One that got away

Press, 11 September 1989, Page 40

One that got away

By

JOHN COFFEY

In future when they dip their whitebait nets into the Grey River from the Cobden side and talk about the one that got away the rueful words might be of a shield rather than a shoal. Cobden-Kohinoor, the West Coast rugby league champion, had the prized Thacker Shield taken from its hook at Denton Oval yesterday. Two quick converted tries by Addington carried the Canterbury defender to a 16-10 win.

In a madcap three minutes all of Cobden’s excellent work over the opening hour was wasted. Having been in front 64 at half-time, Cobden had added another try moments after the resumption. It was controlling possession, was not troubled by playing into the cold easterly wind.

But Addington’s remarkable powers of recovery were again unleashed.

Mike Dorreen had spent a rather quiet afternoon in the Addington centres until he suddenly accelerated through a gap in Cobden’s line of tacklers and took a dazzling 25m zig-zag path to score and give Vince McCue a simple conversion.

So Cobden was suddenly contemplating a desperate need to score again from 10-10. A draw was as good as a win for the holder. But before Cobden could put any such contingency plans into operation it was forced to scurry back on to defence by another flurry of Addington attacks. Addington probed strongly down the left flank, drew the cover across, and brisk ball distribution back towards the right presented McCue with a clear path. That effectively ended the best challenge mounted by a West Coast club since Hornby brought the shield to Christchurch in 1982.

Cobden opened the scoring in the tenth minute, its stand-off half, Craig Thompson, benefiting from Gavin Forsyth’s deft pass within a metre or two of the goal-line. Addington relied largely on individual efforts in its bid to get back on level terms. Just before half-time its big wing, Willie Naoupu, succeeded by shouldering his way over to reduce the deficit to two points. Within seconds of the restart Naoupu’s work had been wasted. Cobden came out brimming with purpose, and slick passing along the line allowed the fullback, Peter Gurden, time and room to evade the last defender and restore Cobden’s six-point advantage. Details.—

Addington 16 (Willie Naoupu 37min, Mike Dorreen 62min, Vince McCue 65min tries; McCue two goals) beat CobdenKohinoor 10 (Craig Thompson, lOmin, Peter Gurden 41min tries; David Stuart goal). Halftime, 4-6. Scrums, Addington 87. Penalties, Cobden 8-3. Referee, Mr Jim Stokes.