Smith guides Halswell to win

Press, 30 March 1989, Page 40

Smith guides Halswell to win

By

JOHN COFFEY

Halswell extended its winning sequence, and Gordon Smith made an auspicious start to his player-coach career, with a 16-10 victory over Hornby in the Radio Avon rugby league tournament final last evening. Spectators at the Addington Show Grounds are quickly learning to appreciate the varied skills honed by Smith on the West Coast and often used to devastating effect for New Zealand and Hull Kingston Rovers. It was Smith who gave Halswell its winning break, first with a sideline conversion then by adding

the goal to his own try as Hornby fell 14 points behind.

Hornby had conceded a try moments after muffing the opening kick-off when Mark Frame steamed on to a pass and stormed his way across the try-line. A penalty goal brought Hornby up to 2-4 during a first half which included much imaginative football, only for many promising attacks to be nullified by the accuracy of the tackling and a slippery playing surface. The final was in keeping with recent clashes between two proud clubs. Old adversaries restored

old bruises by the firmness of their defences, bright and potentially brilliant newcomers were eyed suspiciously and given close attention. The stand-off halves, Martin Hobbs and Aaron Whittaker, took their rivalry too far and wrestled their way into the sin-bin.

Ten minutes after the resumption Halswell’s alert wing, Neil Sinclair, capitalised on swift passing and an inviting overlap to begin the surge towards a 16-4 lead. The fire of ambition still burned within the Hornby players, and especially Gary McLauchlan. The second-rower

claimed two tries within metres and moments of each other to give Hornby the respectable scoreline it deserved. But the Radio Avon Trophy was indisputably Halswell’s once again. Smith was the catalyst of Halswell’s success, and a logical “man of the match.” He and Whittaker unleashed an outside back formation which fully tested Hornby’s tackles, linking smoothly with a pack given especially good service by Glenn Grut, Russell Hallett and Frame.

Linwood virtually conceded third place by fielding a second-string lineup

against Addington, losing the curtain-raiser by 34-4. Addington, however, had to work harder than expected after a characteristic early scoring burst. It added just one more try in the next 52 minutes before piling on points in the final quarter. Halswell 16 (Mark Frame, Neil Sinclair, Gordon Smith tries; Smith two goals) beat Hornby 10 (Gary McLauchlan two tries; Stu Ward goal). Half-time, 4-2. Referee, Mr Norm Taylor. Addington 34 (Malcolm Aldridge two, Mike Dorreen, Vince McCue, Lamen Hohaia, John Green tries; Green five goals) beat Linwood 4 (Waratini Kidwell try). Half-time, 16-0. Referee, Mr Ken Blackler.