FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5457, 5 August 1929, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

AUCKLAND B DEFEATED. VALLEY FORWARDS DOMINATE. In perfect football weather the following teams took the field in the Auckland v. Thames Valley interpro vincial match at Paeroa on Saturday, before 1500 spectators :— Auckland B. —Wilson, Falwasser, Bell, Abbott, Allen, Wales, Rae, Solomon. Hey.vard. Souter, Kahu, Peacock, Satherley, McGuire, Coll. Thames Valley.—Hedley, Graham, Bax, McNeil, Dillimore, Saunders, Snodgrass, Price, Hume, Beasley, McLaren, Walters, Clarke, Page, Mulgrew. Mr T. W. Jonas, of Paeroa, was the referee. Auckland won the toss and Wales kicked off. The visitors attacked immediately, Saunders saving with a neat kick. Paeroa broke up a passingbout started by Abbott. Snodgrass marked- Abbott took the ball straight across the field, Valley intercepting his pass and taking play to Auckland’s twenty-five. Bax passed to Graham, who fumbled. Walters led a forward rush, the ball going out. McNeil with a kick spoilt the visitors’ hopes of material gain. The Auckland backs got going, but Abbott failed to handle the ball cleanly. The Visitors were hooking in fine style. A. toe tackle effectively grassed Falwasser. From the scrum the Auckland backs went away, only to have the effort foiled by Dillimore. Page, with the ball at his feet bewildered Auckland, and Dillimore picked up to gain further 1 ground. A faulty pass by Bell gave the wing no chance. Bax broke through the defence and then passed to Graham, who was tackled. Abbott put in a strong run down , the line, only io be brought down by Graham. From ti e line-out the ball was sent across the field to Falwasser, who dashed for the corner. McNeil brought him down just short of the line, hut Bell was in support and dived on the ball, which had rolled over the line. The kick was disallowed. Auckland 3. Thames Valley 0.

Valley attacked immediately, and Hedlcv placed a fine line-kick near the corner. Auckland suffered for offside play. Dillimore gained ground with a line-kick. Auckland again committed a breach, but McLaren just missed with the kick

Shortly after the change-over McLaren had another shot from a penalty, but the kick was poor. Hedley put in a run with the ball and sent out a pass to Graham, but Abbott intercepted and put the home team on the defensive, In close play Kahu used his weight and crossed the line Abbott’s kick failed. Auckland 3, Thames Valley 0. Thames Valley set up an attack from which Wilson cleared with a nice line-kick. McNeil broke up a movement by the Auckland backs. Another passing bout by Auckland was met with deadly tackling, the men being brought down like ninepins. A fine passing bout looked as though it would be effective, but Falwasser just failed to hold his pass. McLaren woke through in close play, and with the ball at toe reached the line. The home team’s chances looked bright for a period, a’sd then Auckland committed a breach and McLaren converted. Auckland 6, Thames Valley 3. Saunders was doing marvellous' work his defence geing sound, his attacking initiative strong. The game was held up to clear spectators from behind the posts. Wilson was applauded for a nice line-kick, and McNeil gained a lot of ground with a punt to the line. Saunders stemmed a forward rush and, strongly menaced, fairly forced his way down the line, only to be swallowed up in the finish. A penalty shot by McLaren from nearly halfway went low. Bax dashed away on his own, but the opposition was sound. Snodgrass by holding on to the ball lost the home team a splendid opportunity. Hard play on the line followed until Auckland forced. On resumption after half-time Abbott dropped his pass and Graham booted the ball to within a few feet of the posts. Wilson was there, however, and made sure of his kick to clear. A hard struggle then ensued on Auckland’s line, and six sc.ums were formed on the same spot. Eventually a penalty against Valley brought relief for the visitors. With play about Valley’s twenty-live line the Auckland backs were set in motion, and after all of them had handled the ball Falwasser went over in the corner. Wilson failed to ccnveit. Auckland 9, Thames Valley 3. Allen showed great pace when starting his three-quarters. Auckland’s passing bouts were a pleasure to watch. Falwasser when tackled turned a cartwheel and landed on his feet to handle the ball again. A strong attack by Auckland was stopped by McNeil bringing down his man in perfect fashion. In a brilliant rush, the Valley forwards and backs combining, play was taken up the field for Graham to go over. Dihimore failed to convert. Auckland 9, Thames Valley 6. Play went at a fast pace up and down the field, neither side having the advantage and both teams working hard. Dillimore indulged in a dribble, and Thames Valley went on the attack. Saunders tried to break through, but the task was beyond his strength. His reward came a moment later, when he crossed the line to score the best try of the day so far. Dillimore failed with the kick. Auckland 9, Thames Valley 9. Auckland retaliated with a determined attack, the bell saving the defenders. The final round opened with an attack by Thames Valley, Clarke, who was the prominent man of the home team’s pack, heading the movement. From a five-yards scrum Auckland cleared. A poor passing bout by Valley terminated with McNeil punting down the field and then following up to take his man. The home team hung cn to the advantage gained, and the forwards from a throw-in forced

