FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4460, 30 August 1922, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

PEACE CUE MAISCH. THAMES AGAIN 1 SUCCESSFUL. HAURAKI PLAINS' DEFEATED. In the Peace Cup match, played at Thames on Saturday tihle home team was again'successful, the Hauraki Plains representatives suffering defeat by 12 points to 0. Right from the start it was a hard, fast, and keenly fought game. Thames made the pace, and were first tp attack. The Plains defence was sound, but it was not long before the ihbme team’s superior tactics told and Lomas scored an unconverted try. Thames were again on the offensive, but Plains began to take the lead when the first quarter ended. During the second quarter the visitors made a good showing and were unfortunate witn a couple Of penalty kicks. At 'half time the scores were three points to nil in favour of Thames, who soon after added another three points with a penalty goal. In the same quarter Harrison scored an unconverted try. The final score was near the end of the game, when Smith got over the try being unconverted.. There was a good attendance of spectators, a large percentage of whom were Plains supporters, and in the loud and excited vociferation throughout the game the cry of "Plains” was heard almost as dften as that of "Thames.”

The victors were undoubtedly the superior and more experienced combination, though they by no means had the play all their] own way. Plains were often ’’knocking at the door,” a.nd it was only Over-eagerness and the lack of the finer points wfhicn kept them from scoring. The visiting forwards more than held their own, and the backs also did their share. The Thames passing rushes were dangerous, and the ball was at times thrown about in fine style. For their first attempt for the coveted trophy the Hauraki Plains team must be congratulated upon their splendid fight against more experienced opponents. With a little more organised effort next year, the trophy may be brought back by the plainsmen after their next Peace Cup match. The following teams took the field: Hauraki plains.—C. Stretton, C. Lyes, J. Adlam, Wallis, G. Garpy, F. Nichols, Thorburn, W. McMahon, J. Bolton, Millington, Newdick, J. Poland, Rapana, Slack, and K. Fox. Thames.—Cosgrove, I* Hook, B'Harrison, A. Winder, H. Jamieson, G. Buchan, A. McCollum, R. Smith, A. Lomas, J. Stewart, I, Smith, M. Hayward, L. Stewart, H. Hayward, and C. Barker. THE PLAY. Thames kicked off and immediately took the aggressive. The situation for Plains was relieved with a free kick. Thames obtained from a scrum and good passing had Plains thinking, but a good tackle by Wallis gave relie? with a line-out. Poland and Newdick put Plains on the offensive, but Thames again attacked. Thames obtained a penalty kick on a difficult angle, but the shot at goal failed. Newdick and McMahon led a Plains attack, and from a free kick by the visitors Thames initiated another rush. Play came back to half wav. Thames had the advantage of a scrtnn and Hook put his team in a good position. The Thames forwards again had the advantage of a scrum, bur. Bolton cleared for Plains. A Plains "prward rush was pulled up for a breach. An exchange of kicks was followed by a free to Thames. The ball came out to Thames from a scrum, but the Plains were on it. Thames gained the advantage 'of a line-out in the Plains twenty-five The Thames forwards, opened up well, and from a good passing rush Lomas got over near the corner. His kick failed. Thames 3, Plains 0. Plains set up a dribbling rush, and Stretton returned a kick from, the Thames, end. Garry, Thorburn, and Newdick inaugurated a passing rush which end.ed in a line-out. Thorburn secured a mark, but failed to kick a penalty goal on a difficult angle. Offside play immediately afterwards gave Thorburn another attempt, which also failed. The bell went immediately afterwards. Plains .took the offensive immediately after change over, and Rbpana tried an unsuccessful penalty kick at goal. Excitement ran high when a Plains attack was returned. McMahon broke up the rush, and, followed by Bolton and Garry, Plains looked like scoring. Good play in the Thames

