PLAINS FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5424, 15 May 1929, Page 1

PLAINS FOOTBALL.

COMPETITIONS CONTINUED. LAST SATURDAY’S PLAY. . The Hauraki Plains Rugby competition matches were continued on Saturday last in good weather. The Turua seniors visited the West club, and under the control of Mr A. Tynan won the match by 19 points to 0, though the game was not so one-sided as the score would indicate. C. Blacklaws scQred and kicked a penalty £oal, K. S. Graham scored, E. Gill converted twice and kicked a penalty goal, and F. Marshall kicked a goal. The West club did not have a junior team, so the Turua juniors visited Thames and played the C. 0.8. team, which won the match by 13 points to 9. Poor goal-kicking lost Turua the match. Three matches were played at Ngatea during the afternoon, but little football of merit was witnessed. The play showed an improvement on that of the previous Saturday, but faults were more frequent than flashes of good play, though both senior teams had men who should develop into good representatives. It was good to see F. Nicol back in the Ngatea team, and particularly as full-back. Nevertheless, he will have to play well to win a place in the representative team ahead of Burt, the Kerepeehi fullback. Birkenhead showed that he has lost none of his skill during his retirement, and in Wolfe Ngatea has a man it can expect much of. Of the forwards J. Fraser, A. Fisher, and E. Perkins were the outstanding players of the home team, with W. Harris, A. Courtney, and C. Craig for the visitors. Next to the Burt brothers N. Baggs and J. Adlum were the piek of the Kerepeehi forwards. Neither team showed combination or much respect for the offside rule. The teams were as follows : — Ngatea.—F. Nicol, P. Reti, A. Kilgour, Wolfe, G. Birkenhead, J. McPherson, S. Dalgety, J. Hartley, M. Martin, E. Perkins, J. Paich, A. Fisher, P. Leonard, W. O’Neil, J. Fraser.

Kerepeehi.—F. Burt, E. Potter, Jordan, J. Adlum, H. Wright, W. Baggs, W. Kidd, A. Burt, W. Smith, J. Baggs, W. Harris, A. Courtney, R. Hawera, R. Smith, C. Craig.

Ngatea kicked off against a light breeze, and fast open play ranged in neutral territory until Reti, caught in possession, let Kerepeehi through. Nicol saved with-a line kick, and open play followed in Ngatea’s twenty-five until Adlum crossed the line. F. Burt failed to convert. Kerepeehi 3, Ngatea 0. Burt failed with a long dropkick at goal, and play returned to midfield, Ngatea gaining ground in open forward play. Penalty kicks to Kerepeehi put Ngatea on the defensive, hard play following. Burt and Adlum indulged in a good passing rush, but no score resulted from Adlum’s free kick and play remained on Ngatea’s territory until the end of the quarter. After more hard, open play, in which Ngatea took advantage of the wind and worked play to the visitors’ end, Kerepeehi forced. Close forward play followed, and again Kerepeehi forced. A third force followed more tight play, and then the pace slackened and Kerepeehi assumed the offensive, throwing the ball about more than hitherto. The pace did not improve, and individual play was the order, with a great deal of offside play. Ngatea had to defend until half-time. ■

Aftpr the spell Ngatea advanced to Kerepeehi’s line, where Adlum saved with a line kick. Birkenhead took the ball in the line-out, and after a good run passed to Kilgour, to Wolfe, who scored. Fraser failed to convert. Kerepeehi 3, Ngatea 3. Play became faster, and ranged up and down in neutral territory, neither side holding the advantage for long. Nicol at fullback was playing his old game. With better combination than hitherto, the Ngatea forwards worked to Kerepeehi’s line, where O’Neil through offside play gave Kerepeehi a free kick. Wright intercepted a pass and made a good run to half-way, but lacked support. The final round opened with a Ngatea forward attack, play being very hard. An interchange of long kicks followed, Kerepeehi gaining ground. Two penalty kicks for offside play were unsuccessful for Kerepeehi, but the visitors continued to press steadily until Birkenhead with a long kick sent Ngatea on the attack. Tight play ensued in Kerepeehi’s twentyfive until Leonard failed with a dropkick and Kerepeehi forced. Willing play followed with Kerepeehi defending, and Courtney received a Bump on the head and was removed from the field suffering from concussion. Play remained close in Kerepeehi’s territory for the remainder of the game. Mr J. Kidd was referee.

In the junior game S. Donaghy scored a try for Ngatea which was converted by H. Kirkman, who also kicked a penalty goal. For Kerepeehi A. Nicholson scored and converted his try. Mr L. Cotter was referee.