MANAWHENUA BEAT TARANAKI 20-16

Shannon News, 31 August 1928, Page 4

MANAWHENUA BEAT TARANAKI 20-16

Home Rearguard Gives Promising Display AN IMPROVED SHOWING The meeting between Manawhenua and Tarananki at Showgrounds Wednesday providedManawhenua with the first win of their representative season when they defeated the amber and blacks by 20—16. Played in bright sunshine on a linn ground, the game was very attractive and provided one of the beat exhibitions of football which Manawhenua has given this season. The backs in» particular came to light particularly well, rattling on fourteen points in the first spell as against Taranaki's modest eight. The rearguard combined well and handled with precision a fact which augurs well for their approaching Ranfurly Shield challenge against Wairarapa. ' Both fore and aft, Manawhenua had the better of matters in the fust spell, but after the interval Taranaki reversed the position. There was not a great deal between the teams. Manawhenua's fine play in the first spell winning them the game. Taranaki were without three of their best forwards Kivell, Baldwin and Williams while thoir brilliant skipper Brown and W. Honaia were not available in the rearguard. The loss of Fookes, who had to go off during the game was also severely felt as the winger is one of Taranaki's best backs.

Stevenson was a last minute defection from the Manawhenua team, while in the closing stages Robb had to go off with an injured leg. The teams lined out as follows:

Taranaki (amber and black): Colljns Crawford, Rutherford, Fookes, Owen, Carter, Brown, A. Guy, Wills, Woolfe, Walter, Ike, Espin, Robinson, Murphy. Manawhenua (red ,white and blue): 'Wasley, Strange . Roberts, Taylor, Akuira, Robb, W. Parata, Balzell, Summers, Crawford, Conrad, Galpin, Tatana, Ward, Satherlcy. The Game Manawhenua set the call rolling, t~? forwards mixing it in mid-field before Collins lined well down from a penalty. Akuira broke up an incipient Taranaki rearguard movement and Summers and Tatana leading, the colours' forwards penned the yellows' hard. A series of line-outs saw Taranaki work back to half-way, cross-field kicking between Owen and Roberts gaining little ground for either side. Colours swept downfield but Collins lined a -h a splendid kick to give the yellows the territorial advantage. Taranaki backs sweptinto action from a scrum, Guy cutting in to transfer to Owen who sold a tempting dummy and sent along the leather to Carter. The latter lost possession, however, the ball being kicked back to Collins who made a meritorious bu unsuccessful attempt to drop a field goal. At this stage Fookes had to be carried off owing to a leg injury Whalen replacing him Straight back swept the colours' forward* in :. solid rush that doubled up'the Taranaki defence. The ball went out to Roberts from a -uck, the winger side-stepping down the line to send in an over-head pass to Tatana, The big forward battered his way through the press to score in the corner. Taylor-failed to add the extra points. Manawhenua 3, Taranaki 0. Manawhenua Bnks Sparkle.

Encouraged by their early success, the colours' backs showed up iu a sparkling rush that saw. the whole line handle in succession. Roberts was crowded on the line but got the ball to Kobb who was i - support. The fiveeighths was pulled down but from the resulting line-out the play swung fast across in front of the goal the rearguard once more handling in good style. Akuira was tackled but got the ball away in time for Strange to race over wide out. Taylor failed. Manawhenua 6, Taranaki 0.

Manawheriua backs were showing up very attractively and from the halfway once aguin they swung into action. From a ruck in mid-field, W. Par: a sent the ball away to Akuira, to Robb, to Taylor who scored in practically the same place as the preceding try. Akuira tailed. ' Manawhenua 9, Taranaki 0. Stirred by these successive reverses the yellows asserted themselves vigorously, Brown and Guy following fast to harry Wasley. The Manawhenua full-back cleared well however, despite a treacherous rebound and once again the colours' shock battalion, following a good break by Robb, took the offensive. For the third time a sramble in mid-field saw the Manawhenua backs all out for the line the ball travelling out with machine-like precision for Strange to throw off all defenders and run round to score behind tue posts. Tatana converted. Manawhenua 14, Taranaki 0. Taranaki Open. Taranaki countered from the halfway Brown whipping the ball away to the rearguard who could not, however, do very much with it. The yellow and blacks were trying hard however and eventually succeeded in oponing their overdue account. Walter was the prime mover when he came down the side line with the ball at his toe and the Taranaki pack at his heels. Crawford following fast, put the finishing touches to the good work when he snapped up to go over in the corner. Collins failed. Manawhenua 14, Taranaki 3.

Taranaki resumed their attaek, their pack men working play down-field to within striking distance. From a serum, Brown worked the blind, to

Guy, to Owen but the referee's whistle recalled the yellow and black fiveeighth for a line-out. As the forwards mixed it again, Murphy used his weight to battle over wide out. Collins converted with a splendid kick. Manawhenua 14/ Taranaki 8. The half ended without further seore.

Second Spell.

Manawhenua reopened strongly with the sun and wind blehind them. Their forwards scrummaging with vigour had the yellow and s blacks defending hard while the backs made a strong bid to penetrate in the corner. From no man's land, the Taranaki backs came to light in a couple of canters but could make little impression on the' colours' defence. Nothing deterred, the forwards tried their luck. Ike, Robinson and Walton, takinug the ball down-field, at their .toes. Guy came up fast to go down on the ball ,Robinson and Ike being hard on his heels. Collins missed an easy kick. Manawhenua 14, Taranaki 11. \ Close Scoring.

Manawhenua counter-attacked sternly from the half-way/ Akuira, with some pretty footwork depriving a couple of Taranaki forwards of the ball to go right through the press almost to the line. Losing possession a scrum was formed the colours' forwards giving Parata the ball for tfhe donkey-man to send his backs away. Akuira and Robb handled for Taylor to finish the movement wide out. Tatana made a good attempt to convert but tue ball, went a trifle astray. Manawhenua 17, Taranaki 11.

Taranaki's reply came almost immediately. Brown, from the half-way sent the yellow and black backs away in a sparkling movement that only terminated when Whclan crossed in the corner. All the backs had handled travelling at top, the try being one of the best of the match. Whelan appeared rather fortunate in being allowed the points as the leather was knocked out of his hands by Taylor just before he crossed. The winger snapped up again, however, and completed the movement in good style. Ike converted with a well-judged kick. Manawhenua 17, Taranaki 16. One Point Ahead.

The hopes of the Taranaki supporters were raised to fever-pitch a moment later, as Crawford put in a spectacular solo dash down the line. Only the lineumpire 's flag at the critical moment stood between the winger and his try. At this stage, Manawhenua lost RobO who had to be carried off owing to an injury to his thigh. Bramwell replaced him.

The closing stages of the game were fought with no abatement of pace. First Taranaki came down-field in a savage attack that was only robbed of its reward by a timely penalty which enabled Taylor to clear for Manawhenua. With- play back at half-way Akuira broke away to transfer to Conrad who was in support. The big forward had not the pac6 to make the distance but made a strong bid never-the-less.* Ward and Tatana supported him solidly for the latter to go down and score Manawhenua's final try. Tatana failed to convert and the game ended 20—16 in Manawhenua's favour. Mr. P. O. Skoglund carried the whistle.