FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5443, 3 July 1929, Page 4

FOOTBALL.

REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES. LAST SATURDAY’S PLAY. SENIOR MATCH. In the representative match between Paeroa and Hauraki Plains the following teams took the field on time :— Paeroa.—Rare, McCollum, Bax, McNeil, Swann, McGarvey, Moore, Taylor, Vedder, Fitch, Henderson, Page, Johnson, Murray, Killgour. Hauraki Plains.—Hedley, Masters, W. Costello, F. Costello, Wright, Birkenhead, Marshall, Madgwick, K. McCollum, Gill, Fisher, W. Clark, P. Clark, Harris, Hill. A heavy field, owing to the recent rains, made footwork and tackling difficult, while a slippery ball took some handling. Nevertheless, the passing by the backs of both sides was the best seen in Paeroa this season. Plains won the toss and elected to play with the wind. Plains rushed at the onset, the ball going dead over Paeroa’s line. Taylor cleared well. McCollum and Swann took the ball some distance, but Plains retaliated and caused Paeroa to force. A free kick awarded to Paeroa brought some relief. From the twenty-five line W. Costello rushed through on his own for a try.. The kick was unsuccessful. Plains 3, Paeroa G. Moore found the line well down the field with the kickout. Plains immediately attacked, the Paeroa forwards failing badly in their tackling. Moore made a brilliant run before passing to McCollum, whose short kick was gathered up by Hedley to clear. A likely chance for Paeroa was lost when Johnson was tackled on the line.

The second round opened with a strong attack by Plains, and after Rare had attempted to save the situation with a mark Paeroa forced. With Plains still pressing strongly, a scrum on the line saw the Paeroa forwards prevail. Hedley saved for Plains, but McCollum ran right' through the Plains forwards and found the line at the corner with a good kick. Plains had Che better of the resulting close play, but eventually the visitors had to force. The ball going out robbed Nield of a score. Moore set the Paeroa backs in action, and McCollum was unlucky not to score. Had the pass not been too long for Bax to handle a try would have been, registered. Swann took the leather at his feet to near the line, where Nield picked up and dived over. The kick failed. Plains 3, Paeroa 3. Paeroa had the ball under control when Hedley cut in and got clean away. From a short punt Marshall marked. Rare brought off a brilliant save by first tackling his man and then, in possession, fending off opponents until support came. Soon after half-time a spectacular passing bout took place. Moore gained possession and sent to McCollum, who made a good run down the line before in-passing to Bax. The latter returned to McCollum for him to cross the line. Swann from a bad position and against a cross wind put the ball between the posts, with a beautiful kick. Paeroa 8, Plains 3. the visitors attacked strongly but could not pass Rare. F. Costello commenced’a passing rush in which Masters showed up well. Paeroa, hard-pushed, kicked to the deadrball line. From a penalty Gill made a fine but abortive kick at goal.. McGarvey cleared in great style. Wright marked. Hedley covered the Paeroa forwards and effectively stopped their rushes. Wright set the Plains backs on the move. A series of hard scrummages ensued on Paeroa’s line until the defending forwards gained the ascendancy.

Moore started the Paeroa backs on the move, all handling in masterly fashion, Bax racing to score near the posts. Swann’s kick failed, the ball rebounding from the bar. Paeroa 11, Plains 3. Moore was playing a wonderful game. On several occasions he punted and by following up collared his man. Times/out of number he sent his backs away. Killgour and Taylor were prominent in several I’atroa forward rushes. Paeroa made great efforts to score, but Hedley’s wonderful play broke up hopeful movements. Henderson marked and gained ground. Fisher put hi some good work. McGarvey made a nippy run but, being unsupported, found the defence too strong. lia: e a play throughout was cool and dependable. Paeroa was pressing hard when the final whistle went, with the scores Paeroa 11, Plains 3. Mr A. W. Dunstan was referee. • JUNIOR MATCH. Very fair football was witnessed at Ngatea on Saturday last, when tl>e first Sharebrokers’ Cup match of the season was played in- bolster*, us and showery weather, before a small attendance of spectators. The Plains team, with its better set of forwards, which suited the style of game necessary by the weather, dominated the play, though the Paeroa backs showed that they could handle the ball well.

