FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4411, 8 May 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

KOMATA AND SUBURBS WIN. The 'club competitions. of the Paeroa Rugby Union .were advanced .another stage on Saturday, when the second draws were played off. In the senior g/ade the game played at Paeroa between Komata and Netherton resulted in a win for the former by 11 points to 3. In the West v. Sub?‘lfrhs match,.played at Hikutaia, Subthe decision by 12 to 7. The junior natch, West v. Komata, which was played at Paerpa, ended in a drawl* game, bpthi teams scoring three points. The Netherton v.. Suburbs junior match, at Netherton, resulted in a win fpr the ffome team by 6 to 3. In the third grade East and Schoo 1 were opponents, the game ending in 3 draw, neither side scoring. KOMATA V. NETHERTON. Side-line play in the. vicinity of half-way followed The ki'ck-off, and after several line-outs Komata forwards with a loose rush carried into Netherton territory. From a scrum near the goal-line Poland received and passed to Moore, who "drew first blood ” by scoring, between the posts. Moore also converted. Komata/ 5, Netherton 0. Komata again attacked from the kick-out, and with another forward rush sent over the line. McNeil saved by kicking over the dead- * ball line. Loose play follpwed, a penalty kick to Netherton sending the ball to Komata’s. twenty-five. A mark by Western started a kicking bout, which terminated with Moore marking. i A long shot at goal .failed. Netherton returned withi a rush to the other twenty-five lin’e, where they were awarded a penalty kick. Fisher converted. Komata 5. Netherton 3. Nethc.’ton had tq remain on the defensive for the remainder ofl the quarter, Treanor being conspicuous. In the second spell, rain began .to fall, .and the ball became greasy, with the. result that for thie best part of the quarter the game was nothing but a scramble. From a line-oiit on Kom.ata’s twenty-five line Rplton broke away and the ball was sent to the other end of the field and over the goal-line, Netherton forcing.. Nether- ■ ton started a forward rush from 'the kick-out, but L. Penney stopped with a mark. The ball was returned to Netherton’s territory, the defenders eventually being penalised. Moore took the kick and added another three points ftp Komata’s score. Komata S, Netherton 3, Half-time 'came with the blacks attacking. Play did not improve in the second half. Thie forwards took control, but although they worked hard it was a. case of wasted energy. Richmond opened up the game and made a run down the middle of the flpld. When he reached Komata’s full-back he ‘ punted over the line, but in a race for the ball L. Penney, who had started off in pursuit, showed too much pace, and a force resulted. From a scrum which terminated a period of'play in mid-field Tukekino picked up and made a good ruin',' but was 'collared on. the line, the ball being sent out in touch. Just before the end of the quarter Pitts made a good save from a forward rush: by Netherton. In the last round play livened up a bit, and Komata indulged in a few .passing bouts. Moore kicked acrossfield to McLeod, who made a good run but his pass was faulty, and Treanor kicked back. Royal got possession- / and centred, but his kick was too hard, and Netherton forced. O’Grady opened the attack again for Komata. but was penalised for a knock-on when attempting to pick' up the ball within a. few feet of the line. Some hard play followed on Netherton’s line which ended in Rolton marking. Rol- , tort Had a shot at goal; but failed. ’ Just on time, when play was. close to Netherton’s twenty-five line, the ball was sent to Tukekino, who, after passing several red and blacks, sent out to McLeod. The latter, whp had about 20 yards ‘to go, made a fine dash for the line and scored. Pitts failed with the kick. Komata .11, Netherton 3. Mr R. B. Penlington was referee. COMMENT. • .A few words of comment may be good for football in general in the Paeroa district. Notwithstanding the fact that the ball was greasy, the senior match between Komata and Netherton on Saturday was disappointing, and as an exhibition of football was very crude. For the greater part of the game the players appeared to be content to kick the ball, without a. thought, as to where it was going 1 or what would be the result. The fact of the matter is that football, as carried on in this district, is mostly individual play, which is not football at a.H. What is wanted is team work, and tp be of any use a whole team should practice regularly and systematically together. So far the fault has bqenthe lack of enthusiasm in the players themselves. But, surely, if the game is worth playing at all it is worth the little trouble and. inconvenience that might be caused in attending practices ? There are quite a number of footballers who think they know all about, how to play football, but what they have to know before they become real footballers is how their team-mates play t,he game, and the only way to learn that is to practice together. For a team to become proflicent a coach is necessary, and there are several old players who are capable and willing to undertake the work of coaching the teams in the. Paeroa Union, providing that they get. ’ the support of the players. Judging by past experience most local players think that they know Enough about the game and dp not need a coach, but they- must bear in mind that New Zealand leads in Rugby, and there never yet has been a team Jn this / Dominion good enough to do without a coach. HAURAKI PLAINS MATCHES. PATETONGA 6, WAITAKARURU 5. NGATEA BEATS KEREPEEHI. The Hauraki Plains Rugby competitions were continued on Saturday. When Patetonga beat Waitakaruru by

