'VARSITY BEAT PETONE.

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 101, 30 April 1923, Page 5

'VARSITY BEAT PETONE.

The ground at Petone, upon which 'Varsity and Petone tried conclusions, was in a very bad state, and the result was a very ecratchy, game, which ended slightly in favour of Petone, who scored 4 goals against 'Varsity's 3. The field had evidently not been mown, and the general bad state of the ground made passing and good stick work almost impossible, the ball having to be stopped every time with the hand, and then played on. Early in the first half, 'Varsity's forwards combined well, and, breaking through the opposing team's defence, the right wing passed, in to Cousins, who carried on well and scored. Petone replied, almost immediately, with" a good in a similar manner. Both teams then settled down to steady play, and the game for several minutes wat fairly even, until one of 'Varsity's halves, from outside the circle, hit the leather towards the net. The goalkeeper, instead of letting it pass, stopped the ball, and Foden, following up well, shot it between the posts* This made the game 2-1 in favour of the town team, but Petone forwards set to work in determined fashion, and by good combination, hard hitting, and coansteni "following up" added 3 more goals to Petone's tally before the spell ended. •

The only goal scored in th» second half -went to 'Varsity, as a result of Foden' following up hard and using his stick well.. The game was very fast and open, with little between the two teams, although Petone's forwards were slightly the superior. It was a good, tough struggle, and the fact that neither team combined well was the fault more of the ground than of the players. Martin, at full-baok.and Soott,at right half, played well for Petone, whqs« forwards aW performed very commendably. Their .left wing played a good, consistently safe game. Laurie, on the full-baok line for the Collegians, and Ham and Martin, the halves, worked very well, while easily the best forward was. Foden. Owing to the referee, Mr. B. Ginger, failing to put in an appearance, one of-the Petone players, who had been injured on the previous Saturday, took the whistle, and his rulings met with general approval. ,