FOOTBALL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 11087, 10 April 1933, Page 2

FOOTBALL

| FIRST MATCH OP SEASON.

The first football match of the season was played on the local domain on Saturday afternoon between teams of ten men aside representing the Tauranga and Te Duke dairy factories. The match was well contested, but the home players had the better combination and won by thirteen points to nil. Mr W. Dickson was referee. The teams were as follows:

Te Puke (blue). — Full-back, L. McDuff; three-quarters, W. Moves, R. Williams (captain), J. Collins; fiveeighths, J. McDowell, R. Lovell; halfback, F. Scott; forwards, W. Keleher, J. Bird, A. Gordon.

Tauranga, blue and black. —Fullback, W. Bradley; three-quarters, R. Grey, F. Porter, N. Campbell: fiveeighths, F. Lorrigan (captain), C. Meharry; half-back, W. Gulley; forwards. G. Wright, R. Walford, L. You ng.

Williams won the toss and defended the southern goal. Walford kicked off and Moves carried play to the Tauranga twenty-five, but Grey cleared by the aid of a penalty. Play was held at centre for some minutes. Then Lorirgan opened up from a lineout and the home backs were responsible for a neat handling movement, which was spoiled by a forward pass. The home forwards attacked resolutely and Wright scored. The kick failed: Tauranga, 3; Te Puke, 0. After resuming Williams sent up a high ball which rolled into touch in the home territory. The visiting forwards swept through until Campbell picked up smartly and sent the ball out at the middle flag. Tauranga was penalised and Williams kicked to the home territory, the Te Puke forwards going on the attack. Eventually Grey extricated his side from a tight corner and kicked to the visitors’ tweney-five. Gulley set the home backs running but they were steadied by a forward pass. The Te Puke vanguard replied effectively and several defenders failed to stop the movement until Bradley came round rapidly, got in a long range kick which enabled the home men to launch an offensive. Gulley made an excellent opening and the ball was sent to Grey who dropped over, between the posts and added the major points: Tauranga, 8; Te Puke, 0. The second spell opened in Te Puke’s favour and they reached the Tauranga line, but were checked by Gulley, who dummied past several opponents, and found touch ' with a well-directed kick. Even play ensued and the home forwards attacked strongly. Meharry made an opening and the ball was passed out to Grey, who dropped over and scored, and converted: Tauranga, 13; Te Puke, 3. The visitors replied to good purpose, and Keleher was stopped right on the line. Moyes received a bad knock and had to retire. The home forwards pushed through to the north-eastern corner and Walford sprinted through but was called back and the game ended 13 to nil in favour of the home team.