FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5011, 9 August 1926, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

SATURDAY’S MATCHES.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE.

REPRESENTATIVES : Thames Valley 6, v. King Country 3. Thames 12, v. Hauraki Plains. 3.

SENIORS: West 5,. v. Netherton 3.

JUNIORS : Karangahake 8, v. West 6.

WEST V. NETHERTON.

The final game in the senior competition for the McCullay Shield was played at the local domain on Saturday afternoon between the West fifteen and Netherton, last season’s winners of the competition. The afternoon was fine, and there was a fail attendance of spectators. Owing to the heayy rain that fell during Fridd.ay and Saturday morning the ground was very wet .and slippery, .and, after a few minutes.’ play, became a veritable quagmire. Such conditions made play difficult, and handling the heavy, slippery ball with any degree of accuracy became almost an impossibility, as the game progressed. The game was ,a "ding-dong go” from start to finish, and although 'fairly open, and at times, fast, it resplved itself, especially in the closing stages, into, a mud scramble. Netherton had the heavier team, and .the pack hooked well, but the lighter forwards of the West team were nippier under the existing conditions. The gajne w;as played in a friendly spirit, and there is no gainsaiyng that the local team was lucky to win. There were changes, in the personnel of both teams as the result of defections caused by the Thames Valley touring players, and also sickness. The following took the field:—

West.—K. Dean, G. L. McNeil, F. Thorburn, R. Swann, F. Jenyns, L. Nield, M. Poland, E. Neil, H. McKee; T. Green, R. Shaw, V. Carrick, E. J. Pennell, T. Daws,on. Netherton. —G. Pullar, J. Maloney, C. McNeil, H. Coldiuctt, H. Wright, W. Potter, A. Burt, R. Morrison, T. Pul/ajr, G. Fisher, P. Fisher, B. Johnson, T. Johnson, E. Fisher, E. Johnson.

We,st kicked off and Netherton forwards attacked, but Thorburn cleared to half-way. A loose rush followed and Netherton looked like scoring when a free-kick brought relief. A scrum'inside West’s twenty-five gave Burt a shot at goal, but his kick went wide. A’lihe-out resulted in Green .being caught offside in West’s territory, but T. Puliar’s kick foiled. Honours* were even to the end of the spell.

The kick-out in the opening of the second quarter was: scrummed and Burt cleared to the line. Inside Netherton’s twenty-five a breach Occurred, but Swann’s kick fell short. Give and take play ensued to the end of the quarter, the honours being with West. After half-time Netherton, playing with a wind that sprang up, had hard: luck in not registering a' couple’ of scores. West followed up the. kickout, but Burt again relieved pressure with a line-kick. West instituted a loose rush 'from the throw-in, and Jenyns, with the ball at toe, carried up for McKee to dive over near the corner. Dean converted with a, beautiful kick from a difficult angle.-West 5, Netherton 0. Netherton took a turn at attack, but Dean was safe and cleared to neutral territory. Keepiing up the pressure, Netherton returned to West’s territory, where a knock-on gave Burt a shot at goal. He made no mistake with his kick. West 5, Netherton 3.

After the change-over for the last round both sides made the game very willing. Netherton applied pressure, but a loose forward rush was* negatived by a breach and Shaw* cleared. From hard, close play, in which Wells and Swann were prominent, a good chance to score was lost by Wells lesing the ball near the corner. G. Pullar cleared from the line-out. The final effrot was headed by G. Pullar, to G. Fisher, who gave a 'faulty pass to R. Morrison, the ball going out in touch. The game ended' without a.ny further scores being added, the senior epmpetiition being won by the West team.

Mr D. G. McMillan, Turua, was referee.

Of the visiting forwards G. and E. Fisher were the most prominent, while G. Pullar and Burt were reliable in the back division. Dawspn and Poland worked hard in the West forwards, and Jenyns a<nd Dean, of the backs, were always safe. THE JUNIORS. KARANGAHAKE' V. WEST. The junior fixture, which Was played on the No. 2 ground, was between Karangahake and West. The former team has won the junior cup for this season, and the result of Saturday’s match made no difference. The local team took the field with 13 men, while the visitors could muster only 11. The game was more or less a mud scramble, and the players did not appear to take the proceedings seriously. Although deficient in numbers, the Karangahake team showed its superiority and won by 8 points to 6. For the tries were scored by C. O’Brien and Jim Rackham, one of which the latter converted. Snow and Currie each scored a try for the local team. Mr Eugene Shaw was referee. TOURING TEAM AT TE AROHA. COMPLIMENTARY DINNER GIVEN. A complimentary dinner was* tendered to the members od the Thames Valley touring team at Te A'roha on Wednesday by Dr. W. R. Lawrence. In welcoming the team to Te Aroha Dr. Lawrence said he was pleased that the team, was leaving from'that town, as it gave the Te Aroha Union an opportunity of extending hospitality to the members. It afforded him very great pleasure to present to each member a tie done in the team’s colours. The.se were donated by Mr W., H. Leng, of* the Pa,lace Hotel. Mr McLeay suitably replied on be-

half of the team.

The following team was selected by the sole selector, Mr W. White, to represent Thames Valley’against King Country at Raetihi on Saturday last: Full-back, Costello; three-quarters, ' S. Goldsbury, McLeay, Towers; fiveeighths, Stoupe, Gilpin; half-back, Mas|ters; rover, F. Goldsbury; forwards, Patterson, Young, Peacocke (lock), Keohan, Taylor, McPherson, Robinson. Emergencies : Backs, M&gill and Malt; forwards, McLaren and Cleave.

The itinerary of the team is as follows: August 7, King Country, at Ra^tihi; August 11, Taranaki, at Stratford; August 14, Wanganui, at Wanganui; August 18, North Auckland, at Te Aroha.