twenty-five gave Wallis a chance in I a good position, but faulty handling nullified his attempt to score, Thocburn marked and failed with a difficult kick, a fiveryards scrum resulting in front of! the goal. A mark by Thames relieved the pressure. Play in mid-field resulted in Wallis later putting in a fine run from his own twenty-five as far as the home team’s twenty-five. Stretton returned a Thames attack, and Poland intercepted another kick. Plains forwards set up a dangerous offensive, but a kick too hard. In a Thames attack Idlam held to the ball and gave iXyx'ames a chance, Newdick cleared, tackling by the Plains backs ana a free kick held up another offensive, and Wallis later relieved a difficult situation. In another, Thames rush the ball was thrown about in good style till an injury to Buchan * held up the game. Plains were penis- al’sed in their own twenty-five and an unsuccessful attempt was made at goal, McMahon relieving with a kick to the line. Nichols foul'd the line from a free kick in his own twentyfive, and from a line out Buchan returned play to the Plains twenty-five. Lomas marked a kick from Stretton, but failed with a penalty kick at goal. An exchange of kicks saw Wallis and Lyes put Plains in a good position, and Thorburn failed with an easy kick at goal, Thames forcing. A lineout in the Plains twenty-five was in favour of Thames, and, a forward rush was spoiled by faulty handling it by the Thames wing. Stretton held 1 up another rush, and a free kick gave relief to the visitors. Half time ended with the scores still Thames, 3, Plains 0. Play after the spell was in midfishi until a free to Plains gave them

an opportunity. Thorburn cleared from a scrum, and Thames commehced an attack which was held up through an injury to Newdick. Bolton relieved Plains from a difficult position. From a linejpu,t on the Plains twenty-five line offside play by the defenders gave Thames a kick at goal, apd the leather went cleanly over. Thames 6, Plains 0, The Thames forwards set up an almost irresistible rush,, which got to the twenty-five line. A fine passing rush by .the Thames forwards, initiated by McCollum, gave Harrison an opportunity to score. Hook’s kick failed.. Thames 9, Plains 0. In a Plains ittack Thorburn and Adlam figured prominently. Thames marked from McMahon and the kick found the line. Forward play by Thames gave Rapana a long kick at goal, but was unsuccessful. McMahon, Adlam, an.l Wallis headed a Plains rush, but a line-out was the only result, Stretton returned an attack by the. home team, and Nichols succeeded in preventing another attack, but a further fast rush appeared dangerous. Play was returned to mid-field, where Thames were penalised. z A Plains offensive was held up by a breach. Thames broke through., but a free kick at half way put the visitors again on tne aggressive. Thames were- attack in S .when.ths bell wenffor change over. The final quarter opened with a Plains attack. Thames were quick to retaliate, -and play entered the visitors’ territory. A line out in the twenty-five gave Thames an' opportunity, but Wallis found the line with a free kick. ’ Bolton and McMahon led Plains out of danger, but Thames were on the attack once more. McMahon being responsible for Plains retaliating. In the Thames twentyfive forward play gave Thames a free kick, and play returned to the Plains territory. Rapana. put Plains on the offensive, but Winder considerably improve! the Thames position. Thorburn tackled smartly, and Adlam cleared, but the ball came again into Thames hands and travelled quickly along the line of backs, play finishing at the corner flag. A mishap to Thorburn held up the game flpr a few minutes, and the injured player was forced to leave the field. McMillan filled the vacancy. A mark gave Plains a chance to clear, Thames kept to the attack, and after a few minutes of play near the Plains goalline R. Smith got over. Winder s kick was a failure. Thames 12, Plains 0. Newdick, with, an injury to his knee,- left the field, and Beasley came on in his place. Plains took the offensive, and a penalty kick by Nichols missed its mark. Good passing sent Thames to the attack, and they all but got over. Forward play by Thames gave relief to the defenders, but the home team kept up the pressure until Stretton found the line; A scrum at half way gave Plains a slight advantage. Nichols returned a counter-attack by the home team. An exchange of kicks followed, and the game ended: Hauraki Plains — — 0 Thames — — — 12 Mr Vedder was referee. SCHOOLBOY GAMES. THAMES 16, PLAINS 3. A team of boys from the Turua and Ngatea schools tried conclusions with a fifteen from the Thames South school, the latter winning by sixteen points to nil. The game was a good one, but the Thames boys, had the advantage of the first half, when they piled up most of! their points.. The boys from the Plains did much better in the second spell, when B. Hayward, with a run from one end of the field to the other, cleverly outwitted his opponents and without difficulty scored between the posts. For Thames Robson, N. Kivell, Gerraty, and Hook scored tries Gerraty and Hook converting one each. A football team of- schoolboys from Hiktuaia and Netherton combined to play the Paeroa boys on the Domain at Paeroa on Saturday last. A free and willing game resulted, both teams being evenly matched and the game being any side’s up to the final whistle, when the scores stood.’ Visitors, 3 ; Paeroa, 0. Of the victors R. Rare and Jack Collins were conspicuous, Cooper being the outstanding player of the home side.