MANUKAU UNLUCKY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 181, 2 August 1937, Page 15

MANUKAU UNLUCKY.

The value of a good goal-kicker could noFhuvTbEn more ftrfkln|ly Mtnted tlian it was in the Manukau and BJchruond encounter. Jack Hem, the M.m i kau full-back, who has bo f^" 0 piloted his side to victory with grand goal klckin- was on the sideline nursing an in last Wednesdays trial match and penalties were taken by T. Chase and S.Watene, neither of whom had his kicking boots on. It almost cost Manukau the game, for in a l^-™ 1 effort they just managed to draw level wUh thel/ opponents and make the same a draw. Had several eaey kicks found the mark, Manukau must assuredly have finished up the winners with points to snare The "equaliser" actually came within five seconds of time and to make The finish even more thrilling; Watonee shot at goal which meant a draw or a win for his side struck the crossbar and bounced back. The bell sounded immediately afterwards. None could have wished for a closer ending. * requontly this eeason "equalisers" have been notched within a few minutes of the curtain, but never before have the final points come in the last few seconds. It was a thrilling and a fitting finale to one of the keenest and cleanest encounters of the season. The only pity was that the ground was not in a more holding condition to permit of the players displaying their nip. Bowever, the game was studded with many brilliant passing rushes and a great deal of gruelling forward play of the man-to-man tvne. Some of those rushes swept from r'nd to end of the field with forwards and backs combining. Richmond were less orthodox than their opponents, and indeed, the way they countered attacks by their backs by staging passing bouts on their last line was daring in the extreme. These tactics, however, held them in good stead and often took the opposition by surprise. Usually prominent In these rushes was Tetley, who played a fine game off the back of the scrum, sheltering his half-back and chiming Into passing rushes with the sureness of a back. His game earned hiai a place in the New Zealand Test eide to meet the Kangaroos and he certainly deserved the honour. The game was full of Incident and many players were conspicuous for line play,. but those who were always going great guns for Richmond were McLood, Hadley, Tetley and Telford in the forwards and Bickerton and W. Tittleton in the five-eighths line. Tittleton was right on his game and in addition to showing fine appreciation of his supports defended wonderfully when his side was in dire straits. Furnell once more acquitted himself well at full-back, while Mincham, the centre, was always working for the opening. Powell ehone behind the pack. G. Tittleton was erratic on the wing, although he scored two of his side's tries. Outstanding in the Manukau pack was the towering Brodriek, who time and again made much valuable ground with characteristic dashee. He received excellent support from Gault and Kawe. Mahima was sound behind the pack, while Brimble defended soundly and ran up to his man before sending the ball along. The letter's try, in which he nipped through the defence to beat Powell, was a truly splendid one. The Chase brothers combined well, with K. Chase the better of the two and being responsible for some clever things. Watene was tellable at full-back, while Broughton was dashing and resourceful on the wing.