WEST COAST v. WELLINGTON

Evening Post, Volume 55, Issue 55, 3 September 1923, Page 4

WEST COAST v. WELLINGTON

VISITING TEAM VICTORIOUS

The hoary fall of vain on Saturday afternoon made the Basin Reserve very slippery for the League football match between the visiting West Coast team and Wellington. The attendance numbared something just over a thousand, mostly followers of the code, who showed their appreciation of the game with applause when either side exhibited good play. The visitors were the most finished in their style of play, and were better on the afternoon by more than the difference in the score. Wellington lacked nnish, 'and frequent mistakes were made, especially by the backs, who when passing fumbled the ball, thus neutralising the better work of the forwards. West Coast, on the other hand, gave a fine exhibition of the same, passing the ball consistently, and kicking with judgment, When the final whistle sounded the visitors were victorious by 12 points to 6. i!or West Coast, Pinn was very safe at full-back, and of the other backs C. M'Elwee and Purnell were easily' ths best, the latter giving a fine exhibition of line and goal kicking. Of the forwards. Lin and Ryan were most frequently in the picture, playing with great dash and following up j n approved manner. Amongst the Wellington backs, T Ryan and F. Niinn were the most prominent, wlnle of the forwards Hedges Curtis, and Whittington were the best. Followin.sf were the teams:—

West Coast.—Pinn :C. M'Elwee, Cust, Kells ; Hunter, Purneli ; Gerra^hty • Lin Parsonage, Leach, Ryan, Griffiths 'Skelton. '

Wellington.— W. Smith ; T. Ryan C. Cudby. S. Brace,- K. Stanford F Nunn • A. Whey; L. Fawsett, ,J. 'M'Lennan,' N. Curtis, A. Greer, D. Whittington, J. Hedges. ■ Wellington won the toss and elected to take the advantage of the sun, the VVest Coasters playing with the wind behind them. The visitors were not lone id getting to work, and the Blacks were penned up on their line for some time. Stanford finally relieved by breaking through, but it was only momentarily, and,play returned to the home twentyiiye. Oust arid Hunter, by faulty passing, allowed the Blacks to gain ground bSt the Greens drove play back again. The first score to the visitors came from afast piece of work in which Hunter, Cust, and M'Elwee took part, the ball passing- rapidly from hand to hand The latter player was blocked, and kicked across field, Hunter again, securing, and, Wellington backs being out of their places, scored between the posts Purnell converted. 5-0. ' Ryan and Griffiths were prominent in a Green attack but 1. Ryan saved the position for Wellington by finding the ifnc Tfc Wellington backs livened up, and initiated an 'attack, carrying play .right 'to the visitors' line, where a score seemed imminent but Brace failed to take a pass and' the chance was lost. The Black forwards were proving superior to those of the visitors, but the Wellington backs were weak and. failed to complete any advantage gained by their forwards Fast following up by Ryan (West Coast) saw the Wellington backe in trouble and M'Ehvee and Purnell making a deterI? mf4 assault straight down .the line. Wellington failed to stave off the attack and M'Elwee ran right round, scoring behind the posts. Purnell converted. 10-0. Greens kept up the pressure to -the end- of the spell, and just prior to time Pumell kicked a nice penalty goal, making the score 12 points to 'nil in fay °£ "West Coast at half-time. Wellington showed improvement in the second half arid attacked strongly, play hovering for some time in the vicinity of the visitors' goal line. Smart following up by Brace and Hedses saw the v- ii Sc?re a rather doubtful try, the ball having apparently been first forced by two of the West Coast backs. The referee, however, decided otherwise and Wellington were the richer by 3 points, Cudby failing with the kick. 12-3: The Blacks came again, but Brace was pushed out at the corner. Hard kicking robbed the home team of many ■ chances, the west Coast backs either returning to the line or forcing At this stage several of the referee's decisions were severely criticised by the crowd, who seemed to think Wellington were receiving favoured treatnirnt. The Wellington forwards were certainly holding grimly •to their opponents, but ■ several likely scoring chances were spoilt by over-anxiety and the Ureens pushed play back to their opponents' territory. Fawsett relieved by a well-judged kick, and Brace again made a dash for the line, but a breach saved the Greens from a further score. The Wellington players, however, had not yet done, and, as a result of a long pass from Smith, Cudby secured, and giving the dummy, beat two or three opponents scoring the prettiest try of the afternoon. Greer missed an easy kick. 12-6. Wellington continued the attack, the' Greens forcing on a couple o{ occasions, and except for one short flash into Wellington territory, the Blacks continued the attack until the end of the spell, which ended with the score, West Coust 12, Wellinaton 6 •.

Mr. W. Anderson refereed the game,