ASHBURTON BEAT ELLESMERE

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26220, 18 September 1950, Page 9

ASHBURTON BEAT ELLESMERE

TWO-POINT MARGIN IN CLOSE GAME

In a game full of incident, Ashburton, with slightly superior forwards, beat Ellesmere by 11 points to 9 in a match at the Ashburton Domain on Saturday. The game was even throughout, with both sets of forwards endeavouring to open up play by sending the ball along the back line at every opportunity, but faulty handling marred many a promising move. The teams were:—

Ellesmere.—G. Tobeck; S. F. Stephens, A. Booth, M. Patterson; B. Young, J. Hampton; R. H. Parkin; W. Schaffer, M. Williams, R. Moir, A. Chapman, W. Chapman, W. Aitken, W. Johnson, A. Manson.

Ashburton.—C. Bradley; J. Bradley, H. McLay, H. Tait; B. Tutton, G. BlacKiow; S. Williams; M. Dennis, P. Nickalls, W'. Maw, A. McLeod, L. Chisnall, A. Ashworth, K. Smith; I. McGregor. The Ashburton forwards were the mainstay of their side, hunting always in a pack and doing grand work in defence. R. Ashworth, P. Nickalls, W. Maw, and A. McLeod, who scored a well-deserved try, were prominent throughout. The Ellesmere forwards, although they did not possess quite the fire of their opponents, worked diligently, with M. Williams, W. Schaffer, and W. Aitken standing out. S. Williams, the Ashburton half-back, although paid close attention by the Ellesmere side-row men, M. Williams and W. Chapman, gave a good service from the base of the scrum and worked the blind side effectively on several occasions. B. Tutton, G. Blacklow, and H. McLay were sound, but good defence on the part of their opposite numbers gave them little room in which to move. The Ashburton wing three-quarters, H. Tait, who scored a try, lacked determination in his running and made many mistakes in defence. S. F. Stephens, on the wing for Ellesmere, was the best back on the ground. With his straight running dashes down the sideline he tested the Ashburton cover defence to the utmost. The two full-backs, G. Tobeck (Ellesmere) and C. Bradley, were safe and gained large stretches of ground with judicious line kicks. Both did good work in defence. Scoring Movements

Ellesmere took the initiative from the start and within the first 10 minutes of the game Stephens side-stepped his way over after a 30-yard run. The kick missed. From a scrum near the Ashburton line. A. Chapman crashed his way over for a good try. The Ashburton forwards kept pressure on their opponents’ line, and A. McLeod scored wide out, just before the end of the first spell. The Ashburton hooker intercepted near the line to score a fine try, which C. Bradley converted. McLeod, who was a tower of strength in the Ashburton forwards, again came to the fore, to send Tait over for a try. The only other score of the game was a try by the Ellesmere wing three-quarters, M. Patterson, just before the final whistle. Ashburton won by 11 points (a goal from a try and 2 tries) to Ellesmere 9 (three tries). Mr K. V. Hood was referee. In the curtain-raiser, the Ashburton second grade team beat an Ellesmere junior team by 6 points to 0. For Ashburton tries were scored by R. Copland and M. McManus.