FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5014, 16 August 1926, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

SATURDAY’S MATCHES. results at a glance. representatives : Thames Valley 17, v. Wanganui 11. INTER-UNION GAMES : Hauraki Plains 9, v. Waihi 0. Piako 12, v. Paeroa 5. JUNIORS : Paeroa 22, v. Piako 12. .Ngatea 8, v. Kerepeehi 3. THIRD GRADE: Paeroa 8, v. G. PLAINS' V- WAIHII The second round of the Poland Cup matches were played oh Saturday, and at Ngatea the Plains team secured a victory by Jiine points- to nil over the Waihi team. The visitors; were without six of their best players, who are away with the Thames Valley touring team, while the prevalent malady accounted for other absentees. Plains had the better of the play in all departments, and their line was seldom in danger. The game -was ’clean, fast, and friendly. Following were the

players:— Plains.—E. Johnston, Walters, D. Molesworth, G. Buchanan, Madgwick, E. Smart, g. Chapman, H. Duncan, T. Alderson, L. Berney, C. Clark, R. -Spencer, R. Hutchinson, P. Clark, Madgwick. Waihi.—F. Thorndon, Mitchell, Nelson, Tubman, Saunders, Snow, Garvey, Johns, gtaiith; Campbell, Martin, Robinson, Agnew, Eastwood, Cfoig. Plains kicded off and play centred in midfield for a ’fe,w moments, until Molesworth broke away and scored near the’ corner. Johnsfohi’s' kick failed. Plains 3, Wajihi 0. Waihi immediately attacked, but a penalty to the home team, followed by a rrfork, returned play to neutral ground. Chapman, Smart, and Madgwick took part in a passing rush which gained much ground, only to lose the advantage through committing breahces. Johnston flailed to* stop a long kick and a scrum -ensued Plains’ line from which Walters relieved. Hutchinson led the Plains forwards in an attack, and Madgwick secured and after a good ilun scored. C. Clark failed to -convert. Plains 6, Waihi 0. The visi- . tors were forced to* defend for the remainder of the quarter, during which . time .the ball was forced twice,. Close play in midfield followed the opening of the second round, until the home team gained a free kick clos.e to the half-way line, and Johnston sent the ball over the bar. Plains 9, Waihi O'. Molesworth secured shortly after the kick-cut and carried into Waihi’s twenty-five. A long kick Sent play to the other end, good footwork by the home team returning the ball to the neutral, zone, where tight play resulted until haff-time. - Play ranged , about half-way until a free kick found the line in Plains’ quarter. The defenders were penalised'in a scrum in frp|nt of the posts, but over-eagerness spoilt the attempt and the Plains forwards secured a,nd carried to the other end of the field, a ’force resulting. From their twentyfive Thorndon and Snow carried down the side line to Plains’ 'corner flag, where they were overhauled.by Smart. Play returned to midfield, and then back to the home team’s twenty-five, . from where the visitors failed with .a penalty kick and Plains forced. Pressure wajs resumed by.Waihi, and after some hard work another force was, registered. _ The. quarter ended with play, in neutral territory. Plains, opened the final round with an attack. Play worked back to halfway, but a free kick put Waihi again on the defensive .until Johnston and Buchanan tailed to return a long kick. Waihi gained a penalty but failed to score. Duncan relieved, and the Plains forwards carried .to the other ■end of the field. A long kick by Waihi was followed by a scrum on Plains’ line, a'free kick bringing relief. Waihi again failed with a penalty kick, and play ensued in midfield until the call <Jf time. Mr F. Pivott was referee. PAEROA V. PIAKO' JUNIORS. The principal attraction a,t the local donfoin on Saturday afternoon was the match between the Paeroa and Piako junior representatives. This, was the first game in the,second round of the Sharebroker’s Cup' competition. The afternoon was fine and the field in good playing condition. The game proved to be fast and intertesting, and there were many exciting moments. The local team was the heavier, and gained most blf the advantages in the tight play. The visitors lost a number of 'chances to. score by wild p.assr Ing or holding on to the ball too long. The ’following took the field Paeroa.—R. Rare, W. Leach, E. Potter;' .L Potter, J. Rackham, H. Mobre, R'. Mead, C._Vincent, J. Lee, A. Nelson, N. Neil, W. Fennell; Lovett, W. Hargreaves, R. Brown. Pia,ko.—Nolan, P. Mace, Whitton, Radford, Munroe, Lane,. Holmes, Armitage, Burmester, Jackson, Keaney, B. Hubert, Lusby, W. Hubert, Excel!. Piako kicked off and Excell, Mace, and Burmester followed up, but were .brought back for a breach Tight play hovered round the half-way line for some time, until Rackham broke away find carried well into Piako’s territory, A relieving kick by the defenders Was fielded by Lovett, who made a good run before transferring toi'E. Poter, who was forced out near the corner. The line-ont was scrummed and Lane cleared. In tight play Ra"kham sent out to Mead, to Leach, who dibp-kicked a : g.-od goal. Paeroa 4, pfoko 0. From the kick-out L. Potter took a speculator whfch Was fielded ■ by Radford, but he ran out at the corner. A scrum followed the throw-in band’ a force resulted. In the opening stages of the sec‘quarter Rackham headed an advance, rand the resulting scramble on the line (terminated in a, force,. A kick from a mark by Moore.inside the twenty-five went under the bar. Play hung in the visitors’ territory until Moore ganied

poss-ession and sent out to Rackham, ' to Liea'ch, but the latter mulled the pass and the ball went blut near the corner. From the line-out Piako sent the ball to the dead-ball line. The

