SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL.

Shannon News, 22 May 1923, Page 3

SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL.

Hui Mai 5, Shannon 0. Wanderers ~8, Foxton 0. Otaki 16, Weraroa Q. JUNIORS (Southern). Te Horo 6, Hui Mai 0. Otaki 3, Rovers 0. (Northern). Tokomaru 9, Koputaroa 5. Mangahao 9, Moutoa 0. Shannon 8, Foxton 6. THIRDS. Te Horo 6, Hui Mai 3. (Northern). Shannon 11, Rovers 0. Foxton Weraroa drew, no score.

OTAKI 16, WERAROA 0.

.This fixture, which was played at the Levin Domain on Saturday, resulted in an easy win for Otaki, which had the advantage in weight and condition.

The ground was very heavy, the Foxton-Weraroa. Thirds game, which Was played in the rain, having turned it into a puddle in places. The Wall was naturally greasy, making clean passing and taking difficult, nevertheless some passing rushes by Otaki were smartly carried out. The game, which was a forward one, w!as fast and open until half-way in the second spell, when both teams showsigns to tiring. Weraroa was done to a standstill and ten points of Otaki’s score were put on in the last 12 minutes, in the latter case D’Ath running through the whole Wer'aroa, team. From the kick-off Otaki followed up and Wore right through the White team, Weraroa forcing. Whites challenged‘(and took play back to the opposing 25, where a pretty piece of forward work looked like resulting in a score, but the Wall was lost on the line. Play 'travelled back to Weraroa’s 25, three scrunis taking 'place close to tihe line in quick succession. Otaki 'was playing a hard gamfe, but lost ai couple of chances to score through, bad passing and over-anxiety. A spell of uninteresting play follow'ed, the hail travelling up and down the field in long kicks, until from half way, Wernrola attacked and in a loose scrambling rush, took the ball over the line among the forwards. The referee gave a scrum, five yards out. An exciting charge by Otaki followed with the weight of the whole team behind it. Ten yards from, the home line O. Jackson averted what looked like a sure try by carrying the ball out. From the line out Kehu I-Taka-rai'a took the ball and dived over. The shot at goal failed. Otaki S, Weraroa 0.

From the kick-off, Tahiwi got the ball and looked like scoring, but lost ft ten yards oiut. A long kick brought play back into h'alf way. Oiaki followed up and had Whites defending for a time. A long kick by Rangi Broughton wfa& well supported arid at the Otaki 25 a free kick was awarded Weraroa for off-side. Hopa took the kick, but could not do anything with the greasy Rail. Half time 'went, immediately after.

Five minutes 'after the commencement of play a forward rush by 'Otaki found the defence lacking and resulted in a score, the kick being a poster. Otaki 6, Weraroa 0. Weiiaroa rallied and kept play < n Otakfis line for a spell, -hut the heavy going was 'proving too tiring for die light team. A series of scrums followed, Otaki generally getting the ball, but Weraroa’s tackling was on the whole sound. Some useful passing rushes failed for the same reason. Otaki whs content to hold their advantage for ia while, but Weraroa. being unable to take the initiative, Otaki pressed again, 'and from play at the 25 ,D. D’Ath got the ball tand with a tricky run got. across and scored in a good position. Pirini Tallini added the extra points. 11—0. Weraro'a made an effort hut failed 1o sustain t, and Otaki forced the play once more, a free kick saving a score lor the time being. Just, on time, however, W. D’Ath picked the ball up from the loose near half-wav and took it right through the Weraroa team, scoring in a good position. The kick was again successful and the game ended Otaki 16, Weraroa 0. Mr Burroughs refereed. OTAKI 3, ROVERS 0.

Played in drizzling rain and on a sloppy ground one could not expect good football, 'and it soon became aparent that the handling of the hall was going to be a problem. Both sides tried passing, but the greasy state of the ball stopped all efforts in that direction, a muddy scramble becoming the order of the day. Speculating was rife, but neither side gained much 'advantage by these tactics. A few minutes beore half-time from a scramble on Rovers’ line, M. McIntyre picked up, and from a loose scramble forced his way over and scored, no goal resulting. In the second spell, Otaki had the Rovers on the defensive all the time, 'and had it not been for the fine game put up by "Stoker,” the full-back, a number of tries would have been registered against them. His .fielding of the greasy ball, good tackling, and long kicks got his side out of diffl-

cutties time and again, he being easily the best back on the ground.

