FOOTBALL.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXII, Issue 2796, 29 May 1911, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

EAST V. WEST.

Notwithstanding the large amount of rain that fell on Friday night the recreation ground at Paeroa was in fair order on Saturday afternoon, when the senior match between East and West was played. More than ordinary interest was taken in the game, because a win for West would give that team a clear lead in the cup matches, while on the other hand a victory for East meant that East, West and Netherton would all be level in the contest for the cup. The game resulted in a win for East by eight points to three, and so at the end of the second round the three competing senior teams are level.

East registered the first score as the result of a good passing run amongst the backs, M. McGeehan touching the ball down over the goal line. The kick at goal failed. West's chance came some time later when a scrum was formed close to East's goal line. West secured, and the ball being sent out to Wyn Edwards, that player got over the line close to the corner, making the scores even, The attempt to convert was a failure. For a long time it looked as if there was to be no further score, but about five minutes before the call oi time East was given a chance owing to bad play by the West backs. The ball had been kicked by one of the East backs to somewhere about the middle of the field. One after another the West backs fumbled the leather* and "Ted" Edwards following up quickly, he rushed the ball right down to West's goal line, and in a scramble

for the ball T. Pennell secured it and registered East's second try. The kick at goal was entrusted to H. borensen, and with a good kick he sent the ball between the uprights, ihe bell went shortly afterwards, and East left the field victorious by eight points to three.

It was a good game, and although West had bad luck to lose right at the finish it was certainly the fault of the players for fumbling the ball so badly. In any case, East was slightly the better team on the whole, although there was not much difference between the opposing fifteens. Considering the greasy state of the ball and the heavy ground the game was a very fair exposition ot Rugby. Creditable attempts were made to get on passing runs, and the ball was thrown about in great style, but nearly always the passing rushes were spoiled by faulty passing. Sometimes it was the fault of the man attempting to take the ball, but more often it was the fault of the man passing the ball. At times the ball would be sent out almost as

high as a man's head; at other times it would be below his knees. With this fault corrected, both teams would no doubt show some pretty football. The kicking by the backs on Saturday was satisfactory, but the fielding of the leather often was faulty. There was a tendency on the part of some of the players to make only a half-hearted attempt to catch the ball, with, of course, bad results. Improvement could also be effected in the fine out work by the forwards. With one or two notable exceptions, the men were slow in gaining possession of the ball from the line out, and the result was that scrums for knocks on were numerous. The game was fast and willing right from start to finish, and a few such contests would do much to stimulate local interest in Rugby. Creditable form was shown by some of the young players, and the selector will have plenty of promising material to select from when he picks the rep. team.

Mr C. Mettam referred the game, and his decisions were, taken right through, satisfactory. As fas as possible, he made the game fast, abstaining from blowing the whistle for minor breaches of the rules when no advantage was gained by the offending side.