ATHLETIC BEAT PETONE.

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 124, 28 May 1928, Page 14

ATHLETIC BEAT PETONE.

A stirring forward battle resulted from the meeting of Petone and Athletic on the Petone Oval. The fast breaking-up ■by Athletic forwards gave the home backfe few chances of getting going, arid of the two packs the visitors proved the superior. The game was played at a fast pace from start to.finish in the presence of a large, attendance of spectators. The Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. G.. Coates] was' present,' and watched the play with the keenest (interest...-'.. .•'■■. .'The teams were: —■■■ Athletic—=Heazlewood, Sntclifie, Whinham, M'Dougall, Pelham, Kinloch, 'Warwick, Howard, Adam, Wallace, Morrow, M'Naught, Edgar, Anderson, and ■ Pope. Petone.—Davis, Hawkins, Lambourne, ,Udy, Welsh, Corner, Coman, Parker, Warden, Higgins, Potts', Dickens, Thomas, Spence, and Carr. ■ ■ Petone had the initial advantage by opening with the' sun. at their backs, but in the early stages they were mainly on the defensive!. Although Athletic pressed hotly, the defence held,. and it fell* to Petone to open the scoring. Coman whipped the ball ojut from a scrum,- and a' snappy passing rush took play to- the other end., Again the Petone'backs got going. Corner short-punted and Parker ■fielded the return kick, to kick across, where Sutcliffe's attempt to clear was smothered by Hawkins, who scored in the corner. Coman's kick missed. Petone 3, 'Athletic 0. Athletic returned' to the attack, and fumbling by Welsh gave Warwick the ball. He kicked through, ' and from a melee on the line Pelham secured and scored wide out. Heazlewood goaled. 'Athletic 5, Petone 3. . Soon afterwards ,Wliinham intercepted a pass and broke through. He '.short-punted, and Sutcliffe arrived in time to gather in the ball and score in the corner. The line umpire's flag went up/biit the try appeared to be .a, fair one. Heazlewood missed , the kick. 'Athletic B,' Petone 3. Just before halftime Welsh was 'carried off with an injured ankle,'and Arthurs came on. Athletic also made several changes after the interval. Porter replaced Warwick, -who retired with an injured leg, while Heazlewood, who had.received a kick dn the leg, played only for a few minutes before he too went off. . ■ . A series of unsuccessful attacks by the home backs marked the ; resumption, of play. As the. spell progressed . the' ball became more and'more confined to the forwards, while the pace quickened rather than slackened. Both packs were seen in some slashing . rushes, which ■ took play from one end of the field to the other. Towards the end, however, the Blue and Blacks began to take charge, until finally the defence weakened and two tries were added .to Athletics account. Athletic ■were hammering at the line when i from a scrum in the corner Kinloch worked the! "blind" side to let M'Dougall over. Porter failed to convert. Athletic 11, , Petone 3.: A'.ifew minutes from the end Sutcliffe picked up during open play and , scored. Porter again failed to find the uprights. Athletic 14, Petone 3. Mr. J. F. Benson refereed.