FOOTBALL.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 145, 12 August 1926, Page 8

FOOTBALL.

t (Continued from Page 1.) . PUTARURU V. WAIPA. | The following team has been selected by Mr. H. Jensen, sole selector, to represent Putaruru against Waipa at Te Awamutu next Saturday : Full-back, Green (Arapuni) ; threequarters, Taylor (Putaruru), Kelly (Te Whetu), Henderson (Putaruru) ; five-eighths, McDonald (Arapuni, Petherick (Arapuni) ; half-back, Doherty (Arapuni) ; rover, Gasparich, captain (Putaruru)'; forwards, Tomalin (Putaruru), Jensen (Te Whetu), Butt (Te Whetu), Yendeli (Tokoroa), F. Hearn (Te Whetu), Brown (Putaruru), Williams (Arapuni). Reserves, Eobinson (Te Whetu), ICiti (Arapuni), Morrow (Putaruru), W. Hearn (Te Whetu). V. MAMAKU.- i The following team has been - se- | lected to represent Putaruru against 1 Mamaku at Mamaku next Saturday : [ Masters, G. Brown, Mears, Peebles, \ Edwards, Robertson, Kusabs, Rewite (captain), M. Brown, Baker, Bright, Conrad, Cairns, L. Thorpe, W. Hearn. Reserves ; Backs, F. Morrow, M. Voice ; forwards, McDonnell, Puki, Smith. FINLAY CUP MATCH. MORRINSVILLE 17, MATAMATA 0. The Morrinsville Union's represen- * tative team was called upon to defend ■ its first challenge for the Finlay Cup 1 on Saturday, the challengers being , Matamata. The only alteration in the : selected teams was E. Green played 1 fullback for the visitors instead of j Sutherland. The game, which was played on a ground on which water was laying, was even enough in the first two spells, but thereafter Morrinsville had all the better of the game and ultimately won by 17 points to nil. At no time during the match did the visitors look like winners, the holders ! having a distinct advantage in the backs and in the open forward work. The outstanding feature of the visitors' play was the hooking, but the backs could do nothing with the hall. ' The teams were:— Morrinsville (blue and black) : Fullback, S. Thomas; three-quarters, K. Campbell, B. Robson, C. Cameron; five-eighths, M. Anderson, G. Marshall; half-back, Letton; rover, Howard; forwards, Hewitt, Russell, F. Thomas, Cameron, Goble, Pretty, Bunting. Matamata (black): Full-back E, Green; threequarters, J. Stewart, AStory. O’Neill; five-eighths, Fausitt, G. Wilson; half-back, E. Douglas; rover, W. Kuhtz; forwards, McCarthy, Abraham, Bennett, H. Mason, A. Coop- | er, C. Woods,, Harding. Mr. A. R. Thomas (Cambridge) •was referee. Matamata won the toss and played with a heavy wind in their favour in the first quarter. As the teams lined out Matamata appeared to be much the heavier. Howard’s kick oil: was carried by the wind and only made about three yards. The first notable incident was a free to Morrinsville near the half-way. Howard was then prominent, but was penalised. Russell in front of the ball nullified a free to the blues, and play remained at half-way until Story kicked overstrong, and S. Thomas forced. Howard received from Bunting in a line out to open up a passing rush, but Campbell could make no headway, and the game still centred at the halfway line. Douglas twice put in good defensive work, on the second occasion getting a kick in to the line cleverly. Green was then called upon to clear from a Morrinsville short passing bout, in which Howard came in twice to handle last. C. Cameron then stopped the Matamata forwards with a short punt to the line. Matamata were then sorely pressed. From a line out Howard secured and sent to Anderson, who cleverly side-stepped several opponents, put in a great run,, and just missed the line, being brought down by Wilson. The Matamata forwards now began to use their weight and play veered to the Morrinsville 25. Douglas to Wilson was a nice movement, but the latter was tackled and nothing was gained. Play was again in midfield. Howard put Morrinsville into the black territory with a line kick, which was improved upon from the line out. Kuhtz hurst through with ball at toe and took play right on to the Morrinsville line, but a long

