SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL.

Shannon News, 10 June 1924, Page 3

SATURDAY'S FOOTBALL.

SENIORS. WANDERERS 8, WERAROA 3. HUI MAI 6, SHANNON 3. FOXTON forfeited to OTAKI, JUNIORS. TOKOMARU 26, All RAN (J I 10. SHANNON 12, KOPUTAROA 0. HUI MAI 15, ROVERS 0. PARAPARAUMU 17 WERAROA 0. RAHUI 6, OTAKI 0. THIRDS. WERAROA 9, KOI'UTARUA 0. FOXTON 13, SHANWON 0. TE IIORO 25, OTAKI 5. HUI MAI 3, PARAPARAUMU 3. FOURTHS. WERAROA 6, LEVIN D.TI.S. 3. -.,■■. A'. WANDERLRS 8, WKRAIVoA 3.

The Wanderers—Weraroa game in the Levin Domain on .Saturday was probahiy the. most keenly contested and exciting game ...witnessed locally this, year. Considerable, interest een- • tred in the game .both from the rivalry between the'two teams and from the fact that both were even on points a w\u on either side giving the victor second place in the Championship competition. 'The weather was ideal lor football, although the ground was a trifle heavy from the recent ■ rain, and the largest crowd which has assembled to witness a match in Levin this year gathered to cheer on - ' their respective, teams.' There was ho wind and Wanderers' •started \Vith the sun at their backs, hard even forward play being the order of the. day for the first quarter of an hour. A snappy run down the line by 'Wilson, who played wing-three-yuar-: . ter lor Wanderers, was stopped by a good tackle by his opponent churcii--111,.. and gradually Wanderers' forwards pressed Weraroa down to their 25. Over-eagerness on' the part o. Smith, gave Weraroa half a, dozen iree kicks here in quick succession, but the Wanderers' backs, who .were , playing a good game, rushed the ball into the front again aud Weraroa failed to proilt "by the relief. • Weraroa was. playing a man short, Mackereth not being able to tui'n up to time and a strong rush" by JaMepia, with Moilison in close support, found the weakness iu the' live-eighth line. Hopa saved by » ■ force uown and from a scrum a fur- '. tlier infringement gave Weraroa re- j lief. ,- ' ~ . • | Mackereth came on at.this stage, auid immediately Jhfused new vigour \ into the team. Mcllerron, Cole and Broughton led repeated forward rustles and play shifted into Wanderers 25, where sound defensive work 01. the part of the backs alone saved a score. A long kick by Hopa, well", followed up, took WerarOa over the line, a. scramble for the hall result trig in a scrum five yards out. An infringement gave Weraroa a shot at goal but Hopa failed with a not ovordifii cult kick. Immediately "after Ciiuirchill kicked .the ball over-the line and followed up with a great burst of speed. Stoker, at full back, was only', • able to prevent a certain scOre by , kicking the ball over the dead-line. Weraroa were playing hard lor a score ahd from the resumption o play again put-the ball.over. Stoke' forced and then, .with dramatic suddenness, the scene shifted. Moilison took the ball at half-way anfr kicked well up held. . Hopa returned, and Moilison, taking the ball on the. lull, raced for. the' line with Wilson in support. lie side-stepped ,Hakaraia rather'easily and when collared by Churchill, shot the ball out to Wilson. who out-paced Hopa and got over, scoring a spectacular try which roused the ; Wanderers' supporters to frenzied enthusiasm. The kick failed. Score 2—{). ' From the resumption of play, Weraroa again pressed hard into Wanderers' territory and Udy, taking the ball at the 25, "made a fine sprint up the tine only to be forced out at the corner by Oacob. A free kick from a scrum gave Wanderers relief and ■half time went a few minutes later with Weraroa still pressing hard, having had the best of the spell on Play- -; ' Play opened dully in the second spell," a succession 'of long kicks up and down the field being succeeded bv a long series of scrums and lineouts, with the play in Wuraroa's favour. Weraroa was having all the best ot the serums ami their forwards played with a dash in the loose, which," had they been supported by their backs, would have given them certain vidory. Hepeated un Wanderers' part to take, the initiative were toiled by good tackling on the part Of Tdy, Hopa, and Mackereth. And then Wanderers' supporters came to then; feet to a man to cheer their second score. With play at the 25 on the further side of the*" field, Stoker Centred, the ball. Hiwi Mansfield booted the leather H> the line and found all the Weraroa backs with tile exception of Hopa out ot position. Hopa mulled an easy. ball and Nepia Winiata following up, scoopad up the hall' and planted it over the line. Jacob's kick struck the bar and bounced over. B—o. From this'time on Wanderers hud the best of the game, and although Weraroa scored shortly after it was rather as the result of a fine piece of work on Mackereth's part than a concerted effort on that of the team. Mackereth took the hall near Wanderers' 25 and with a brilliant corkscrew run threaded his way through practically the whole of the opposing team, kicking ujp-fiold when tackled eventually. Stoker returned the hall but Hopa, who was following up, took the hall on the full and dived for th<' thick.of the Wanderers' backs. Taking a long pass right in front of the goal posts, Hakaraia, with a. ten yards dash scored alter the brightest . bit of play in the game. Hopa missed an easy kick." Score B—3. •>' ' The whistle wenj, ten minutes later ' "with both teams obviously tired, ■"Wanderers having the advantage of