Itome team kept up the pressure clearance coming with a mark by Jackson. Tn a loose rush near haff-way Neil sent out 'to Rackham, to Mopfre, but a breach spoiled the movement. In tight play in front of Paeroa Munroe marked and converted. Pae■roa, 4, Piako 3. Vincept gained possession after the kick-out and transferred to E. Potter, to Neil, who scared near the 'corner. E. Potter converted. Paeroa 9, Piako 3.

On resuming after half-time play went to Paeroa’s twenty-five, where a breach occurred, but W. Hubert’s kick was unsuccessful. Following tight play in midfield Piako had a free kick, which wa.s smartly followed up by W. Hubert and he scored a good try near the corner. His kick hit the bar. Paeroa 9, Piako 6. E. Ppltter gained possession after the kick-out and made a good run, but he hupg on too long and enabled Holmes to clear to neutral territory. A scramble followed in which W. Hubert made a,n opening for Excell to score a neat try. Hubert’s kick failed. Paeroa 9, Piako 9.

Matters livened up considerably in the final quarter. Paeroa carried up, and a five-yards scrum resulted in W. Hubert clearing to the line. Tight play followed the line-out, until Ratekham picked up and pas,sed toi E Potter, who beat the opposition and scared. Ra'ckham converted. Paeroa 14, Piako 9. The kick-out was returned and Rare, with the ball at toe, crossed the line and later converted. Paerda 19, Piako 9. Piako applied pressure and what looked like a certain score was saved by Moore running across and clearing. Nothing daunted, the visitors returned to the atta'ck but the.home defence was, equal to, the.otcasion. Play soon returned to Paeroa’s territory, where a five-yards sebum was ordered, resulting in Holmes scoring near the posts.. W. Hubert foiled with the kick. Paefofc 19, Piako 12. The home team attacked, and by good team work carried into the visitors’ territory, where a scrum near the line wils ordered. Moore gained possession from the scrum and dived over. Rackham’s kick failed. Paeroa 22, Piako 12. The game concluded in Piako’s territory without any further s.corq being added. Moore gained possession from the scrum and dived ove,r. Rackham’s kick failed. Paeroa 22, Piako 12. The game concluded in Piako’s territory without any further score being added. Mr E. Smith was referee.

THIRD GRADE GAME. The third grade match, flayed be.tween Paeroa and W.aihi, proved a very willing game. The visitors had the heavier team, but the defensive, work of the. home’backs was,, very sound and the ga.me ended Paeroa 8, Waihi 6. For Paeroa tries were scored by Tressider and Ward, one of which was concerted by S. Williams. Ryall scored two tries for thq visitors. Mr T. C. Arnold was reetfrtee. THE CURTAIN-RAISER. An A and B match Was played by teams from the Paeroa, Piake, and Waihi sub-unions to seletet a, schoolboy team to visit Auckland. The A team won by 27 point’s to 0. During the game several changes were made in the teams. The twenty players selected to visit Auckland are: Backs: Fisher, Wilson, Pivott, Irwin, Johnson (Paeroa) ; Luther, Fallon, Radford (Waihi); Gibbs and Stewart (Piako). Forwards: Grant, Robinson (PaerOa); Andeyson, Turner, ■ Furey, Johns, .Berryman (Waihi) ; Pilkington, Cohn,' and Cole. (Piako). The team has a very strong s,et of backs, and should bive a very creditable account- of itself in Auckland. . The nominations received for the Koller Mills Shield came , from Ta.uranga, Thames, Thames Valley, King Country, Whangarei, South Auckland, Hamilton, and Auckland, the latter having three teams, —South, North and Central. Trials take pl' a .ce fa two sections, commencing on Tuesday, August 24, and concluding on Saturday, August 28.

Boys in country teams who do not have friends in Auckland with: whom they may stay are billeted among the Auckland boys.

THAMES VALLEY TOURING TEAM. MATCH AGAINST TARANAKI. Writing to the secretary $ the Thames Valley Rugby Union. (Mr J. M. Crosby), the maiiager of the touring team .(Mr J. W. Silcock) states that in connection with the match against Taranaki, which was ; played at. Stratford on Thursday last, the Valley team was very unfortunate, and the scores—l 9 to o—did not give a fair indication of the game. It-is understood that three, of the tries . were stolen by Taranaki through a better knowledge of the finer points of the game. Mr Silcock continues: "However, our boys did very well. Our 'full-ba'ck,. Costello, got .badly knocked teln the thigh,( and will not be available for the next match. This is <bad luck, as he is playing splendid football. Some of the ot'he.r players are Suffering from injuries and colds.