FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5298, 11 July 1928, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

LAST SATURDAY’S MATCHES. NGATEA WINS CUP. The Hauraki Plains Rugby Union’s senior grade inter-club competition for the Stretfon-Pinohes'si Cup was concluded on Saturday last, the Ngatea team em’erging ,as winners for the season. Details of the season’s

NGATEA V. WAITAKARURU. Ngatea fielded its usual team for the deciding match of the competition, but Waitakaruru commenced the game with twelve men only. Later two other players Avent on, and one was suspended. On the run of the play Ngatea would, have had a very hard 1 game h,ad Waitakaruru’s team been up to full strength. As it was the game was very interesting. There was a strong wind along the field at the beginning of the game, but it veered round until it blew straight across the field toward o the end of the game. The players lined out as follows :—

Ngatea—A. Killgour, Williams, PReti, J. Hartley, F. Nicol, J. McPherson, C. White, S. Dalgety, Beasley. L. Peckham. R. C. Abel, M. Martin, P. Leonard, H. Kirkman, R. Haw'era. Waitakaruru.—C. Clark, Brooks, C. Stretton, C. Wilton, D. Molesworth, G. Paton V.Jlayward, J- Dobbs, K. Caie, A. Craig? M. Caie, L. Coxhead, E. Petit, F. Wall's. Waitakaruru kicked off against the wind, tyid Ngatea worked d'own-field till Paton, Coxhead, and Molesworth ..took play into Ngatea’s quarter. Beasstarted a forward rush to Waitakaruru’s line where a free kick for obstruction relieved. Ngatea attacked, and 1 Wilton marked under, the goal. Several Ngatea players, attempted drop-kick goals, and, Waitakaruru was compelled to .force. Hard forward play followed the drop-out, Williams doing good work, and Nicol being very weak. A long kick by Kilgour compelled Waitakaruru to force. 'Ngatea was .awarded 1 :a, free kick for a fault in the scrum, but McPherson failed to, score. The Waitakaruru forwards worked up the field until Ngatea secured from a line-out and rushed to the visitors’ territory, and play was line at the changeover.

Ngatea gained ground in the second round, and from a scrum a passing rush from White to McPherson, to Nicol, to McPherson, to Reti allowed the letter to score. Williams failed to convert. Ngatea 3, Waittkaruru 0. Hard play followed in midfield for a long time, and Waitakaruru gained ground. Paton marked but failed to score and Nicol relieved. The Ngatea forwards rushed to the other end and Waitakaruru forced. Play vtont to midfield, and a passing rush terminated in Waitakaruru’s territory, halftime then being called. On resuming C. Clark aftd F. Wallis went on for Waitakaruru, making the number fourteen. Play was in Ngatea’s favour, the ball, being thrown about well. McPherson made a, good run. Retd broke away, and ,a tussle with Stretton in front of the posts resulted in Stretton being suspended for criticising the referee and a free k ! ck being awarded to Ngatea. Kirkman converted. Ngatea 6, Waitaka,ruru 0. Waitakaruru w.as kept on the defensive and Kirkman scored but failed to convert- Ngatea 9, Waitaka" rur.u 0. A Wa'takaruru rush reached Ngatea’s, twenty-five, where the visitos failed to score with .a penalty k'ck. Hawei’a broke away from a line-out at halfway and rushed for the line, but lie was overhauled and a. force resulted.

