FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4967, 28 April 1926, Page 1

FOOTBALL.

HAURAKI PLAINS MATCHES. SATURDAY’S RESULTS. Fine weather prevailed for the third matches of the first round of * inter-club Rugby on the Plains on Saturday last, and some very fine games were witnessed. The heavy rain of the; previous night had greatly improved the various fields by making the ground softer and closing the cracks. ■ . NGATEA V. TURUA. The surprise of the day was the victory of the Turua seniors over the Ngatea team, which in Its previous matches had put up cricket scores,. The Tui'iia players did not expect to win, though the team had been well schooled up. and istrengthed by the addition of several new; players, including French, a one-time Northern Wairoa representative; player,, who played a ll outstanding game/ The team showed a very great improvement over its; previous form, a,nd the match that resulted was thought by many to have been the best ever witnessed on /the Plains. -.The game was clean, hard, a,nd fact. Turua recognised that what thev had to fear was the Ngatea bajeks, so endeavoured- and and succeeded, in keeping the play among the' forwards. The following wore the teams: — Turua. —L. McCoid, Hotene, W. ESlvin, R. Madgwick, E. .Johnstone, ,M. Madgwick, A. Elvin, K Fox, G. Elvin, G. McCowatt, E. French, R. Hutchinson, W. Clarke, E. Booth, L. Peckham. Ngatea.—C.. Wilton, L. Cotter, C. Molloy, W. William®! Pilkington, F. Nicol, G. Birkenhead, H. Duncan, T. Alderson, H. McCollum, R. Spencer, R. McPherson, B. Cooks, O.,Cleave, P. Leonard. • Turua kicked, off, the ball ? being returned to half-way, where a 1 series of line-outs. took, place. The'fast Turua forwards always gained a slight advantage. From a throw-in Birkenhead -secured and passed to Nicol, w\io carried . to the corneif befbire he cross-kicked to Cotter; for the latter to score. The > kick failed. Ngatea 3, Turua 0. From he drop-out Turta rushed play to Ngajteafe twenty-five, but . were immediately, sent back by Cotter. Following a scrum the Tu-rua.. forwards advanced, ;ahd’ with a fine dribbling rush McCow'atVcrossed .the line.’ The kick was” not -converted.' Ngatea .3, Turua ,3. .The forwards; dominated .the play,, Turua,, pack doing most of .-the attacking. Ngatea attempted' to' re- 1 ' lieve heavy pressure, on their ; line with a' punt, but Fox marked in front of the goa,l and added three more points for Turua. Play became very fast? forwards; of both sides working, with good' combination. 1 Good scoring chances were missed through, overeagerness.’’ In the last quarter, Ngatea pressed, but McCoid, 'Johnstone, and- . Elvin cleared and returned play to; half-way, where it- remained until time was .galled, the gaime ending, Turua 6, Ngatea 3. . Mr-Kidd was referee. . ■ , . ' . WEST V. COAST, This macth was played at Pipiroa, and was a ha,rd, even game. ' The teams .were as follows : — , Coast—Hooper, Walters, Whelan, Clark, McKenzie, Chapman, J; Knox, W. O'Neil, S. Dalgety, J. Ivan,- H. Wallis, E. Gill, D, Dalgety, H. Hale, Gill;. ' , West.—E. Costello, F. Costello, F. Woodbridge, K/ Chapman,. G. Gairry, J. Garry, G. Paton, A. McDonald, L.,. Penny,. Tamiti, J.' lioulton, R. Wallace;/ R. Benny, D. Cowdrey, J, Jeans., Coiast kicked off into - the . wind/ which was ( light and gusty, and later veered, round until it was 1 blowing across the field. The ball was followed up and a' penalty kick wap awarded Coast, blit no score resulted. Play Was in midfield until Weist .broke through. Hopper mulled and .the. ball went but in touch. Open play in neutral/ground 'terminated in West being awarded a free Jrick, which Costello'converted.

passing, rush' by the West backs reached the opposing team’s territory,’ from where Costello . converted an other, penalty kick. Steady pressure by Coast terminated in the: ball going out in touch-. . Faulty passirigMost a ’’good ch.amm from a .scrum near the line. McKenzie marked, but failed to i-icpre. and'the spell ended with play on the home team’s line.. , After being, compelled to< force the. Coast team attacked and gained a penalty, but Perkins’ kick failed*: Play ranged up and down - the Held, Clark getting in some ? good work. Perkins had two more fruitless, attempts, .at goal.

Early' 1 in the second half Coast ha,d to force several' times.' CExcept for shoit rallies they were kept defending. F. Costello secure)! the ball after an attack by West had been repulsed by Hooper arid scored' .an easy try. The kick failed. *

After changing* over for the’ la : st time West forced. A hard, fighit’ followed in neutral ground until ’West' worked to the line, where; a hard struggle, ensued. For picking the’ ball out of tlw scrum. Cojast suffered a penalty and Costello sent .the ball over the bar, but it. was disallowed. West kept on .the attack till the end of the ga.me, compelling three force downs and seciYring one- try, which was net converted. The game ended with the scores 12 to nil in West’s favour. Mr C. Stretton was referee. KEREPEEHf V. 'WAITAKAIIUteU. At Waitakarurit the) Kerepeehi seniors. playing with 13 men, were do fe.atcd by 12 to nil. The juniors won.’ their match by 8 to' 6, a feature’ of the game being the play of al young Maori boy known as 1 “Stingarde," who shone out .just as he does in school football. .