CANTERBURY B BEATS MID-CANTERBURY, 9-6

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27370, 8 June 1954, Page 5

CANTERBURY B BEATS MID-CANTERBURY, 9-6

Canterbury B and Mid-Canterbury representatives who met at Lancaster Park yesterday provided everything to please a handful of spectators with really good football mixed with comedy, which is possible only when footballers are tired, the ball is impossible to handle, and when kick-hard-and-follow-fast rules govern the game. The ground, which had been made sodden by rain, was not improved by the playing of a curtain-raiser which showed up the bare patches of a slippery, muddy surface. Canterbury won somewhat luckily by 9 points (two tries and a penalty goal) to 6 points (two tries).

Canterbury B made the early mistake of trying to play dry-ground football on a treacherous ground with a ball that soon became slippery, and against forwards whose side-row men appeared to be allowed much latitude. In the first spell the Mid-Canterbury backs, surer in their handling than were the Canterbury men, had all the better of the game and an elusive five-eighths in I. Humphries soon showed Canterbury the type of player they had to deal with. Bruce Scott, a half-back, whose physique entitles him to a place as a line-out forward, threw excellent passes which were taken with confidence and handed on in approved style. Scott had the right idea of defensive play for with his team hooking the ball, he often gained stretches of ground with leftfoot line-kicks.

The Mid-Canterbury breakaways had a real day out for when M. Logan, behind the Canterbury scrum, received the ball it was attended by one of the marauders while the other went across field to rush the Canterbury five-eighths. The feature of the spell was the calm assurance with which all the Mid-Canterbury backs handled the ball compared with the uncertain handling of the Canterbury men.

The teams were:— Canterbury B.—-M. Gowans; J. Osborne, P. Logan, S. K. Henderson; B. G. McCormick, J. Waine; M. Logan; H, Garlick, R. Hockley, I. Rathgen, J. M. Le Lievre, J. A. Purdie, J. D. Stewart (captain), E. Bullmore, K. Fincham. Mid-Canterbury.—T. Gallagher; H. Cullen, S. Goodwin, A. Hampton; I. Humphries, E. Ralston; B. Scott; B. Dwyer, M. Dennis, W. Hunter, C. Gardiner, I. Gallagher, R. Ashworth, R. Dawson, W. Whineray. The Scoring Canterbury opened the scoring when a mistake by a Mid-Canterbury forward within 10 yards of the goalposts gave

Gowans his Introduction to representative football with an easy penalty goal. T. Gallagher, the Mid-Canterbury full-back, attempted to equalise the score with a long shot, a fine attempt with a sodden ball which fell short. Loose play carried the ball over the Canterbury line, and Whineray, a front-row forward, was on hand to fall on the ball. The kick at goal failed, and at half-time each side had scored three points.

In the second spell the Canterbury backs, apparently acting under instructions from their coach, Mr J. G. Rankin, discarded most ideas on passing and instead kicked high and often. Yet the handling of the Mid-Canterbury backs was safe and sure, and the long line-finders by the full-back, Gallagher, often nullified good intentions. Catching the Mid-Can-terbury defence on the wrong foot, M. Logan whipped a swift pass to Waine, who missed the first five-eighths and sent a high pass to the centre, S. Henderson, who merely deflected the ball to P. Logan, who had the overlap and too much speed for the .opposition. The result was a good try at the corner, and Canterbury led

Mishandling by Canterbury backs led to a scrum, in front of the posts. Scott, from behind the scrum, received the ball and squirmed his way over. The easiest of ‘fcoals was missed when Humphries’s kick hit an upright and rebounded to the field of play. Mid-Canterbury was unlucky not to score when after a prolonged attack the ball 'went over the line and eluded the hands of several forwards who attempted to force it.

The style of play at this stage developed into a kicking match by the forwards, with backs on both sides mainly attempting to field the slippery bail. With only five minutes to go, M. Logan worked the blind side with Waine, while P. Logan fooled the opposition by racing to the centre. Waine scored az good try wide out.

Mid-Canterbury Entitled to Win On the day’s play Mid-Canterbury was entitled to win. Although M. Gowans did some mighty punting to his left-hand line, his play altogether lacked finish under appalling conditions, and the palm must go to the opposing full-back, T. Gallagher, more experienced and more finished In all his work. His kicks might not have been so powerful as those of Gowans, but he lost nothing In length of ground gained.

The fast-breaking Mid-Canterbury forwards, M. Dennis and I. Gallagher, had much to do with the poor showing of the Canterbury backs. M. Logan and Waine, at half and first five-eighths, did a vast amount of work, but the others failed to work in harmony and were shaded by the Mid-Canterbury men, Humphries, Ralston, Goodwin, and Cullen.

It was a long time before the Canterbury forwards found the answer to the tactics -of Dennis, I. Gallagher, Ashworth, and Dwyer, but once they did there were none better than H. Garlick, J. Le Lievre, E. Bullmore, and I. Rathgen. Mr V. C. Empson was referee.