfortunate accidents, both men suffering, injury to their ribs. The exhibition was not of a very high order, but the Plains .backs showed great promise, andwere better than their opponents. In. the forwards the advantage was re versed, Paeroa being too good, particularly in the tight play. Considering that this was the first occasion on which the Plains players had taken the field as a team they put up a fin i performance, and the backs, with, a little more play together, will be a strong combination. Nicholls, Otter, and Costello showed up for Plains Paul, as outside five-eighths, being the .weak spot. For Paeroa no one was very brilliant. Bottomley did good work behind the pack. G. Royal also did well, opening up the play from which both tries for paeroa were scored, but once or twice he sent out some bad passes.

THE GAME.. Paeroa .took down 'to-Plains’ twentyfive, .where the latter were awarded a kick, finding, the line at the halfway flag. Plains worked down the line, Paeroa being penalised on their quarter line. Plains sent to Morrison, who slipped and. was caught with the ball. blacks had a shot, at goal l , but failed to convert. Plains returned to the attack from the kickout, and after some forward play inside the twenty-five Paeroa .forced. The ball was kept at the visitors’ end of 'the field, and after a considerable period of loose play Winder kicked across-field to Stretton, who crossed the line and -scored a very easy try. The kick failed. Plains 3, Paeroa 0. Paeroa forwards carried do*wn to 'the home team’s twenty-five, where the latter were penalised. Winder missed with his kick at goal, the ball falling short. Plains 'found the line at quarter-way. From the throw-in Paeroa got possession and punted. Plains returned with a well-judged kick to half-way, where an exchange of kicks took place, terminating with the Faulkner brothers carrying up te Paeroa’s twenty-five. Paul followed with a mark, but failed to convert. McCollum then marked for Paeroa, a kicking bout ensuing about the quar-ter-way/ line, ,1/ Poland finally sending down to the other twenty-five. Loose played in midfield followed the opening kick in the second quarter; From a line-out on their twentyfive Paeroa took up to .the other-end,. Winder’s shot from a mark fell short. A'dangerous forward rush by J?aeroa near the. posts!-was held up long enough by Otter to allow the defenders, to rally round, Costello saving with a kick to the line. After an exchange of kicks Plains 'started a loose rush, x which was stopped by Bottomley marking. Open play followed on -the home team’s twenty-five, Fish.er eventually breaking away, but Costello saved with a kick_to th 3 line near .the . corner. . From the throw-in Paeroa started a passing rush, but Moore spoilt good opportunity by not passing soon enough. A penalty kick which, resulted to Paeroa failed. Jones ended some open play by kicking over, Plains forcing. Tight play then followed inside Plains’ twenty-five, Nicholls being prominent for the defenders. Moore cleared to the line from a loose rush by Plains; The ball shot out into the open from a loose scrummage. which followed the throw-in, and was grapped up by Royal, who passed to Young, to Taylor, the latter getting over. Moore failed with the kick. From the kick-off after half-time .Young took down to Plains’ twentyfive. Paeroa started a passing rush, but Otter intercepted and took back to half-way line. With forward play Paeroa worked* down again and Winder had a long which fell short, Paul marking. A loose r.ush by the blacks was stopped by McCollum, who cleared to the line at halfway flag. From a mark by Macken Paeroa returned with a loose rush >.o Plains’ quarter, where Otter picked up and worked ■through .the ruck and sent tp Winder, who found the lane. Open play then followed UP and down the field, finally settling in Paeroa’s territory. Lyes broke .away with the ball at toe right-up to the line, Winder just saving by kicking put near the corner. A lengthy period of hardplay then followed inside Paeroa? territory. Otter picked up iji the thick and cut through the Paeroa forwards, but after some neat passing between several of the Plains men the black and golds got possession and relieved the pressure. The blacks immediately returned to the attack and had Paeroa defending for the remainder of the spell. Plains returned ’the opening kiJK. of the final round to Bottomley, wtiten performance was repeated, Bottomley finally sending out near Paeroa’s twenty-five flag. A hard struggle then took place on Paeroa’s line, Fisher relieving by breaking through and heading a loose rush to half-way. The visit,ors worked down to the blacks’ twenty-five line, where the latter were penalised.. Royal picked up in the loose and after making an opening sent put to Jones, who scored for Paeroa in the .corner. Young failed to convert. After some fast ogen play up and down the field the game settled oh the home team’s twentyPaeroa attacked strongly, and a passing bout ended with Moore putting the ball oyer the bar from a drop-kick. Plains .then had a turn on the attack, and with a loose rush Carried down to Paeroa’s line, where a knock-on spoilt a good try. Until the calTof time Plains kept Paeroa on the defensive, but no further score was registered, the game finishing Paeroa. 10, Plains 3. Mr G, Collins was referee.

The members of both teams and visiting officials of the Paeroa Rugby Union were guests of ."the Hauraki Plains Union at a very enjoyable dinner, and afterwards a social evening was held in the Ngatea Hall, where a pleasant time was spent honouring toasts and listening to musical items and speeches.