FOOTBALL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2598, 26 June 1923, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

BULLS DEFEAT FOXTON SENIORS.

A friendly game, outside the union competitions, was played at Bulls on Saturday, between the Foxton Seniors and Bulls club, and after a most enjoyable game resulted in victory for the home team oy 13 points to nil. The weather being delightfully calm and bright, and both sides appreciating this concession from the lap of Nature, played with a will that did credit to the districts they represented.

At 3.30 p.m. the two teams took the field, which although not as greasy as was anticipated was, nevertheless, treacherous, and more than once a joyful optimist dashing for the line, regretfully discovered that the forces of nature had frustrated his worthy efforts to gain a victory for his side. During the first spell play swayed out ;in all points of the field. Repeatedly both teams were manfully defending their own goal lines. From a passing rush the ball was thrown to M. Robinson who dashed through the backs and fell across the line with the ball in enemy territory. Unfortunately the referee considered that a try had not been scored, and awarded a five yards scrum from which the ball emerged to be kicked far up the field. Shortly before the close of ~ the first spell the blacks (Bulls), who possessed a pack of fast backs, got posession of the ball. McGregor, a veritable flying Dutchman, -lost no time in racing for the line. He was collared low but passed to Gifford who scored. The first spell ended: Bulls 3; Foxton nil.

In the second spell, the speedy rushes made by the Bulls backs began to bear fruit, their speed being particularly responsible for their success. The yellows fought hard to break through their opponents’ dbl'ence but to no purpose, the Bulls full back playing a safe game for the line. The second spell ended: Bulls 13, Foxton nil. ' At the close of the game Savwcll, the Bulls player who was considered the best all-round player on the field was presented with a gold medal donated by some Bulls enthusiasts.

Among the Foxton players, those most prominent were Moses, Townshend, Cummerfield and Baker. McGregor, Savwell and J. Gifford proved their worth for the Bulls team. In the evening the Bulls team entertained the Foxton team at a dinner at which various players_.expressed their pleasure at the hearty good-fellowship existing between the two clubs. We trust that when the Bulls team play the return match Foxton will profit by a dry ground and carry the colours to victory.

“Coach McDowell delivered a lecture to the! Thirds at. last night’s practice. He expressed in forceful language, the necessity for each man turning out to practice. _ The team so far this season had an unbroken record and was leading in the championship -by 6 points, but this, did not justify slackness on the part of the players, in fact it should stir s them to greater perfection in the fine points of the game. He hoped they would all be in attendance this week.