FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5452, 24 July 1929, Page 1

FOOTBALL.

KNOCKOUT COMPETITION. PIRATES BEAT VETERANS. In a disagreeable drizzle the following teams took the field at the Paeroa Domain on Saturday in the first round of the Drysdale Cup knock-out competition : — Pirates.—G. .Pullar, P. Pullar, Eax, McCollum, R. Saunders, Colhcutt, Tukukino, Piercey, Bullock, L. Saunders, F Saunders, Young, Gage, Ratliff e, Killgour. Veterans. —Eva, Jenkinson, Robinson, Maloney Wilkinson, F. Thorp, H. Thorp, Taylor, Fisher, Thomas, Young, White, Patterson, Harrington, Hearne.

H. Thorp kicked off for Veterans, Pirates getting the ball and taking it into the Veterans’ territory. Where ding-dong [Jay took place. P. Pullar put in one or two flashy little runs. Patterson offside, Pullar took a pot at goal but failed. From a charge down the field by Tukukino, Piercey went over to score. Pullar failed to convert. Pirates 3, Veterans 0. Saunders by offside play held up a likely looking rush by the Pirates forwards. Pullar marked, and then Piercey, after a snappy dribble, was robbed of a try by an opponent kicking the ball out. Fisher started a good dribble, the Veterans taking the leather away at their feet in fine style to pear the line. In the second quarter Maloney put in a good run, but was too well marked and was not backed up. From a blind rush close to the line Thomas scored.- The kick failed. Pirates 3, Veterans 3. Pullar narrowly missed with a drop-kick from the twenty-fiVe line, but a moment after found the line with a great kick. Young was doing good work for the Veterans, but an infringement saved Pirates in a bad position. Robinson on his own took the ball to the line, where a score was Jost through a pass from the ground from a scrummage behind Pirates’ line. Taylor failed with a penalty kick. After half-time passing between Gage, Piercey, and Coldicutt gained some ground. The effort culminated in the Veterans forcing. Dull, close play see-sawed up and down the field. Taylor failed with a penalty kick from a difficult angle. Fumbling on the part of the Pirates backs nearly cost a try, a force saving the situation. A spectacular dribbling rush by some of the Pirates forwards broke down through lack of support. The final round saw the Veterans hard pressed by a forward rush, but a force resulted. Pirates immediately returned to the attack, the ball going out near the corner. Still having to defend, the Veterans forced again. Hard play took place on Veterans’ line, some of the defenders seeming to be losing interest. A wonderful run by Bax ended near the line. Eva marked and saved his side, but Pirates kept up the pressure until aforce resulted. The Veterans were more than fortunate in having Eva as full-back. Time being called with the scores eyen, an extra five minutes each way yas played. The Veterans recovered somewhat. Pullar opened up in tight play, but a knock-on negatived the advantage. The effect of a good kick by Pullar was lost through lack of support. The first five minutes went with no further score, but after three minutes more had gone McCollum beat the field from the twenty-five line and scored. Pullar converted. Pirates 8, Veterans 3. ‘Mi’ B. Neil was referee.