FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4994, 30 June 1926, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

THAMES RAMBLERS V. PAEROA B. WIN FOR THE VISITORS. Fine weather prevailed, and there was a moderate attendance at the local domain on Saturday afternoon. The principal attraction was the senior game between the Thames Ramblers and a Pa,eroa B team. The game was fairly fast and open, ajid the visitors had little difficulty in defeating the home team by 12 points to 6. The visitors were, much the heavier team, and gained 'all the adr vantage in tight play. Being the winners of the Thames Union’s senior competition last season, a,nd also the knock-out competition, it was only to be expected that they would give the better exhibition. The forwards worked together well, while the combination of the backs was a pleasure to watch.

The home fifteen made many mistakes, .n,nd it was not until the last quarter that anything like dash or form was shown. The tackling by Paeroa was appalling, .and little attempt was made at combination. Individually one or two of the players worked ha,rd, but the play Was nullified by the lack of co-operation. Paeroa also lost several chances to score by wild and faulty kicking. Following were the teams : —

Ramblers. —G. Winder, B. Bax, A. McCollum, A. Pearcey, Arthur McCollum, W. O’Hara, Laurent, H. Bax, W, Pearcey, A. Green, D, Clarke, Burkha.rdt, Brown, A. O’Hara,, Newland.

Paeroa. —T. Pullar, G. Wells, W, Hume, R. Swann, T. Bennett, L. Nield, L, Rice, R, Morrison, F. Fitch, H. McKee, M. Poland, Robinson, R. Shaw, Duncan, Vedder.

Ramblers kicked off and, following up, W. O’Hara was just beaten for the ball, a force resulting. From a lineout near half-way Laurent carried up the field, but Pullar saved. . Hume headed a rush, passing to Wells, to Swo,nn, the latter being crowded out near the corner. W. Pearcey secured from the throw-in and passed to Arthur McCollum, who dived for the line but was brought fack for a breach. Burkhardt secured in a scrummage in midfield and set his backs in motion, Bax, Laurent, A. Pearcey and A. McCollum handling the ba.ll, the latter scoring near the corner. Winder failed to convert. Ramblers 3, Paeroa 0. In the second quarter the visitors were penalised while defending, but Swann’s kick went wide and Green cleared. Paeroa resumed the attack, and in tight play McKee marked, but he ’failed to score. For lifting in the scrum Fitch was penalised, but Winder failed with the. kick and Swann cleared to neutral territory. A. O’Hara opened up from tight play and a nice movement resulted in Green scoring. Winder failed with the kick. Ramblers 6, Pae.roa 0. Swann gained possession from a line-out and put in a good run before passing to HumeThe latter negatived the movement by a faulty pass to Wells, who had a clear field.

On resuming after half-time Nield made a good run, but was unsupported and A. Pearcey cleared. H. Bax and W. Pearcey combined and carried down the field, and what looked like a sure try was sayed by Swaim running across and clearing. Clarke returned to Brown, whose short kick resulted in a., force. Laurent gathered up from a five-yards scrum and sent A. McCollum away to score. Laurent failed to convert. Ramblers 9, Paeroa. 0.

The final quarter opened with Winder and B. Bax carrying down, but Nield cut in and forced. In tight play in neutral territory Wells marked, but his kick fa.iled. Rice marked a clearing kick by McCollum, but his kick was also a failure. Tn a loose rush Hume picked up and pa.ssed to Poland, who carried up before transferring to Wells for a score. Swann failed with the kick. Ramblers 9, Paeroa 3. Paeroa attacked, and in tight play in the visitors’ twenty-five Poland picked up and passed to Swann, to Hume, who scored. Rice

failed to convert. Ramblers 9, Paeroa 6. The last few minutes were exciting, the home team livening up-

considerably. The visitors .took a turn at attacking, and from a scrum near the, line B. Bax passed to A. McCollum, who performed the “hat trick’’ by scoring a neat try. H. Bax failed with the kick. Ramblers 12, Pa.eroa 6. Mr E. Smith was referee. THIRD GRADE. The curtain-raiser was the usual third-grade, match between Paeroa School and West. As on former occasions the school team secured an easy victory, the scores being School 23, West '5. For the school team tries were registered by A. Flatt (3), Ward, a.nd Alp, and Flatt converted thrbe of the tries and L. Masters one. V. Hale scored the only try for West, LCarrick converting. Mr T. C. Arnold was referee. SCHOOLBOY GAMES. In the primary school competition Paeroa A beat Hikutaja by 22 points to 3, and Netherton won by default from Karangaliake. An A and B match will be played at Pa.eroa on Wednesday at 3.30 p.m. for the purpose of selecting a team to play against Waihi next Saturday. THE GAME AT NGATEA. COMMENTS ON THE PLAY. In the Inter-union football maten between Paeroa and Hauraki Plains which eventuated at Ngatea on Saturday last keen interest was taken. The game was clean ajid fast, but was hot up to the standard expected. Paeroa showed flashes df play which the sporting public admire, a ; nd their opening piece of work in the backs gave the impression of a big score against the Plains, but they seemed to fizzle, out as the game progressed. Catlin behind the scrum was outstanding.

The Plains team showed more versatility than is usually the case, but weaknesses there were, and these must be eradicated. The. backs are far from being an efficient attacking force, and generally lack cohesion and tactics. Their defensive work is improving with every game, and Johnson at full-back is the best tor that position so far. The forwards did really well on Saturday, and their h.andling of the ball was at times superior to that of the backs. P. Clark was always prominent. Duncan’s tendency to play off-side in the rover position is very costly, and as an efficient referee is always on the watch for this breach of the rule this feature is not worth the cost. In other respects Duncan’s play is of a good standard. The hookers, Alderson and Berney, sent the ball back on several occasions on Saturday, and there seems to be a marked improvement on previous games as far as hooking is concerned.

Nicol at five-eighths played, an exceptionally good defensive game, but Pilkington was never prominent. Molloy was n,n Improvement at centre, but his knowledge of the right game to play seemed to be lacking, as he cither crowded his wings or did not draw the defence sufficiently to give, his supports a chance. Buchana.n, after several fruitless efforts, brought off a fine try towards the eird of the game, showing that he is a dangerous attacking player, and one yould like to see him in possession of the ball more often. Moles.wol’th on the other wing did not impress. Smart, the half-back, had to stajid up to a lot of heavy work, and did it well.

After their fine start the. Paeroa players were disappointing, and foittiuie was generally against them. At ith-e sa,me time, they did not appear •ito ire mi a position to tea,ch Plains a great deal about the game, and as a town team should have the advantage nf better combination, their lack of in concerted movements is to lie regretted. Catlin, the ha.lf-back, :atte.mpted to open up the game a,t •every opportunity, and his efforts ■were not appreciated by his supports and only on a few occasions did they take advantage of them. The rest of ■the backs appeared to be. of equal -‘ability, a,nd played soundly i’f not bril.lia.ntly. Thorp as rover did - some :fine work, and kept his opponent on ’the ajert. The. forwards worked hard ;and conscientiously, and were handicapped by the. greater weight of the •opposition and were not so fast.