There was no score in the second spell, and players were sorry when the game ended. Otaki 3, Rovers 0. HUI MAI 5 ,v. SHANNON NIL.

This match was played at Manakau in a drizzling rain that kept up all the afternoon. Play was of a very even nature 'and a draw would have suited both teams on the day’s showing. Shannon kicked off and play was confined to the forwards right throughout the game, the slippery ground and greasy ball m'aking it practically impossible for any back play. A few minutes to half-time saw the only score of the day come to Hui Mai, scored by Wallace from a nippy piece of back play in front of the visitors’ goal. Be van converted an easy kick.

Throughout the second half, Shannon were going great guns, and had much the better of their he'avier opponents. They looked like scoring several times and right up to the last, had the home team defending. Nothing of a brilliant nature in the second half, but. was a hard fought forward game. Shannon were without the services of T.en.itvin as half back, Cum mings, Talbot and Taylor weakening them considerably. Better things should be expected of them with their full team. JUNIOR. SHANNON 8 v. FOXTON 6. This (match was played on a. very wet and greasy ground which was not conducive to good football, but, nevertheless proved a very interesting game to witness. At the commencement of the play it. looked as though ii was going t'o be a runaway victory for the visitors. Soon a*fter the start Foxton secured aj free kick in front of their opponents’ goal, but- failed, Gray touching it before it reached the posts. The Yellows then .attacked vigorously and had Reds all-out, defending their line, but the attack wa<s too strong. Townshend and Wall securing tries in quick succession; Huff and Reid failing to add the major points. The Reds now commenced to get going and carried play to their opponents’ territory, where Foxton held them. The la-titer’s backs secured possession and iby a fine passing rush returned play to Red 25. The rest of the spell the ball was up and down the field; Foxton still having the best of the game, the backs ..proving io he much faster than Shannon. The spell ended Foxton 6, Shannon nil.

During the first spell Shannon played one man short, while Buckman at full-back was suffering from a stiff leg and was of little use to his team. On resuming Foxton agreed to- Shannon replacing Buckman and also to put on another man, Geo. Wilkinson and .McFJwan, the latter having ju'st played in the Ihirds game, filling the vacancies. At the commencement Shannon made a determined attack on Foxton. From, now on a- battle royal ensued, eventuating in Napier crossing the line and scoring. He took the kick adding the major points Foxton 6, Shannon 5. On the hall going into play Reds kept up the assault and after a lot of play m Foxtofn 25. W. Gray dived acx'o’ss the line near right hand corner and scored. Napier was not successful with the kick. From this out play was wißirig, several fine dribbling ru&hes by Shannon forwards, heacled by Andrews and Murray were witnessed. From mid-field Kerry (Yellows) securing the leather sent, it. out to .Procter, who passed to Townshend, the latter, with a great hurst of speed going close to scoring. A dribbling rush by Reds headed by Murray brought play out of the danger zone. Soon after the whistle went for time. Mr Seymour ,ha(l control of the game. The Foxton hacks were much faster than the locafl men, and on a dry ground would be a formidable lot. Townshend, Kerry and Proctor were the pick of Foxton, while C. Johnslon, who played a, fine game throughout and Napiflfr were the best of the loca men. The forwards of both sides plaved a hard game, Currie and Seville being m'oftt conspicuous .or Ihe visitors, while Andrews and Murray stood out. prominently for Sham-

non. r MANGAHAO 9 v. MOUTOA NIL

'Fills game was played at Moutoa ihe wet stale of the ground 'making it nothing more than a mud scramble. Mangahao, who had the best of the play throughout proving victors by 9 t.o nil. Tries were scored by Bert Reid (2) and Geo. Keenan 1. Mr Neville refereed.

THIRDS

SHANNON 11 V. ROVERS 0,

The Rovers arrived four players ( short, and had to draw on local bovs •, to get their full complement. The ( Shannon boys Wad the best of- the , game throughout, the visitors being on the small side compared with their . opponents. Chapham, for Shannon, | scored a. try which he converted, also , a. penalty goal; McEwan also secured a try. Mr Hemingsen refereed.