6 points tp & and Ngatea beat Kerepeehi by 11 points to 3. Chief interest centred in the Pate tonga- Wait akarum match, played at Patetonga, and a fast, even, and dean gamejwas witnessed by a large number of spectators. The Ngatea-Kerepeehi game was decided at Ngatea, and a faitcrowd of spectators were treated to some fairly interesting, and at times spectacular, play. Though the ground was ideal at the commencement of the afternoon, a light drizzling rain set in just after the commencement of the matches and made the ball and ground very greasy. PATETONGA V. WAITAKARURU. The game was fast from the kickoff. Waitakaruru gained a slight advantage and Patetonga was obliged to force. With a timely kick Wongi put Patetonga in a good position and for a breach Garry had an unsuccessful attempt at goal. .1. Lang saved from a Patetonga rush, but the home team again pressed and Foote, following up quickly, secured in front of the Waitakaruru goal. The ball then travelled to Millington, to Garry, to Ensor, who got over. Garry’s kick faied. Patetonga 3, Waitakaruru 0. Waitakaruru was quick to retaliate, and N. Lang obtained near the eor t ner and scored, C. Clark converting. Waitakaruru 5, Patetonga 3. After some .exciting play in the visitors’ half Tuhoe was able to score for Patetonga near the corner. Wongi failed to convert. Patetonga 6, Waitakaruru 5.

- After the change over Waitakaruru made the pace, and had the home team hard pressed. Patetonga, however, soon returned the attack. From a scrum Garry set up a passing bout which appeared to be dangerous,- but Stretton relieved with a mark. Patetonga kept up -She attack for a time, tilt the slippery ball beat Costello, giving Waitakaruru a chance, and C. Clark was nearly over. Half-time was called shortly afterwards, with no alteration in the scores

Waitakaruru was first away arte/ the spell, and a force resulted. The kick gave relief to ■the home team, which now came to the attack, but was spoiled by faulty passing. The pressure was maintained, however, and Waitakaruru forced. Patetonga was now having slightly the better of the argument, and was dangerous on several occasions. Garry cleverly intercepted ,a pa,ss and was collared on the line. McGregor later made a good attempt, but was held up by J. Clark. Wongi failed in a free ki'ck from a good position. The last quarter was as fast as the opening one, pOjay quickly- changing from one end of the field to the other. From a free,.Lyes (Waitakaruru) made an unsuccessful attempt at goal, but a resultant rush nearly ended in a try. Patetonga made a last effort to add to, their points and made the pace. Dalzeil picking up from a scrum was the cause of Garry and Paton opening up a promising rui-h, which ended at the corner flag. The game ended shortly after with the scores unaltered. Patetonga 6, Waitakaruru 5. Mr W. Carter was referee. KEREPEEHI V. NGATEA!. Kerepeehi won the .toss and elected to. play- with the wind and sun in their favour. Ngatea was soon attacking, and Kerepeehi ‘forced. , Play was. fairly fast and even for a time, the ball travelling flrpm end to end. McGuire (Ngatea), kicking across the field and failing to follow up, gave Kerepeehi a chance. Hill secured and carried the ball alcross the Ngatea line. Adlam failed to convert. Kerepeehi 3, Ngatea 0. After some more even play .Johnson made an .opening for Ngatea and Cleave go: over, A ; Banks converting. Ngatea 5 Kerepeehi 3. The quarter revealed some interesting play, which was slightly in favour ofj’Ngatea, bu r . when half-time arrived there was, no difference in the scores.

■The second half opened with feven play, which continued for a short time. Kerepeehi later took the aggressive and carried play to the Ngatea twenty-five, a scrum resulting. From the - scrum McMahon got the ball at his toe and dribbled it to hi? opponents’ twenty-five, where he was stopped 'by the Kerepeehi full-back. Johnson then secured possession, and sent to McMahon, who dribbled the leather across the line and scored. Banks failed with his kick. Ngatea 8, Kerepeehi 3. Both teams were showing signs of weariness in the last quarter, but the pace was wed maintained, and after some hard play Spences scored a try for Ngatea. Banks’ kick again failed. The game ended Ngatea 11, Kerepeehi 3. Mr D. G. McMillan was reffieree. THE JUNIOR GAMES. - / ■ NGATEA 5. KEREPEEHI 0. The Ngatea-Kerepeehi Junior match was played at Kerepeehi, and resulted in a win for Ngatea by five points to nil. Ngatea was not playing up to the form of the previous Saturday, but had slightly the better of the play in the first half. The only score was obtained in. the second half, Worsfold picking the ball up in the loose and scoring near the corner. Griffin’s attempt to convert at a difficult angle was successful. Ngatea. 5, Kerepeehi 0. In the last quarter the Kerepeehi team showed up to better advantage, and at times was dangerous, but was unable to spore, and the game ended without any further points being added.

PATETONGA V. WAITAKARURU. The Patetonga and Waitakaruru Juniors were evenly matched in a fairly fast game, which resulted in favour of Patetonga by 7 points to 3. Waitakaruru’s score was a penalty goal by T. Harris,-in the first quarter. Napi (Patetonga) immediately equalised with a try, which was unconvetted. * In the seqpnd half Costello (Patetonga) put the ball over from the field of play and a goal was awarded, the game ending, Patetonga 7, Waitakaruru 3.