FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4441, 17 July 1922, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

PIAKO DEFEATS PAEROA. AN INDIFFERENT DISPLAY. The match between Paeroa and Piako in -the Domain on Saturday, played to decide which team shall play Thames for the Peace Cup, resulted in a wjn for the visitors by 13 points to 0. Although the game was hard, and at times fairlyfast, it did not come up to expectaitbns. The two packs were evenly matched, and in a forward game this did not make for a spectacular display. The Piako backs were not overworked, which was to their detriment as they could have done a lot better by opening up the game. The Paeroa forwards played better than in previous matches this season, but in the scrums the ball was hung up by the back row men. It is hard to say whether this was dene intentionally or was the result of poor packing, but in any case the selector has good reason for exercising his tongue, which we hope he will do to advantage. The local backs with the exception' of Elhs were poor, and that is speaking well of them.

Piako kicked off to Ellis, who returned, a scrum through Kitto following on the halfway line. Paeroa advanced into Piako’s territory and then gained a penalty in a good position, hut Dean failed. Piako carried on the drop-out. and Paeroa were in danger through Moore mulling, but Ellis came .to the rescue and cleared to the twenty-five line. Off-side play by T. Johnson gave Piako a shot at goal, but Holmes missed. Passing by Piako backs reached F. Miller, who centred, but the ball went over the goal-line and Paeroa forced. Piako sent down to Dean, who mishandle.l the hall, Cashmore in support just clearing in time. With the visitors attacking Paeroa were penalised, but Magill did no good with the kick. Piako returned the drop-out over the line and Cashmore forced. A kick at goal hj r Goldsbury from a mark also failed. Shortly afterwards F. Miller punted down, the field and several forwards followed up smartly, P, Magill scoring. J. Magill took Che kick and made the scores Piako 5, Paeroa 0. A faulty kick by Moore gave Piako an opening, .and they carried down to the goal-line, but a breach relieved the situation for Paeroa. A loose rush by tjie home team shifted play to the other end of- the field, but Piako immediately returned, Paeroa forcing as the quarter ended. The second quarter opened with an exchange of kicks, which ended »n favour of; Paeroa, a force by Piako being the result. From the kick-out T. Johnson had an unsuccessful dropkick at goal. Paeroa forwards reached their opponents’ goal-line, a fiveyards scrum eventuating. The ball was sent across-field and put. near the line. The defenders gradually gained ground’, and a period of. line play in neutral territory followed. Benncy and Morrison headed a loose rush into Piako’s territory, but a punt by Asher was too hard and Piako forced. Shortly afterwards Winder marked at. half way and made a good attempt to kick a goal, the ball passing just under the bar. Piako had a turn on the defence for a time, but Paeroa could not break through. From their own twenty-five Piako forwards and Gilpin sent to the other end e‘ the field, and it was only good work by Ellis that saved the situation for Paeroa. Half-time arrived with play in mid-field.