the play. Mr T. Pai'ata controlled tUe J game. AT SHANNON. Saturday was an off-day for football in Shannon, the three grades of the Shannon Club having to travel away, the seniors going to Manakau, juniors, to Koputaroa, and the tJiirds to Foxton. Owing to half the team of the thirds being delayed on the road and not reaching Foxton at the appointed time for starting, the team were compelled to play five men short, the referee deciding not to wait for them and ordered 'Foxtofn to kick off. JUNIORS. TOKOMARU'36 v. MIRANUI. ~ N IO. This game was played on Mr Barber's grounds, off East road. Both teams gave a very poor exhibition .of football, especially so in the first spell, Tokotna.ru playing much below their usual form. The first spell ended : Tokomaru 11, Miranui 10, Soon after resuming Tokomaru got their f backs going and kept the Miranui boys, who -were tiring fast, hard pressedlmd'throughout the spell piled up another lo points to their opponents' nil. Tries were scored for Tokomaru by K. Whyte (5) and L. Wilton, W. George and L. Simpson one. each. One of Whyte"s tries being converted by Rowlands. Vessler and Bensemann scored tries for Miranui, both of which were converted by Tryphena. Mr Burroughs controlled the- game. >' s SHANNON v. KOPUTAROA JUNIORS. The above teams met at Koputaroa and alter a fast open game Shannon ,\von by 12- points (four tries), to nil.. f The ground was in good order, although lu'mpy. Koputaroa had a heavier team than Shannon, but the latter more than held them in the open and were only equal in the tight work- Both teams made the game willing from the kick-off and alter 10 minutes, from a good rush by Shannon, R. George crossed near - the corner. The kick failed. The Kopit.tarda forwards were playing a great game,' but the backs, with two or three exceptions never grave- them much support, the, full back being especially weak. Hunt had a pot from well out, the ball striking the . cross bar and rebounding into the held. Shortly after Hunt secured tlie j ball and beating two players scored- ■ Tiie kick failed. Half time followed. Shannon. 6, Koputaroa 0. On resuming the Koputaroa backs gave a much better display than before and a good chance was spoiled by Buckman cutting in instead of passing out. The Shannon forwards took the ball well down the field and a great solo dash by Moore carried the ball to the line, where F. Wilson, dived on thie ball and scored. The kick failed. Just on time F. Jamieson, by a great dash down the line, .secured the final try. The kick again failed. The best of the Koputaroa backs were Wineera, Buckman, and ' P. Nepia. For the forwards, Moody and Pena. The Shannon team were a very even Jot and it was hard to separate the players, excepting Moore, who played an untiring game throughout and was easily the best forward on the ground. Mr Sloan referoed. THIRDS. Shannon lost to Foton by 13 to nil. Tbev played with- eight men and twosubstitutes, owing to the remainder of the team being delayed on title road.