FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4973, 12 May 1926, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

CLUB COMPETITION GAMES. , LAST SATURDAY’S PLAY. The second round of the senior competition was commenced at the local domain on Saturday afternoon, when Netherton played West, the visitors winning by isix points, to nil. The game was fast and interesting, the exhibition given by the Netherton backs being the best seen so far this season. The visitors had much the heavier tea.m, and gained 1 many advantages by their 'combination and generalship. The West forwards were weakened by the fact that Taylor wais: a sick man, and although he played during the first halt he was a long way below form. In the second half his. place was taken by L. McNeil;. The visitors attacked practically right throng the game, and deserved he victory. Through overeagerness, causing bad judgment, West missed several opportunities of l scoring. The teams were ais; follows :— Netherton. —G. Pullar, H. Coldicutt, C. McNeil, W. Potter, Cattins, Burt, H. Wright, R. Morrison, G. Fisher, El Fisher, T. Pullar, Ci Hiiyward, T. Richmond, J. Morrison, E. Johnson. West—E. J. Pennell, J. Ver.ran, R. Swann, G. Wells, L. C. Masters; L. Nield, A. Hardman, F. Jenyns, H. McKee, E. Neil, R. Shaw, H. Shaw, W. Taylor, V. Carrick, T. Dawson. Netherton kicked off, and the West forwards carried play down, the visitors forcing. From a scrum in the visitions:’ twenty-five Swann picked up and dived over, but was brought ba.ck for a breach and Potter 'cleared.

In tight play, -inside the twentyfive Taylor passed to R. Shaw, who made a good run, but wasi collared on the line, a force resulting. After the change’ over a kicking bout ensuejd for some time, until a loose rush by Neherton, headed by G. Pullar, enabled G. Fisher to score! Burt failed with the kick, Neheirton 3, West 0.

On resuming after half-time Taylor was relieved by L. O’Neil. In a loose rush near half-way Ca,tti,ns picked up and made a good run before • passing to’Coldicutt, who carried on, passing back to Cattins, who was just beaten on .the line, a force resulting. In the final quarter the game ivasj 'fast and willing, and West had to ■ force on two occasions in quick succession. West made a variant attempt to work play into neutral territory, but the defence of the visitorsi was too/solid; From a cloise rush, inside the twentyfive Coldicutt snapped 'up and: dived over. T. Pullar failed With the kick.' Netherton 6, West 0. West took a. turn at attacking, and for a brief spell kept; the play in Ne,the.rt,on’s territory,'a force resulting. Mr T.,0. Arnold was, referee.

Of .the visiting towards G. Fisher and,J. Morrison, were perhaps the pick, and in the-, back division Burt and Cattins played a sterling game, and/were the zmainstay of the "team. Carrick and. R. Shaw shone out prominently xn the West; forward's; and of the backs Masters, Verran, and Wells were the pick.- Swarm is, inclined to hang oh to the. ball; too long, and spoilt an opportunity to score by 'kicking when a pass would have hewn of greater advantage. Players of both teams, would do well to practice kicking with the left as well as the right foot. . THE JUNIORS. The junior match was played between Suburbs and West, the home team winning by 8 points to 3. . The game commenced with the 1 visitors on the attack, and within a few mimuteis: N. Harper scored the only try for Suburbs. W- Leach secured from the loose, and after a good run scored between the posts, and then converted' tor 'West. Following a, bout of ragged play Conolly secured and s'cored an unconverted try. Mr F. Pivott was, referee.

The home .backs showed better combination than '.the visitors, Conolly and Leach being the outstanding players. On both sides the forwards worked hard, there being little difference between them in the pack. / ' THIRD GRADE.

Once again the Paeroa, School. defeated West, this time by 14 points to 0. Tries were registered by Davis, Pivott, . Masters, ,and Irwin, and Poland converted, one. Mr E. Shaw was referee. .

