FOOTBALL.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 480, 10 June 1919, Page 2

FOOTBALL.

End of First Round. Pukekohe Teams Leading for Championship' Championship Ladder. Senior. P. W. L. Kor. Ag. Pt. Pukekohe 3 3 Waiuku.. 3 2 1 42 13 4 Bombay.. 3 I 2 13 21 2 Tuakau.. 3 Junior. Pukekohe 3 3 - 67 3 6 Tuakau..* 3 1 I 8 30 3 Waiuku..* 3 1 1 13 11 3 Bombay.. 3 - 3 4 48 0 *Drawn game.

Results at a Glance : SENIOR. Pukekohe 9 v Bombay 0 Waiuku 27 v. Tuakau 0 JUNIOR. Pukekohe 30 v. Bombay 0 Waiuku v Tuakau a draw The Rugby game was advanced a further stage on Saturday last when the first round for the Armstrong Cup was concluded. Both Pukekohe teams concluded the round without defeat. PUKEKOHE 9 V. BOMBAY 0.

Pukekohe won the toss and defended the south-western goal. From the kick-off, the Bombay forwards, who came with a great reputation. attacked and made the pace a cracker but the Pukekohe forwards were equal to the task and returned the oval to red and white 25. Fr m a scrum in the visitors' 25, Jimmy Blake secured, transferred to Beynolds, who missed and slightly knocked on but the referee did not notice the breach, and G Lucas, who came down with a fine dash, gathered the ball in and scored a good try, J. Forbes was entrusted with the kick but failed to enhance. Pukekohe 3, Bombay 0. Bombay followed the drop out but E. Lucas, with a good rush, drove them back Sid Marshall and Jimmy Blake were aeon to advantage near the visitors' goal and were almost over, but offside play on the part of a Pukekohe player rfsuled in a free kick for Bombay and this relieved a very ugly position. The led forwards repulsed the Bombay men and play was again in the visitors' 25. G. Lucas made another " bull-dog " attempt but failed by a " whisker." From a line-out the forwards secured and transferred to Aiken, who dived over. W. Adams' kick, although a good one, fell short. Pukekohe 6, Bombay 0. Play remained in neutral territory for a time until Moffitt (Bombay) obtained the leather and transferred play to Pukekohe 25. Things became very willing for a time, but only once did Bombay look like scoring. Adams, the local full-back, saved the situation time and again. The first spell ended shortly after. With the wind in their favour,, it was anticipated that the visitors would score, but the defensive tactics adopted by the home team prevented this, and the boot was on the other foot, as a couple of minutes after the kick-off Pukekohe was almost across, but a free kick against them gave Bombay a chance to clear. L. Reynolds marked, and Forbes had a shot, only missing by a fraction; in fact, a number of spectators thought the ball went between tho uprights, but it did net. The Bombayites rushed down held with the ball at toe, and for an infringement were awarded a free kick in a fairly easy position, giving A. Wray (the visiting skipper) a good chance to draw first blood for his team, but he was unsuccessful, and Pukekohe forced. Soon after, the home team was again compelled to force Bombay were now playing very detetminedly, and kept Pukekohe very busy defending for a time, but they proved too sound and impregnable. The ball for the remainder of the spell travelled up and down the field rapidly, and players on both sides were pleased when half-time sounded, with the score—Pukekohe, 6; Bombay, 0. Bombay opened the second half full of grit and determination, and made the pace fairly hot, but this was only momentarily, as the home team, after stonewalling the visitors, attacked, and G. Lucas, obtaining the oval at the 25 flag, came around on the blind side, and outpacing his opponents, scored his second try. Mason's kick, a beautv, missed by inches - Pukekohe, '.»; Bombay, 0. For the remainder of the spell Bombay were more or less defending, until Sutton dived for the line, only being grassed a few inches from the corner. From the ensuing scrum, Bombay secured, and transferred play to the other end. The final spell saw some good rushes on the part of the Bombay forwards, and twice the visitors were nearly across. The onlj time they ever really lookod like scoring (and they were very near to it) was on the eastern corner of the field They drove the reds back to their own goal-line, and had onlv about a foot to go to register a score. From a scrum on the line the Pukekohe forwards pushed the attackers back about ten yards, whero the bail went into touch. Evans, Wray, and Moffitt were instrumental in opening up play to some tone. Onlv for these men, the visitors would have received a drubbing. An intercept by the Bombay skipper put Pukekohe ia difficultie", but Adams saved. On another occasion, a big Bombay forward got away on his own, and only had the full-back to pass. Adams was equal to the occasion, and brought his man down with a "clatter." This evoked some richly-deserved applause from the spectators. The linal stages of the game were interesting, and the spectators were worked up to a high pitch of excitement. Everyone (even the Pukekohe supporters) barracked for Bombay, with a view to testing their scoring abilities, but, even then, they failed to cross the Pukekohe line.

Wray, captain of the visitors, and j G. Lucas, of Pukekohe, were both knocked out, but fortunately both recovered without any serious injury, although Lucas, who proved a stout thorn in the side of the visitors, rather badly injured his ankle The game ended in favour of Pukekohe, by 9 points to nil Mr F. Burgess, of Puni, refereed. Waiuku, 27 ; Tuakau, 0. Tuakau journeyed to Waiuku, and received a drubhing to the tune of 27 points to nil. Mr Christiansen refereed. Pukekohe, 30; Bombay, 0. The local juniors journeyed to Bombay, and left the field victorious by 30 points to nil. Mr R. Fulton controlled the game. Waiuku v. Tuakau, a draw. These teams met at Tuakau, and played a no-score draw. Mr J. O'Malley was in charge.