FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5181, 21 September 1927, Page 1

FOOTBALL.

PEACE CUP MATCH AT HAMILTON. THAMES TEAM DEFEATED. Despite cold wind and flying rain showers, a record crowd numbering nearly 4000 enthusiasts assembled at Rugby Park, Hamilton, on Saturday to witness) the Peace Cup final between the Thames and Hamilton fifteens. Though beaten by 9 to 3, Thames were, not disgraced. Their forwards were superior in the scrums and line-outs, and often in the loose, but the Thames inside backs were woefully weak and tne Hamilton rearguard made them look like thirdraters.

The ball was greasy apd the ground heavy, and the, game quickly resolved itself into a fierce forward struggle in which no quarter was given or expected on either side. Hamilton scored in the first quarter from a line-out on the Thames line. Kelly (Thames) made the mistake of pitching the ball too high. It travelled along to the end of the line;-out, where Bayly, the Hamilton rover, secured and gave to Charleston to score.

A minute after the kick-off at halftime Lomas grabbed the’ ball in a melee at halfway and ran to the line) before he was tackled to pass to Pollock, to Ensor, who, though held up by Kemp, managed to score Thames’ only try.’ The Thames forwards had the better of the reimainder oft he play until with eight minutes to go Hamilton, with the wind behind them, decided to play an open game, kicking high and following up. These tactics demoralised the Thames inside, backs, who mulled the ball repeatedly. A torrid scramble ensued within a yard of the Thames line near the corner flag. Clejmott suddenly crosskicked to the opposite corner, where Moran (Thames) fumbled badly and Brown raced up and scored Hamilton’s second try.

With three minutes to go Strange (Thames) failed to take a high kick. ,o’Brien was smothered, and Bayly came from nowhere to score Hamilton’s last try, the game ending Hamilton 9, Thapies 3.

Donnelly was Thames’ best back, with O’Brfejn a close second. An experiment with a new half-back failed disimally, whilst the five-eighths and centre three-quarter showed a complete ignorance of th© game as required in those positions. It. was a case of first-class forwards and thirdrate backs being beaten by a good class back and forward team.

PLAINS SCHOOL COMPETITION. NGATEA AND KEREPEEHI DRAW. Finality in the Hauraki Plains inter-school Rugby football competition' for the Terrill Cup was not reached on Saturday last when the Kerepeehi and Ngatea. teams met a *- Ngatea, for the game ended in a draw —six all. Another match will be played, possibly at Kerejpeehi on Saturday next, though it might be thought desirable to play it at Ngatea asi a curtain-raiser to the Pl.ains-Mt. Eden ladies’ hockey match. Although the weather on Saturday was very bad, rain falling practically throughout the* game, the enthusiasm of players and spectators was maintained. Neither team played up to form., Ngatea was much the heavier and most of the players wore boots, but despite these: advantages the visitors proved better players during the greater part of the game, and had it not been that Ngatea. had a few outstanding players the score would have been different. The teams were as follows :— Kerepeehi.—T. Baggs, W. Baggs, P. Aro, J. Kotara, R. Thompson, A Davies, T. Carr, L. Herkt, G. Geary, L. Nicholson, A. Smith, J. Hoff, J. Hamil, R. Carr, J. Aro. Ngatea—V. Birkenhead, A. Sparrow, Williams, E. Sparrow, V. McPherson, S. Parfitt, M. Costello’, J. Wheeler, M. Young, C. Clarke, L. Schultz, Flavell, B. Young, Louch, Dudding. Towards the end of the first quarter V. McPherson broke through and scored. At the end of the second quarter P. Aro evened th® scores, and at the end of the third round J. Hamil secured the second try for Kerepeehi. Later a penalty goal by V. McPherson brought Ngatea’s score level with Kerepeehi’s. Mr J. Kidd was, referee.