Linwood loss leaves team struggling

Press, 3 August 1981, Page 19

Linwood loss leaves team struggling

Imwood. which dominated the Canterbury rugby league club scene during the first half of the season, suffered its fourth loss in its last five matches on Saturday and is now struggling to qualify for the championship play-offs. Somewhat below full strength and obviously weary from a strenuous encounter last Wednesday evening. Linwood never really appeared to be a winning prospect in conceding a 19-8 result to Eastern Suburbs at the Show Grounds. The plight of Linwood was compounded'by the 13-4 victory achieved by Papanui over the N.Z.I.G. premiership leader. Addington. Linwood is now just one competition point ahead -of Papanui. although it has a match in ' hand. Both Linwood and Papanui have yet to meet Sydenham. Halswell and Marist. and Linwood also has a game against Kaiapoi- ahead of it. The similarities do not end there: on Saturday the respective captain-coaches. Wally Wilson (Linwood) and Eddie Kerrigan (Papanui). had to watch from the sidelines because of injuries. Sydenham kept its second position. after trailing Hornby at half-time, while Marist-Western Suburbs had to defend grimly over the final few minutes to prevent Kaiapoi from achieving its first victory. The various "man of the match" awards were won by Bruce .Murphy (Eastern). Karl Slave (Sydenham). Colin Archer (Papanui) and Michael O’Donnell (Marist). Blair Corkran . kicked two goals for Addington to be within two points of reaching a century of points in the premiership.

Results.— Eastern Suburbs 19, Linwood 8. Papanui 13, Addington 4. Sydenham 21, Hornby 11. Marist-Western 8, Kaiapoi 5. ’ Halswell bve. EASTERN EYES HONOURS Eastern has shared the Massetti Cup with other clubs for the last two seasons, but it now has a chance to win that trophy outright. It has games in hand over both Addington and Sydenham. and has the least arduous itinerary of the three contenders for the remainder of the premiership. The Eastern forwards and halves performed with the authority expected of its club's representatives. and the return of Bruce Murphy markedly improved its potential among the midfield backs. Murphy's solidity in all phases of the game disrupted Linwood's attempts to attack through its three-quarters. Assisted by the fine service of Murray French and Steve Flaus inside them. Murphy and the very elusive John Rangihuna were ever a threat to the Linwood cover. Although David Campbell. David Perkins and Paul McCone occasionally found room to display their attacking skills, the freedom was short-lived as Eastern's eager tacklers streamed across field. Only in the final minutes of each half did Eastern fail to close all of the gaps. Eastern's advance began with a spectacular try by its big prop. Gerard Stokes, who perfectly timed his entry outside the halves. Stokes continued to play with plenty of vim and vigour, supported fully, by Jim Churcher. Derek McLaughlan and BarryEd kins. If Linwood had injury problems at the start, its worries were increased when the actingcaptain. Lester Wilson, limped from the field in the fifth minute. Robin Hudson and Paul McCone were to complete impressive tryscoring movements, but they were too late to trouble

The match had been poised tantalisingly at 8-3 in Eastern’s favour throughout the third quarter. However. Eastern always seemed to have more in reserve, and it eventually broke Linwood's resistance with quick tries by Nigel Hermanson and French. TROPHY SUCCESS Papanui gained possession of the weekly Desmond-Rogers Memorial Challenge Trophy with

its win over Addington. In its present mood it is more than capable of adding further honours before the season is completed. The Papanui pack was clearly superior throughout the match, thriving in the difficult conditions. Addington was without its most formidable attacking forward. Jack Milford, for the opening spell, but even his entry at half-time could not wrest ’ the initiative away from Papanui. With Doug’ Thompson and Geoff Rowe leading the way up front, the Papanui forwards. John Cole. Gary Taie and Colin Archer were given the confidence and chances to carry the match to Addington. It was Thompson who placed Papanui ahead midway through the first half and Cole, fittingly completed the scoring near the finish.

Archer, though, was a deserved winner of the individual award. An outstanding hooker in his junior days, he has successfully reverted to the complex role of loose forward and was more than an adequate substitute for the injured Eddie Kerrigan. If used in a supporting role, the Papanui backs still managed to make a valuable contribution. Ken Tait made a welcome and most effective return to scrumhalf. Geoff Smith had an excellent all-round game on the wing, and Michael Williams complemented his consistency at fullback with a rousing try’ along the touch-line. The full-back, Blair Corkran. was one of the few Addington players to occasionally break through the firm Papanui defence. Rick Odering and Peter Klink also demanded respect from their rivals, and Wayne Clemence worked willingly in a tiring forward formation. SYDENHAM STRUGGLES With just two minutes left in the late game on the No. 2 ground, Sydenham was only two points ahead of Hornby and the prospect of an upset was still very real. Hornby, however, had come to the end of its run. and it conceded eight points over the closing stages.

Il was a brave effort by the Hornby players, obviously determined to wipe out the memories of a record loss to Papanui a week earlier. Sydenham compiled the first five points, before Hornby nudged its way to a 6-5 advantage by the interval. It should have had a third try. a forward pass ruining the opportunitv.

Sydenham has not yet regained the verve which marked its football earlier in the season. There were glimpses as Tony Bergman and Karl Siave touched down in the third quarter, but Sydenham was not able to carry on in that vein. Instead it was Hornby which next wrested a territorial superiority. Trailing by seven points, one try was lost because of mishandling before Graham Hallett dived across beneath the cross-bar. At 11-13 Hornby was very much in the running.’ That contention was to be taken up by the Sydenham outside back. David Vincent, when he scooped up a dropped ball and sprinted away from the cover, and in the last minute Mike Smith surged across for another try. ” SLOW MOTION MATCH The meeting between MaristWestern Suburbs and Kaiapoi on the No. 2 playing field was a quite forgettable occasion. It was carried out at little more than walking pace, and the combinations between players were quite sub-standard.

Perhaps Marist was still shaking off the effects of its loss to Halswell on Wednesday evening, but that hardly excuses the laxness in its passing and handling. It spent most of the opening half deep in Kaiapoi's territory, without managing more than two or three effective attacks.

For its part. Kaiapoi was equally leaden-footed. It attempted a few tactical kicks when near the Marist try-line.' these being handled without too much trouble by the cover. Neither side scored . for 30 minutes, until the Marist cap-tain-coach. Wayne O'Donnell, positioned himself for an overlap, and soon afterwards Chris Charlton capped off one of the better forward rushes.

Down by eight points. Kaiapoi responded by forcing Marist back for much of. the second half. A penalty by Steve Dixon reduced the deficit, and. with 15 minutes left. Charlie Smith was unable to force the ball correctly under the Marist cross-bar. When Kaiapoi s try eventually came, it was to Smith’s credit, but by then time had almost elapsed.

Marist had much to thank Michael O'Donnell for in leaving Kaiapoi eight competition points behind. He was invariably constructive. and was one of the few players on either side to inject any penetration.

l.l 1’ AG1E W D L E A Pt Addington 13 10 0 3 265 153 20 Sydenham 12 (J (1 3 235 159 18 Eastern 12 8 0 4 217 114 16 l.i nwt wid 12 7 0 5 25(1 158 14 f’apanui 13 h 1 6 262 188 13 Halswell 12 : i 1 6 157 212 11 Horn lie 12 :> 0 7 166 283 10 Maris! 13 4 I 8 152 230 9 K 11 j j .< >i i;t 1 1 1 12 113 320 1