PLAINS MATCHES. ' r POSITIONS IN COMPETITION. The final match es o£ the first round of Plains inter-club Rugby were’ Played, on Saturday to fine we.athe:r. All the senior teams have now ..played five matches. Ngatea, Turua ,nd' West have each lost 'one game, Wadtakaruru hais lost three, Coast four, and Kerepeehi five; As the Coast club has not a junior team there have only been four matches for each of the junior teams. The Kerepeehi juniors have not been promoted to senior grade, as they should have been, and

the team ha,s won every match played. The Ngatea juniors have won two matches and one by default; West has won one match, and one by default; Turua has played four matches and won one, and Waitakaruru ha£ played two matches and forfeited twice. This, season the teams have not been so evenly matched as in previous years. Whereas in 1924' there were ten drawn games in the first round, and five in 1925, there has been no drawn ga,me this season, and the scores in more than half .the matches have gone to double figures. The total iscores. so far this season make more than double the total, of the first rounds in the two previous seasons. The difference is not so marked in the junior grade.. TURUA V. WAITAKARURU. Waitakaruru— M. Cale, D. Molesworth, C. Stretton, Jones, Wilson, A. Otter, L. Coxhead, V. Haywiard, L. Williams, Dalton, A. Taylor, G. Cbxhead, C. Clark, L. Beiiney, L. Preston. Turua—L. McCoid, R. Madgwick, H. El.vin, Hotene, G. Elvin, B. Madgwick, A. Elvin, K. Fox, G. McCowatt, AV. Hooper, G. French, R. Hutchinson, L. Peckham, L. Penticost, D. Hill. Waitakaruru playing with the wind, kept Turua on ,the defensive, throughout the first spell, plh,y being dull at the start but livening up later on. After the change over Turua attacked, and high kicking and fast follow-, ing up let Madgwick score. H. Elvin converted. Another try was secured by Fox under similar cir'cumistances; Elvin again converting. The third spell was’ mostly played in' Tuma's qua.rter, and several forces were, registered. Waitakaruru had the better backs, who started some passing rushes, but faulty handling and overeagerness spoiled the chances. The Turua forwards worked play up the. field several times. Play became fast and hard and continued so. In the final round play ranged up and down the field, .and once, when play was in Turua’s twenty-five, Molesworth opened up for Wilson to score between the postis: after a good run. The try was not converted. After a forward rush Wilson agajn scored a try which was, not converted, the game ending 10" to 6 in Turua’s favour.'

The game was a fight between the forwards and an oc'casional flash of hack play. Turua had. the better forwards- and Waitakaruru the better backs. Individually the Turua backs plpyed well, but there was practically nd combination. O'wing to the hustling tactics of the Turua forwards and the strong wind .the Waitakaruru backs did not get the best of chances, although some good pds,sing 'rushes and open play were seen. Mr D. G. McMil'l.an was, referee.

The junior game resulted in a decisive win for the home tea,m by 26 to 0. The Turua hacks a,nd the forwards combined well and' kept the visitors on the defensive f for most of the match. Tries were secured by F. Olsen (2), Schofield, Zeiglar, Bell, and Macklow, y-hile Scott 'converted one and Charterfe kicked two penalty goals* Mr J.' Clark was referee. WEST V. KEREPEEHI-. ■ Patetonga.—N, Costello, F. Costello, Paton, Ansen, Gariy, Cowdrey, Nolan, Cowdrey, Buchanan, Benny, Bolton, Penny, Wallace, Jeans, Millington, J. Garry. ’ Kerepeehii—J. Baggs, M. Baggs, N. Tepa, S. Hira, L. Hira, J. Parata, Belsham, McKay, Niko Ruatoho, Ruzick, W; Kidd, B. Moore, A. Murphy. At Patetonga Ke.repeehi suffered a sound defeat by the home team, the scores being 29 .to 3. Kerepeehi played several, men short, and the home team was seldom out of the visitors’ territory. Owing to the superiority of tiw West players there was, more open football played than is usually the case. Several fine passing rushes by the West backs terminated in tries being Registered. The Wes,t forwards generally did wha,t they liked, and excelled in the loose. Although outclaSjsed, Kerepeehi . played gamely right through, and as a result of taking advantage of the one scoring chance they really had J. Parata s'cored nea,T the posts. For the winners tries were scored by Costello (3), Bolton, Paton, Wallace, and Anisen, while N. Costello converted four tries.

Mr J. Reid was referee. Tile junior game was more interesting. as Kerepeehi l put out a full team and' played to win. West put on ten points in the first ten minutes, and tlie game resolved itself into a hard (struggle, from then on. Towards! the middle of the second halt Kerepeehi gained the ascendancy, and on the stroke of time scored the deciding try, winning by 13 to 10 1 . West’s tries were, scored by T. Henry, T.amete converting both, while P. Reti, S. Reti, and N. Baggs scored, Carter converting two, for Kerepeehi. Mr Pulman was referee.

NGATEA V. COAST. Ngatea seniors defeated •, Coast at Kopuarahi by 8 points to 0 after a very patchy game. Cottier, with a try which, he converted and a penalty goal, secured all the Ngatea points during the third quarter. Mr Kidd was referee.