FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5336, 8 October 1928, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

POLAND CUP FINAL. ' WAIHI DEFEATS PAEROA On Saturday tlie Waihi a,nd Paeroa representatives met at Waihi in the final for the Frank Poland Memorial Cup, the home tejam winning by three pojnto to nil. The weather was good, but a otiff wind was blowing down the field. Although h was .a, hard game, tficre was little in the exhibit tion to create much enthusiasm in the fair number of spectators present, Wailii won by three points, but on the day was probably ton points t'he better team, and had the advantage Over Paeroa ip all department's of the game. The Waihi men, played with combination and showed that, they were liable to, bec.ome dangerous at any moment, but. the Paeroa players were purely individualists and did nbt impress.

The Waihi forwards all worked well, and more than held their 'opponents. Saunders and Thorufop were the pick ol the backs. Saunders played! a great game as five-eighths, and easily the best back on the field. Thorntqn shone out in defence as centre threequarter, and in .this respect made no mistakes. However, in attack he tried to do too much on his own a.i#l thu ? upset many likely movement's on the part, of Waihi. He has all ithe qualifications of a full-back, and should fill t;hat position splendidly. The Paeroa forward's worked hard enough, but, they took i.t in turns inq stead- of all together. 'The ofnly back was Lockett, who; worked like a Trojan. Mcßae wag, worse than useless—he was dangerous. the l.<tot four representative niafches Mcßae has been the weakest, link, getting worse each game, and it is» incomprehensible how the selector c,ould keep on picking him, for. he has far from justified his inclusion in the team these last half-dozen matches. Much can be said in support of keeping a team off good players) together, but in a case Siiicji as this, when it meaito positive disorganisation, stick a policy is worthy of fhe strongest condemns tiop, especially when there are keen men standing on, the line who in the name of fair, play have a right tol be tried ou;t on; their past performances. The teams were as .follows: — Waihi.—Warne, Garvey, Thornton, Johns, Dillimore, Saunders, Snodgrass, Price,. Craig, Radford, Peacock, Walters, Rpllesitcai, Robins,qp, Hume. Paeroa.—Rare, McQuarters, Nield, Watene, Lockett, Mcßae, Ma'sters, Taylor, Morrow, Fitch, Southby, Carrick, Fros,t .Johnson, Killgour. Wafhi’s kick-off went to Watene, who. returned, a, scrum following against Paeroa. A period of. close play in Paeroa’s twenty-five saw Lockett, relieve to neutral territory, but fro,lll a line-out Waihi again attacked. A forward rush led by Frost reached Johns, who cleared- After an inter-tchange cf kicks Price sent over the line for a force. With a passing rush Waihi entered twentyfive and) Saunders sent to the deadball line. With Waihi still pressing Paeroq committeid' a breach, and Johns kicked a goad goal. Waihi 3, paeroa 0. Thornton put Waihi in a goqd Position with a nice line-kick, but a pen-j alty relieved. Thornton stopped a Paeroa. loose rush with a mark, arid a little later Walters cleared to halfway from another rush by the visitors. Snodgras's put Waihi an attack with a a nice line-kick, aryl) Johns had a penalty shot, but failed to score. Shortly after changing over Mcßae failed with a, penalty kick. Thornton, Saunders, and Price made a ru’sh to Paeroa’s line, where a. breach ocpur-i red and the defenders cleared. Rcbinsonl returned with a dribbling rush, but in lo'ose play Paero,a worked back in;to neutral territory. Another rush by W.afhi was stemmed by Watene marking, and the Paeroa. backs retaliated with gqod passing, but a knock-on pulled them up. After considerable loose: play in midfield McNajnara., who had replaced Warne, was slo.w tb move and gave Paeroa a splendid opportunity, but bad handling let ■ them down. Johnsosn retired with a broken, rib and was replaced by Poland. With Paeroa still pressing, Taylor failed to convert, a penalty kick.

A kicking bout, opened up the play after half-time, and operations then settled d'ow ; n iri midfield. Saunders and Thornton were doing good work for Waihi, and .Lockett was the mainstay for Paeroa, Rqlleetpn. broke away, and after a nice run centred, but Watene’s pace allowed him to clear. Masters; made a good dash down the field, agid pretty passing ensued amqni-. the. Paeroa backs, but Waihi’s tackling was sound. Taylor «set Paeroa moving again and. from a I hot, attack McNamara relieved. P|ay became tight on; Paer'oa’s twenty-five line. Affter. a number of line-outs ■Waihi with passing reached the corner, where Rare marked and cleared. Passing by W.ajhi. broke down, through Thornton hqlding on to the ball. The home forward's gainfed a lot of ground in a loose rush, a;nd play was about, Paeroa’s twenty-ifive line when; the quarter ended. In ithe final round, afer a number of kicks, play became open in neutral territory. »Snodgrasjs opened up tor Waihi, and RollestQn-carried on. in exciting play the ball w«s freely handled by Waihi until ft wap sen,t over the lina for a force. Poland put Paeron on attack, and Watene took a mark, but he failed to' score. Passing, by the Paerqa backs 'saw Mcßae spoil a. ’great, chance by failing to take a pass. Glaring mistakes by Paeroa. spoilt, several opportunities. Peacock broke away from a scrum and started a loose rush which was pulled up qn Paeroa’s line. From the en'suing scrum Southby broke away and Frost carried on to midfield. Southby again, made a dash, reaching Waihi’s twentyfive, hut was not supported. A forward rush by Waihi returned play to the other twenty-five line, and in close work gained more ground until a penalty relieved anc. time wa, s caped, the sfmes 3. Paeroa 0. Mr. A. W. Du,nstanl was referee.