FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5309, 6 August 1928, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

LAST SATURDAY’S MATCHES. RESULTS AT A GLANCE. POLAND CUP COMPETITION : Paeroa 6, v. Hauraki Plains 3. Waihi 13. v. Pinko 9. THIRD-GRADE. Pa.eroa 8, v. Plako 3. FLEMING SHIELD COMPETITION : Paeroa School 6, v. Te Aroha 0. The flx'tt games in the second round of the Frank Poland Memorial Cup competition were played 911 Saturday. The attraction at. the local domain was the meeting between the Paeroa and Ha.uraki Plains fifteens. The weather was line during the 'per’od of play, but just prior to the match starting there was a heavy shower of rain which did not improve the playing field. The ground was heavy, while in places there were small pools of water, which biec'-me slushy ,a.s the game progressed. There was a good attendance of local spectators, as well as a number of visiting supporters.

That Paeroa was lucky to, wip by 6 points to 3 there can be little doubt, a,s the visitors, had the better of the game in the second half. The play was fast and open, but with a. heavy and greasy lytijl passing and goalkicking were rendered difficult. The prevailing conditions did not altogether suit the local backs, while the forwards collectively were below their, usual standard this season. The absence, of Frost and . McQuatters in the team was very noticea,ble. The teams were fairly evenly matched, and a hard, clean game was played. The following were the teams : — Paeroa. —Full-back, R. Rare'; threequarters, J. McCarroll, K. Lockett, J. Watene; five-eighths, E. Smart, L. Mcßae; half-back, L. C. Masters; rover, L. Niehl ; forwards, F. Fitch, M. Poland, W. Southby, M. Brown, V. Carrick, E. Johnson, N. Neil. Plains. —Full-back, C. Blacklaws ; three-quarters, F. Costello, J. Hedley. W. Williams; five-eighths, J. Catlin, L. Clotworthy; half-back, H. Wright; rover, McPherson ; forwards, R. Benny, A. Courtney,-R. C. Abel, R. Hutchinson, ’ F. Mulgrew, K. Fox, A. Fisher. , Paeroa won the toss and Abel kicked off, and -after a, scrum Plains was awarded a ftee kick, Catlin finding the; line. In a loose hush play was taken into Plains quarter, a breach occurred in front of the posts. Mcßae failed with an easy kick at goal. After loose play ; n neutral territory Courtney and Mulgrew rushed into Paeroa’s twenty-five,, whejre- the advance broke down. Play worked back aga.in into neutral territory. After. Plains had been, penalised o.n two occasions a sefium was formed om Plains’ twenty-five line. Masters receives! and sent to Mcßae, who cut in nicely and then sent out to Smart, who crossed the. line to score a nice try. Mcßae failed to convert. Paei’oa 3, Plains 0. The Plains forwards rushed on the attack, which was negatived by Lockett marking. Plains again attacked, but after tight play Neil and Lockett cleared to' the other twe ; nty-five. Open play in midfieldterminated the-quarter Open play was the order, in the second quarter until Plains suffered a penalty while defending, but Sbuthby ftii-led to. convert. Mcßa/?. marked and his kick went to Costello, who made a good run to halfway. Play beca.me ragged until Masters was-penalised inside his own twenty-five: line. Blacklaws took the kick, which went to Watenje,, who relieved. The Plains forwards made several attacks, which were repulsed', and then Blacklaws converted a penalty Rick ,;’rom tbe twenty-five line. Paeroa 3,. Plains 3. Paeroa. went down th|e, field with a rush, led by Lockett. A poor kick by Rare gave Plains the opportunity to reverse positions, and play swung to the other end of the field. Mcßae picked up in the loose, and with the help of Smart shifted operations to midfield;. On resuming after half-time- play opened with an inter-change of kicks. The advantage eventually went to PaJe.roa, and a parsing bout by th.e backs broke down 10 yards from the •line. At tliis stage Schofield replaced Fox in the The visiting forwards worked back into Paeroa’s territory, whbj'e Blacklaws failed with a penalty kick. Shortly afterwards Blacklaws had another unsuccessful kick from well out, from which Nield cleared- to the halfway flag. Masters cut in round 'the scrum and' went as far as the Plains-’ twentyfive line, from where the visiting forwards worked into Paeroa’s territory. Play hung round Paenoa’s twenty-five for. a considerable time; until a penalty relieved. The. final quarter opened with | loose play in midfield. Courtney broke away' and ran well into Paeroa’s twenty-five before being collated by Watene. From a. scrum Catlin made a bad kick to the line which was gathered in by Watene; Who cleared to past the; halfway flag. In loose play Plains committed a breach, and with a smart kick across-field Mcßae took the defenders by surprise, with pi-a.ctically an open field Smart, Lockje,tt, and Nield handW, the ball for the latter to score in the corner. Mcßae failed to convert. Paeroa 6, Plains 3. Loose play ensued in neutral territory. With a determined rush the visiting worked from their own to the edge of Paeuoa.’s territory, where McCarroll stopped the movement with a kick to the line. From the line-put at halfway the Plains forwards again advaneffid, but the situation was again saved with a good mark by Mcßae. Play then went into- neutral territory, and time was -called without any further alteration to the scores. •Mr R. Walsh, of Waihi, was referee. THIRD, GRADE GAME. As a curtain-raiser to the senior match -the Paeroa representative third-grade team played a Piako fifteen on tihe No. 2 ground. A good exhibition of Rugby resulted in a wir for the home side by 8 points to 3. For the winners tries were scored

. by C. Ward a,nd P. Poland. The lastnamed also converted a try. Mackay kicked a penalty goa.l for Pinko. Mr T. G. Arnold was referee. FLEMING SHIELD GAME. The Fleming Shield competition, played unler the auspices of the Thames Valley Primary Schools’ Rugby Union, was concluded on Saturday morning, when the Paeroa team defeated Piako at Te Aroha by six points to nil. P.f'-roa has now won the shield for this season, having also defeated the Wajhi team, last year’s winners. Th>sj is the first occasion op which the coveted trophy has come, to Paeroa, and the team is deserving of congratulations on the: honour won. The six points comprised a try by and a penalty goal by M. Curtis. Mr W. T. Jonas was referee.