LOCAL TEAM WINS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 57, 17 September 1928, Page 4

LOCAL TEAM WINS

MATCH AGAINST NELSON /;; A DISAPPOINTING DISPLAY After a lapse of many years Wellington .■again met Nelson, their first Rugby foot- '■'-'■}. ball rivals, on Saturday afternoon, The :<; ground at Athletic Park was on the soft '■'••'. side, but a warm sun made the playing ■7. conditions .favourable;, A northerly wind ■ ;■• affected the game to some extent, in view V■ of counter-attractions, the attendance, ■-..-. about 3000, was satisfactory. Neither team ; : was at full strength, which accounted for i the fact that on both sides men -.were ; playing out of their "accustomed positions. ■ : The local representatives were, of course, „ \ practically a second fifteen, strengthened •by the inclusion of several forwards who h:, were unable to make the southern trip. -'.'; Snodgrass was the principal absentee from ;_.; the visiting side, although other regular ■ '"■' members of the team were missing. The .7; play practically throughout was uninspir-- • ing, while the results of the. early at- ",.': tempts at combined work appeared highly ■•; diverting to the spectators, who were not '•' ' inclined to regard the game very seri- '■..:' ouslj. Jfor.tune favoured the locals in the '' 'first session when playing with sun and '.. wind, they ran up a substantial lead with- ■'■; out showing' any pronounced superiority ■on the run of the play. Tre visiting for.',,''wards, who included some solid battlers, gave as much as they received, but the '•• i backs proved unable to press home the ' '..,' advantages offering. The team as a < whole showed a lack of finish, and its • mistakes pri. p.ipally accounted lor Wel- ■' lington's half-time lead. After the inter- ■ val Wellington appeared inclined to rest .on their oars, while Nelson kept goiug ■ with plenty of vim, which, combined with added confidence in the backs, brought M'ihem near to victory. Among the visitors :■ Fowler gave an excellent account of him- ". I self at half-back, while the five-eighths, /"'Reed and Watson, also brought off some "heady moves. The forwards grafted well ./'-', in the tight, and were well led by Gar- '■'. vin in the loose, where Max was ulso a conspicuous figure. The Wellington side ' failed to impress, but Noble-Adams w;is. a. eonrce of strength at full-back and Folcy jraa responsible for some, dashing play at

five-eighth. Peck,"'Blacker, and Coulston worked well in. the forwards. The teams were:— Nelson. —Thompson; Boyce, Wells, Everitt; Watson, Eeed (captain); Fowler; Garvin; Schwass, Young, Cross, Max, Huggins, Sutton, and Snow. Wellington.—Noble-Adams; Laiig, PelJiam, Murray; Foley, Cnmiiig; Chambers;' O'Kegan (captain); Deere, Cullimorc, Peck, Barry, Blacker, Jessup, aud Coulston. THE PLAY. The visitors set the ball rolling aud experienced some anxious moments as the play became centred mainly in their territory. A grubber kick came across to Murray in the open, but he failed to gather in the rolling ball, and a good chance was lost. O'Kegan was nearly successful in getting Chambers over from a scrum near the line, and a combined back movement all but resulted in Lang crossing at the Hag. The Blue and White forwards carried play to the other end, where Garvin fell just short of scoring. Reed failed with a penalty kick,. and Foley took the ball to find touch well down. Chambers then set the back line moving, and Foley cut in nicely to pass to Pelham, to Lang, who finished^ off a good movement with a try wide out. , O'Regan converted with a fine kick. Wellington 5, Nelson 0. Thompson failed to field a high punt, and the ball bounced across the Nelson goal, where a penalty against the defenders enabled O'Regan to increase the score with a "sitting shot." Wellington 8, Nelson 0. With Nelson attacking, Murray broke away in a speedy dash to half-way, where he failed to negotiate Thompson. The home forwards heeled from a scrum, and Foley and Pelham paved the way for a try by Murray, who bounced over the line just as.he was tackled by the full-back. O'Kegan failed 'to goal. Wellington 11, Nelson 0. Once more the visiting forwards worked their way downfield, and this time success attended their efforts. Fowler was unsuccessful when he tried to dodge over from a scrum, on the linOj but an infringement gave Reed an easy chance of goaling with" which he'made no mistake. Nelson 3, Wellington 11. Just on halftime Nelson- were in difficulties, when Thompson failed to gather in a high kick and from a melee near the posts Jc?sup forced his way over. O'Regan's kick made the scores at. the . interval: — Wellington 16 Nelson .. /. , ' «> Nelson assumed the aggressive early in the second half, and Fowler, Reed, and Bveritt opened out in a passing rush, but the last-namcd's transfer went astray. The visiting forwards gave their backs plenty of ball, but faulty handling-caused the movements to break down. Wellington then took a hand, and an attack in which Ciillimore, O'Kegan, Deere, Lang, and Foley were associated ended with l'oley scoring. O'Regan failed to convert. Wellington 19, Nelson 3. This proved to bo the local team's final score, and from then on Nelson had all the better of matters. Nelson were given a penalty in a good ■position, but Reed's kick passed outside the posts. Watson short-punted, followed up- to kick through again, and Wells 311 st beat Cuming in a dive for the ball near the posts. Reed missed an easy chance to convert. Nelson 6, Wellington 10. Ihe Nelson forwards continued to be the dominating factor, and Wellington could get little relief. Foley retired injured, being later replaced by Davies, and with the defence depleted, the Blue and Whites started a passing rush in the home twentyfive, which Bbyce topped with a try wide out. Keed goaled with a great kick. Nelson 11, Wellington 10. Pelham relieved the pressure with a dodgy run, but Thompson sent the play back again, .bowler set his backs going, but Boyes, at the end of the chain, was well taken by Noble-Adams. The crowd was tinning out rapidly when Nelson further reduced the deficiency. A loose attack found Murray caught with the ball, and before Wellington could clear Boyes had secured and dived over in the corner. Reeds kick, though good, failed to find the goal. Although both sides fought keenly there was no further scoring before the bell rang and^he game ended:— Wellington Nelson • " Mr. K. J. Patonwas the referee.