PLAINS FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5430, 29 May 1929, Page 1

PLAINS FOOTBALL.

COMPETITIONS CONTINUED. LAST SATURDAY’S PLAY. There were wet fields, "although the weather was fine, for Saturday s Rugby games on the Hauraki Plains. For Turua against Waitakaruru R. Madgwick scored and W. Hutchinson converted, and in the junior game K. Findlay and V. Hayward, of Waitakaruru, registered the only tries in the game against Turua. The Kerepeehi juniors were visited by the Hikutaia juniors, whom they defeated by 6 points to 3. The Ngatea juniors journeyed to Thames and suffered defeat by the Physical Training junior team by 22 points. In the third-grade game at Kerepeehi scores were secured for Ngatea by V. Kean and G. Clark, while R. Williams kicked a goal. For the home team T. Carr scored twice. NGATEA V. WEST. A hard, clean game was witnessed at Ngatea when a depleted local team was fortunate in not being well beaten by the Patetonga players, whose play was a disappointment to those who had seen them in action on the previous Saturday at Kerepeehi. The teams were as follows :— West.—J. Hedley, A. Anderton, W. Costello, T. Herewini, F. Costello, G. Garry, W. Tanner, J. Garry, R. Benny, McMahon, J. Silcock, L. Hunter, E. Pulman, K. Hunter, G. Watts. Ngatea.—F. Nicol, C. Molloy, J. McPherson, A. Kilgour, A. Fraser, A. Stanley, P. Clark, M. Martin, J. Ivan, W. O’Neil, J. Hartley, E. Perkins, P. Leonard, A. Nipi. Ngatea kicked off, and play was restricted to midfield until a penalty kick shifted operations well into the visitors’ territory, where McPherson gained possession and crossed the line. His kick failed. Ngatea 3, West 0. West followed up the kick-out, and > after some close play had a shot at goal, Ngatea forcing. Play remained in Ngatea’s twenty-five, and Hedley kicked a penalty goal. Ngatea 3, West 3. Play was fast and open, and ranged from end to end of the field very quickly, backs and forwards combining well. Hedley failed with a penalty kick. The drop-out was returned and followed up, Hedley making a fine run. the Ngatea forwards gained ground and Molloy failed to score with a free kick. In the second round there was a strong attack on the part of West, 1 Benny and the two Costellos being conspicuous. Play ranged back again and Molloy again failed with a free kick. Kilgour and McPherson just failed to score as a result of some pretty work, McPherson bumping the full-back and having his left collarbone broken. Another player with the same name went on in his place. In open play in West’s twenty-five Molloy had an unsuccessful drop-kick at goal. Hard open play in midfield followed, Ngatea showing to advantage with Fraser and Leonard in the fore. Hedley did some good work for West, being a strong runner. The Ngatea forwards did not work together in close play as on the previous Saturday, and in this section the team was the weaker of the two. On resuming after half-time there was close forward play m which ‘'Vest worked up to the goal-line. A penalty relieved, but West again pressed and Ngatea was penalised. Hedley took the kick, the ball bouncing off the bar into the field of play. A hard forward struggle ensued until Molloy forced. Fine open play in neutral territory followed, Ngatea’s tackling being very poor. W. Tanner, the West half-back, played a fine game, and C. Molloy, of Ngatea, was in his old form. West hooked the bail in the scrum almost every time. The final round opened with fast, open play until West made an attack which compelled Ngatea to force. A Ngatea advance saw Costello fail with a penalty kick and J. Garry with a mark. F. Costello broke away and almost scored, being pushed out at the corner flag. No further score resulted, and the game ended in a draw. , Mr J. Kidd was referee. i |