The game, was very interesting throughout, and was as good an exhibition as seen on the Plains for so’/iC time. The field was not as slippery as anticipated, and there was very little mud. The teams were as follows :

Hauraki Plains. —L. Cpxhead, E. McCormick, Findlay. S. Donaghy, A. Stanley, Hill, V. McPherson, H. Kirkman, K. Andrews, K. Caie, S. Nicholson, E. Pitt, T. Dimmock, W. Dimmock, M. Caie. Paeroa. —T. Rare, L. .Master.;, P. Poland, K. Curtis, R. Mead, W. phy, V. Hale, J. Walls, D. Currie, A. Morrison, G. Gamble, B. Miller. W. Ashcroft, J. Smith, A. Power. . Plains won the toss and I’acroa kicked off with the wind. In a dribbling rush Paeroa carried to I'la.v.s’ line and compelled a force. The dropout wah followed up, but Walls, sent the visitors on an attack with a fine passing rush which Donaghy stopped. Paeroa failed to take advantage of a penalty kick and Plains fere rd. The Plains forwards got going nicely and entered the visitors’ territory. After some close play E. Pitt opened the score with a try which Kickman failed

to convert. Plains 3, Paeroa 0. Open play followed in midfield, the Plaihs forwards working well together. A long kick took play to the home team’s line, where Kirkman saved. Paeroa returned to the attack and compelled a force. Nicholson led the Plains forwards into their opponents’ twentyfive, but operations shifted back to neutral territory before the quarter ended.

The second round opened with close play in neutral territoi'y until Nicholson was instrumental in putting Paeroa on the defensive. In close play Murphy broke away and raced down the field, but McCormick stopped him and Plains forced. The Paeroa backs were throwing the ball about well but Plains had the best set of forwards, and whenever the latter got going territory was gained. Forward rushes compelled Paeroa to force thrice in quick succession, and after close play on the line Dimmock scored. Kirkman failed with the kick. Plains 6, Paeroa 0.

On resuming after half-time Coxhead went to centre and McCormick to full-back, while McMahon replaced Andrews, who was injured. In the Paeroa team C. Williams replaced J. Smith, who was also injured. Plains opened with a strong forward attack led by Nicholson and Pitt, but the weakness of the backs let the visitors through. A long spell of play in neutral territory followed until Mead followed up but failed to score through hanging on too long. Kirkman carried to the other end of the field, where play continued until the change over. The last round saw the Plains forwards in close play gradually gaining ground. A long kick took play to the home team’s twenty-five, and after a scramble Walls scored. Poland failed to convert. Plains 6, Paeroa 3. Then Donaghy gained a lot of ground by making a nice run before punting, and Kirkman just failed to score with a penalty kick. In open play Paeroa gained ground but Coxhead was equal to the occasion. Good following up by Plains and mulling by the Paeroa backs let Hill score a pretty try. Plains 9, Paeroa 3. With penalty kicks Paeroa worked up the field and then the backs indulged in a fine passing rush which terminated in a try by Ashcroft. Curtis converted. Plains 9, Paeroa 8. Mr L. Cotter was referee. THIRD GRADE MATCH. In the third-grade match between Paeroa and Hauraki Plains, played at Paeroa, the local team gained a victory by 12 points to 3. For Paeroa Edwards, Vercoe, Avery, and Corbett scored one try each. SCHOOLGOYS’ MATCH The conditions at Ngatea were all against bright football bn Saturday, and the schoolboy match between Pae roa and Hauraki Plains was not particularly interesting. Paeroa had considerably the advantage nj, weight, and showed better team work. The Plains team showed flashes of individual ability, but there was little or no cohesion. Any attempts at passing were nullified by the very slippery ball, and the high wind caused play to be confined to one side of the field most of the match;

For Paeroa Coxhead secured a try by outpacing the opposition in the first quarter. Coxhead also engineered Paeroa’s second try, in the last quarter, ‘by passing to Hanlen in a good position. Neither - try was converted.

The Plains boys showed the want of coaching in team work, a task which is a difficult, one under existing conditions. The half-back, Costello, shouldered a tremendous amount of work, both on attack and defence, and outshone his vis-a-vis. Sparrow, on the wing, made some good runs, but is weak on defence. The forwards’ weakness is in packing, and their play was ragged. Mr A. Cleave was referee.