STAR DIMMED

NZ Truth, Issue 1176, 14 June 1928, Page 14

STAR DIMMED

Might Yet Twinkle For Pirates (Prom "N.Z. Truth's" Invercarglll Rep.) Pirates unexpectedly downed Star by eight points to three, after a big struggle in which the issue was in doubt until the last two minutes. DRIL.LIANT sunshine affected each '-' side and the play opened sluggishly with the Star forwards playing better in the loose than their opponents. Thomas put Pirates on the attack and Bell dashed through, but knocked ,on in stopping a back pass. Diack marked and goaled well. Hard forward play kept the backs from getj ting far and Africander, kicking for [Position, made play as dull as ditch I water. . ■■■ ' Diack cornered at length and the Pirates swarmed over the Star line, the defence, however, proving sound. Diack and Sherlock stopped all the gaps and the first spell ended with play in favor of Star, but with three points to Pirates. The first ten minutes after lemon time, saw hard forward dashes with Shaw, Manson and Howden prominent for Star and King-, Batchelor and Roberts always there for the blacks. Then came the sensation of the match. The game was at the midfield flag and Shaw missed a pass. Diack picked up and sent Geddes racing along the line. When the fast wing reached his marker, he sent in field to Diack, who took brilliantly- and dashed. towards the posts to score behind and to goal. Diack thus put on the Pirates' eight points. Pirates shook them Iselves up then, but Star were too clever and with two minutes to go, Lilley ran hard away from the packs and Ed. Guy passed Oughton, who sent to Murray, thence to McAuliffe and finally Murray again, who went over for a fine try. Lilley's narrow miss gave Pirates a certain win, for in the next minute of play Bell and Roberts clashed and Roberts walked off, reaching- the stand as the, last whistle blew. The crowd roared its disapproval, but Referee Kelly saw Roberts punch, though the man put off says that Bell put in the boot. (Juy Oughton was the big back of the game with Diack second. Manson and Howden were the best loose forwards, with King and Carter well up for Pirates.