The. final round commenced with an open rush by Ngatea, and -after a scrummage on the line a score was recorded. The kick was unsuccessful. Ngatea 12, Waitakgruru 0. ■ Ngatea immediately returned to the attack, but the defenders worked back into neutral territory, where Reti secured ip close play and outran all his opponents to score under the posts. Kirkman Converted. Ngatea 17, Waitakaruru 0 1 . The kick-out was returned to Molesworth, who ran down the line but loiSt to Killgour. Play remained on Ngatea’s line until a force resulted. Scraggy play followed 1,1 Ngatea’s territory until Hartley secured and ran well, up the field. The Waitakaruru forwards w-orked b;a,ck again, and Brooks- crossj-kicked to Molesworth, w>ho scored and then converted, making the scores Ngatea 17, Waitakaruru 5. ■Mr G. T. Davidson wa|s’- referee. THIRD GRADE, The Ngatea, third-grade team 'defeated Tuma by 18 pointy to 3 in a match at Ng.atea. For the winners, tries were scored by R. Williams (3), ’ H. Keane, and H. Hayward l , the latter also kicking a penalty goal. R. Johnston scored for Turua,. ErUNIOR GAME AT PAEEOA. WEST AND SUBURBS DRAW. At the local domain on Saturday afternoon the West and Suburbs* junior teams met in a play-off for the championship. Throughout the match rain and a strong ,south-easterly wind prevailed and' ma.de conditions very unpleasant. The game, a really good one under the circumstances, ended in a draw* —three all. West fielded tlie heavier team, anid; the forwards played well, but the backs at times were weak, while on- the other hand the visiting backs displayed combination and pace. This 1 is, the second occasion this season that these two teams have played dravn ga,mes, and they will have to play a further match to determine tlio winners of the competition. The teams' were as follt" vs: — Suburbs.—N. Harford. Cptlin, T. Rare, L. Potter, F. Mornisa’i, E- Tremain, J. /McCollum, H. Moß'i'ison, E. Robinson, M. Robinson, P. Mc.Le.od, R. Killgoi*, J. smith, H. Welch,. M'orrison. West.- —A. Overall, S. Kaio. GL Ta’-y--lor, R, Saunders, P. Poland, C. Ba'/dbY,

V. Hale, C. Nield, A. Bell, W. Pennell, G. Gage, D. Currie, K. Sb’fleld, N. Handley, L. Saunders.'

Suburbs kicked off, and play was in midfield until Pennell broke away with a dribble, but kicked too har,dl the ball going to the dead-ball line. Taylor returned the drop-out and Harford forced. Pennell again came through with the ball at toe, but Harford cleared and l loose play ensued for the remainder of the quarter. On turning round Slyfield’s opening kick went, to Killgour, who, with Smith .and Welch in attendance, dribbled down to West’s twentyfive. in the line-out the ball went to McCollum, who passed to Tremain, to F> Morrison, to Catlin, the latter .scorr'ng a good try. Tremain failed to convert. Suburbs 3, We,s;t 0. Suburbs again attacked, but Kaio took a mark and saved the situation. Taylor, Poland, and Nield made a, loos|e rush into Suburbs’ twenty-five, where one of the defenders committed a breach, but Taylor failed to score. E. Morrison lead the Suburbs forwards in an advance, and in tight play F. Morrison sent to Catlin, who mulled the pass and Taylor forced.

On resuming, half-time the West forwards, took play into Suburbs’ territory, where Harford cleared. Slyfield dribbled down the field, attended by Pennell, Poland, and Nield, the ball going out. A scrum followed the line-out, and Smith cut round the pack and kicked through. Overall returned the leather and .a. Suburbs; player infringed, but Poland failed to score. West attacked and Kaio made a good run down the line to be collared by Tremain. A .scrummage ensued, and tire ball shot out to Poland, who crossed the line. Taylor failed to convert. Suburbs 3, West-3. West resumed the pressure, Poland, Nield, and Hadley beig prominent. Receiving, from a throw-jn Taylor kicked too hard and Harford forced. In the final quarter Killgour headed a strong forward rush, but the final kick was too hard and Overall forced. The kick-out went to Rare, who crosskicked, and tight pl;ay ensued' in West’s twenty-five. Tremain had a drop-kick at goal and failed. West gained ground until McLeod, Robinson, and Welch came down the field in a rush from which Overall forcedTight play ensued in midfield until McCollum gained possession and pas> bd to F. .Morrison, who punted too hard and Overall forced. Just befor, time Tremain failed to score with a penalty kick. Mr W. T. Jonas was referee. THE CURTAIN-RAISER. As a curtain-raiser to the junior matgh on the local domain the Paeroa A and B third-grade tea,msi played a match, the result .beihg a win for the A team by 9 pointe to 6. For thewinners trie,s were scorejl by F. Johnson, (2) and E. Verrau, while, j. Pascoe and B. Smith scored for the B team. Mr F. Williams was referee.

matches are as • — D. Pts. Team P. W. L. Ngatea 8 6 1 1 13 Turua 8 5 2 1 11 Kerepeehi 8 4 3 1 9 Waitakaruru 8 1 3 4 6 Plainis West 8 0 7 1 • 1