kick went through the Matamata backs, and play went to 25, where Morrinsville were penalised for ob- ‘ struction. The kick at goal failed and quarter-time was called, i Bennett showed some clever line out work in the opening stages of the second quarter. Anderson put Morrinsville well on the attack with some “ soccer ”, work- The ball remained in the Matamata 25, where a series of lineouts and scrums were held. Douglas was forced to relieve. The Matamata half was responsible for good work, but the Morrinsville forwards broke through and A. Cameron had bad luck in missing the ball to score. Morrinsville were having all the better of the quarter. The Morrinsville 1 backs then started a movement by Campbell to Anderson to Campbell, who had come up on the inside, but j Wilson nipped a smart rush by getI ting Campbell. Morrinsville continued to .press, and Wilson gave the Morrinsville backs possession, from which the first score of the match came. F. j Thomas received and passed to An- , derson- to-Howard to Cameron, who ] made a run to be stopped. Robson 1 gathered in-a-melee to score. Goble’s kick failed. Morrinsville 3, Matamata 0. Green was conspicuous in good defensive play in stopping a rush in which Bunting was''prominent. ■- Morrinsville were overrunning their opponents at this stage. A free to Matamata failed to relieve, and it remained to Kuhtz to take to quarter way. Anderson next broke away and passed to Howard, who was brilliantly tackled by Green on the line. It was good work on Green’s part. Morrinsville pressed and Howard went , over the line, but the referee gave a I five yards scrum. Morrinsville were ; attacking persistently but the defence ■held until . half-time. Morrinsville 3, , Matamata 0.

Matamata obtained a slight territorial advantage in the opening stages of the second half and from work down' the line Kuhtz broke through and passed out, but " the" pass was smothered. Letton made a dash on the blind side and made near half the ground to pass to Campbell, who punted. Green beat the pair to the. ball, which bounced out. Abraham headed Matamata back on the reverse wing. At this stage there was an alteration in the Morrinsville backs, Marshall going half, C. Cameron t.o first five-eighths and ...Letton out. to wing threequarter. The blues headed back gradually with line kicks. Th.e game veerecT~to~tlle~ Matamata" end, where- there was some scrambling in the several pools of water. Howard, Camp|)elL«?,nd Anderson were responsible for some good play, which sent play right down to the black line, where it was stopped for a throw forward. Stewart cleared cleverly from Anderson. . The blacks worked down through Wilson to Stewart. Howard was again prominent in a burst through to pass to Cameron, who gave to Robson, who threw forward. A moment later Pretty gathered out of a pool in a forward rush and just got over. Marshall’s kick failed. Moirinsville 6, Matamata 0.

The sun came out for the last quarter, shining in the visitors’ faces. Howard broke through early in the spell but Story was home and stopped the attack. Anderson came on but Green just managed to steady to force. Morrinsville’s next score came from Howard to Cameron, who cut in, to Goble who scored. Howard converted. Morrinsville 11, Matamata 0. The Morrinsville backs continued to make matters lively, the play being mostly confined to them. Letton put in a strong run down the line, but his pass was misdirected. The next try came smartly from a line'out. Pretty, who was unmarked as first man, had the hall thrown to him and dropped over the line and scored. The kick failed. Morrinsville 14, Matamata 0. Morrinsville took charge Oif the game and continued to launch a series of attacks with‘backs and forwards. From loose play in the centre, S. Thomas sent out what appeared to he a forward pass to Campbell, who gathered smartly, raced down the line and heat the opposing wing and fullback to score a good try. Howard missed an easy kick. Morrinsville 17, Matamata 0. From some. Morrinsville short oassing Story intercepted and took nlay to well out of the danger zone. There was no one with him to pass to hut the dropped hall was continued on to the Morrinsville 25, where the blacks were awarded a free in handy oosition. Fausitt failed with the kick. The blues, quickly came hack, and combined forward and back attacks broke through the Matamata defence and Pretty touched down, but was given offside. The whistle then went, leaving Morrinsville still holders of the Cup.