their way over the line for Walters to score. The kick went wide. Thames Valley 12, Auckland 9. After Saunders had nipped an Auckland passing bout in its initial stages Hedley had some work to do. Saunders was doing great defensive work, and was given no respite. Both Wilson and Hedley earped applause with their kicking. Another strong forward rush b.v Thames Valley was too much f< r Auckland and Mulgrew crossed not far from the posts. Dillimore converted. Thames Valley 17, Auckland 9. The home forwards controlled the game, and had Auckland hard pressed. Falwasser, who had been doing a freeze on the wing, had come in to centre, his place being taken by Allen, who was the weakest link in Auckland’s rearguard. At the first opportunity Falwasser gained the ball and put in an electric run from halfway, transferring to his able support Abbott when reaching the twenty-five line, for the latter to go on unopposed for a try between the posts. The kick was charged down. Thames Valley 17. Auckland 12. Saunders was still working like a Trojan, and was never far away from the ball. Dillimore failed with a kick from a difficult angle. The Valley forwards gained ground, and were attacking when the final bell went, terminating a clean, fast, and hard game with the scores Thames Valley 17, Auckland 12. AFTER THE MATCH. After the match the Auckland and Thames Valley players, together with the Thames Valley executive, foregathered at dinner in the Criterion Hotel. Mr J. W. Silcock, in proposing the health of the visitors, remarked on the pleasant relations Thames Valley had always had with Auckland. He was pleased Auckland had sent down a fairly strong combination, and in face cf it he was pleased that the Thames Valley boys had added their second Paeroa victory against Auckland. The manager of the visiting team, Mr S. Cleal, praised the Thames Valley forwards as being the better on the day’s play. The better side wen, although Auckland had done their best. He congratulated the teain on having such a fine football field remarking that it was infinitely better than Eden Park. Mr Cleal concluded by saying how pleased the Auckland team were by the way they had been met, and how grateful they were for the hospitality extended. He was quite sure that as a result cf the game Thames Valley football would be encouraged to a great extent—all to the good of Rugby. Mr Solomon, the Auckland cantain, referred with pleasure to the fine game and the clean spirit characterising the play throughout. In reply to Mr Cleal the Thames Valley captain, Mr Snodgrass, said his team was naturally pleased at its win, and what enchanced the pride of the members was that although not an A team the Auckland fifteen included some A players. The Auckland team left late?, in the evening on their return journey to the city. THIRD GRADE MATCH. McLEAN CUP COMPETITION. In the third grade representative match in connection with the McLean Cup competition, the Paeroa and Hauraki Plains teams met on the No. 1 ground at the Paeroa Domain. At the close of an interesting game Paeroa had gained a victory, the scores being, Paerua 13, Hauraki Plains 3. HIGH SCHOOL MATCH. . PAEROA V. NGATEA. A fairly large number of spectators witness a lively game at Ngatea on Thursday last between the Paeroa and Ngatea high school teams, the former winning by 12 points to 8. There was not a dull moment in the match, play sweeping up and down the field in traditional secondary school style. Paeroa had the advantage in weight, the team being of very even size. The Ngatea boys were more uneven, some of the fbrwards being rather op the light side. The first quarter ended with Ngatea 3, Paeroa 0, Carr having scored a spectacular try. At half-time the scores were even, 3 all, Marshall having notched a try after some clever combined play. In the third round, both sides threw the ball about well, and Marshall scored two more tries, change-over coming with the scores Paeroa 9. Ngatea 3. In the final quarter Nicholls scored for Paeroa, and Ngatea, after determined efforts., was rewarded when Foster dashed across and then converted his own try. which made the final points Paeroa 12, Ngatea 8. Mr E. A. Mahoney was referee. HIGH SCHOOL TOURNAMENT. It is p'roposed that the four district high schools in the Thames Valley— Paeroa, Ngatea, Waihi, and Te Aroha —should hold a tournament in Paeroa on August 17. All four schools are enthusiastic, and it is suggested that a representative team should be picked to play against an Auckland or Hamilton school.