FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5417, 29 April 1929, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

OPENING OF SEASON. GAMES AT PAEROA. A considerable number of spectators attended the opening matches of the Paeroa Rugby season on Saturday, when East and West clubs met in both senior and junior grades. The Cadets’ Band was in attendance and gave an excellent programme of music. THE SENIORS. EAST V. WEST. East.—Wilkinson, Zenovich, J. Williams, B. Lloyd, Ashcroft, J. Fraser, W. Barrett, Murray, E. Neil, W. Neil, H. Mitchell, F. Fitch, H. Moore, G. Neil, E. Johnson. West.—D. Fraser, Vercoe, Swann, J. Verran, C. McKinnon, L. Nield, L. C. Masters, S. Kerr, H. Hamilton, D. Henderson, J. Beagley, K. Page, L. Carrick, F. Knight, G. Taylor. East turned up two men short and had to wait for the finish of the junior game for players to fill the vacancies. Soon after the opening of play Verran scored from a passing rush, Swann failing to convert. Ding-dong play ensued for awhile, with West in the ascendancy, when a loose kick across the field enabled Vercoe to score, Swann missing the goal. Neil kicked through to Masters, who found the line at half-way with a splendid kick. Shortly after the lineout Masters kicked cleverly over his head and eased the pressure. West attempted to open up the game with a passing bout, a forward pass spoiling a pretty movement. In the scrums neither side was hooking cleanly. Swann in a dangerous movement found the line in East's twenty-five, a kick in loose play aiding L. Nield to dive over for a neat try. Swann converted. ; On the kick-off in the second quarter Kerr returned the ball to about half-way. Mixed play followed until Page by an individual effort opened up the game. A penalty kick awarded against West for a knock-on was ' missed by Moore, West forcing. Moore cleared well in front of the posts, but Verran crossed the line after some scraggy play. Henderson failed with the kick. A pretty passing movement by the West backs was spoiled by a forward pass, and Waiwai opened up the tangle which ensued. Moore failed with a penalty kick and Fraser forced. G. Neil sustained a twisted ankle and was replaced by McQuarters. The scores at half-time were West 9, East 0. In the second half East showed an improvement, but found West too strong. Fitch, through offside play, enabled Kennedy to have a shot which went close, but Zenovich obtained possession and cleared. Kennedy marked near the half-way line, but his placekick was charged down, the east forwards rushing into West’s territory. West worked out again and sent to McQuarters, who side-stepped several opponents before getting rid of the ball. Wilkinson was playing well for East, stopping some hard rushes and clearing with well-placed kicks. A nice dribbling rush started by Taylor from a line-out was stopped by Wilkinson. From a scrummage in front of the posts saw another try registered by West, and Swann converted with a fine kick. Play was quickly returned to East’s territory, Wilkinson saving in a dangerous position with a splendid. mark. From a passing bout Swann scored and converted his try with another good kick frotn near the side-line. Mixed play ensued and Taylor scored shortly before time, the game terminating with the scores West 22, East 0. ’ ; , Mr F. T. V. Johnson was referee.. SUBURBS V. PIRATES. The Suburbs and Pirates teams met at Hikutaia, and the game resulted in a narrow win for Suburbs by lido 10. Mr B. Neil was referee. THE JUNIORS. EAST V. WEST. In the junior, game between East and West, played on the No. 2 ground, West pressed at the onset, but East soon retaliated and Ashcroft scored in the corner, a try which was not converted. After the change-over Verran saved in an ugly situation by marking. West attacked and Alp crossed the line near the corner, blit the kick at goal failed. Mixed play followed until Gamble scored another try for East which was also not coijiverted. On resuming after half-time Curtis scored an unconverted try. During open play West pressed, but East secured the ball , and carried play down the field for Ashcroft to cross the line. Curtis was successful with the kick, making the scores East 14, West 3. Chisholm cleared in a tight situation, and then West rushed to East’s line, but the defenders immediately returned to the other end of the field for Curtis to score and then convert his own try. The game terminated without further scoring, East winning by 19 points to 3. Mr H. Wilton was referee. THAMES VALLEY REFEREES. " ANNUAL MEETING. At the annual meetig of the Thames Valley Rugby Union Referees’ Asociation held on Saturday night the following officers were elected :— : President, Mr E. Smith, Paeroa; vice-presidents, Messrs W. Dunstan, Waihi, J. Reid, Paeroa, and W. Brydon, Te Aroha ; delegate to Thames Valley Rugby Union, Mr H. M. Shand; secretary and treasurer, Mr J. Mannix, Waihi. I The meeting, after discusing several new rules and decisions, closed with votes of thanks to the Thames Valley Rugby Union for its support and to Mr T. Turner, past president, who had left the district, for the services he had rendered.