Soon after commencing the second half Asher, picked up in the loose and sent to Winder, to Cashmore, who kicke I up the line. The ball was re-tu’-nel to Dean, who pupted. and by following up carried to Piakos’ line. A five-yards scrum which eventuated gave a penalty to Paeroa. Winder took the kick, but the ball fell short and Goldsbury marked. Mid-field play then followed, after which Piako went on the attack. B’rom tight play near F'aeroa’s goaUUne Taylor headed a forward rush to the other twentyfive. Fast, open play ensued.. A passing bout by Piako carried play to Paoroa’s line, where a scrum took place. Taylor gave a penalty kick which J. Magill converted, making the scores Piako 8, Paeroa 0 Immediately following the opening kick in the final quarter Piako got over following a loose rush, McLaren scoring near the posts, Holmes converted and made Piako 13, Paerba 0. Piako forwards sent down and over the line, but Piako forced. Piako had to force again after loose play inside their twenty-five line. Afterconsiderable open play in neutral territory Moore marked, but failed to open the scores for Paeroa, A kicking bout terminated with Piako going on the attack, several scrums bei’ig held "n Paeroa territory. No further sco v es resulted, and the game ended, Piako 13, Paeroa 0. Mr. Dunstan was referee. Paerba’s knowledge of football begins and ends in forward play, and the players do not know too much about, that, either. This style of play cannot be compared with back play from any point of view, and when indulged in to any extent lowers the standard of football in that the backs do not get the work necessary to keep them from deteriorating. We have a good illustration of this in Paeroa. After veal's of forward play bur backs, through lack of work, have no idea of back play, much less ofl combination. In the last two matches played one o,f our wing three 'quarters did no ! receive a single pass, and it was not because opportunities were scarce. However, these little things will be reniedied, as our representatives some time in the future are going to think about turning out to practice—providing it is not too much trouble. In tlie meantime don't get down-hearted, but keep on smiling, because at the practice last Thursday night for our representatives three (3) men turned up I THE CURTAIN-RAISER. The, curtain-raiser between A. and B. third-grade teams resulted in a win for tba A team by nine points to nil. The points were made np Qf three tries scored by Ardern, Towers, and Smith. Mr. M. Chamberlain was refjeree.

THIRD GRADE REPRESENTATIVES Third-grade representative teams from Waihi and Paeroa will play before L.e Auckland v. Thames Valley match next Saturday. Tjie following is the selected Paeroa team : Full-back, McKenna; three-quai-ters, Garry, I. Hamilton, Wells; fiveeighths, Smith, Towers ; half-back, Hardman; rover, Moore ; forwards, Smith. Neil, McAneny, Southby, Treanor, Ardern, Poland. Emergencies : Backs, Verran, S- Hamilton ; forwards, Denton, Neild. A practice will be held in the Drill Hall on Thursday at. 830 p.m. Any playe>- not ip attendance, his place will be filled by one of the emergencies.

HAURAKI PLAINS MATCHES. KEREPEEHI BEATS NGATEA. WAITAKARURU 6. PATETONGA 3The Hauraki Plains Rugby competitions were continued on Saturday, when Waitakaruru on their home ground fought out a good game with Pate.tonga, wjio went down by 6 points to 3. Kerepe.ehi had their first win of the season by 20 to 3 on their own ground at Ngatea’s expense, the visitors playing short and putting up a poor showing. The senior competition is now at a very interesting stage. Turua is one point in the lead with 9, Waitakaruru next with 8, and Patetonga third with 7. Kerepeehi and Ngatea have 2 points each, NGATEA V. KEREPEEHI. Both teams commenced t the game with a couple of men short, but Kero peehi filled up as the game progressed and had the better of t.he play throughout. Fve tries were scored, one being converted, and a goal kicked for Kerepe.ehi, while a try made up Ngatea’s points.' For Kerepeeii Adlan.-, Beasley, and Masters scored tries, one of which S. Reti converted. Tei Hawera kicked the goal. McGuire scored Ngatea’s points. The game ended Kerepeehi 20, Ngatea 3. PATETONGA V. WAITAKARURU. Waitakaruni proved a. formidable combination on their own ground, and the Patetonga team was not quite good enough for the occasion. A good even game resulted in Waitakaruni winning by 6 points to 3, THE JUNIORS. The junior competition is now resolving into a struggle between Turua, Ngatea, and Patetonga, the first two teams being equal with eight points apiece, while Patetonga has six points. Last Saturday’s matches gave wins to Ngatea and Patetonga. Ngatea beat Kerepeehi rather easily by 22 points to 9, and Patetonga defeated Waitakaruru by 3 points to 0SCHOOLBOYS’ MATCH. The Ngatea schoolboys travelled to Turua on Saturday and played the local school team. A good game resulted in a win flor Ngatea by six points to nil. Hayward and Trevelyan score! a try apiece.