NATIONAL MUTUAL CUP

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 42, 18 August 1930, Page 14

NATIONAL MUTUAL CUP

i. STIRRING CONTEST gETONE'S 'NARROW WIN"

Jhose who Relieved Petone and Eastbourne capable of producing more fireworks than were to be seen in, the chamjpiimship final, : Kid their belief justified yhen the two teams met" for, the third lime this season in the contest for the jfational Mutual Cup on the . Petone •ground. Interest in the game was keen, pbont 3000 spectators ringing the Oval, jpsd they found the display to their liking, !&e enthusiasm reaching a climax.in the fast few minutes, when Petone's lead of % single point seemed as if it must disappear under the strenuous onslaughts of |ihe dashing Bay forwards. It was a vastly (different game from that which resulted iwien the teams met at Athletic Park. Jfetone were unable again to secure a grip ■ lUthe game early, and from then on ipmeentrate on holding it, and although Petone'scored, first, it was not till after jnore than half an hour's play, and a liotly-contested first spell ended with Easttoiirne a point in front. The championijslrip winners, . exhibiting a pronounced (Superiority in the backs, appeared to have <jie issue settled in their favour, half-way -,41»rough the second session, two further ieohverted tries having; improved their account, but although Eastbourne's ranks lad been depleted through injuries, they (Staged ..a:rattling finish which all but carried the day. The result may be-said ■fe> have been decided by an attempted conversion, which hit a goal ppst and bouncea putside. On the day thero was little, if anything, between the teams. Even when iholding a good lead Petone did not close the game up, and fast, open movements swept ■ play from one end of the field to the other. The forwards had a trying «day, and full credit must be given to the Eastbourne pack for the manner in which they played up to their heavier opponents -yight through, and were on top at the finish. The Petone backs, particularly the iinside men, were the more effective force, irat were more than once upsefc by the "dash of their opponents. Foley and JTicholls were both absentees, although Wicholls stated that he will be available ;jfor Saturday's representative fixture^ j The teams were:— ' „ .' Petone: J. Lambourne; Walker, Pollock, Ihmnett; Huxtable, Byrne; Coman; Carr; ■ :li. Lambourne, Coulston,, Martin, Fell, ■JReid, Spence, and Pickard. 'Eastbourne: -Clark; Dinniss, Kittleby, ' ffait; Armstrong, Chesterman; Martin;; j?rice; Gibbons, Drummond, Sleep, Barrett, Corlett, J. Dellabarca, and N. Delia-1 jbarca. . V The playing conditioris_favoured attrac- . live football, Petone electing to play with ;the sun in their'faces in the first half, itiut with the assistance of a light breeze. ' She home team were early in prominence : 'as the result of a combined effort by Huxjkble and Diranett, a junior player who ,*rent on in place of Elvy at the last minute./A good clearance by Clark turned the attack, and another offensive by the ': Petone forwards was also sent back. Both ■sets of forwards were playing with plenty ' bf sting, and -the defence of either side yrete tested in^turn. Spirited efforts were J also made by the backs, Dinniss and Tait 'narrowly missing scores for. Eastbourne, and Walker and Pollock getting dangeroußly near to scoring for Petone. ■ The Eastbourne backs were in full flight when Pollock made a brilliant interception, and provided a great opening for the speedy Walker, but a knock-on made the effort fruitless.^ Attack and counter-attack followed in rapid succession, but the spell was well advanced before the scoring was Opened, as the result of a sparkling passing bout by the,Petone backs, which was / .well topped, off by Walker. Pickard's con- . [version was a good one. 5-0. Eastbourne 7 retaliated, and Martin was nearly through, but Petone swung'play back again, and during strenuous work on the Eastbourne ■line Clark and Dinniss came into collision. Both were compelled to retire, Clark leaving the field immediately, and Dinniss ' toot reappearing, after the interval. The ! ■ egpell was nearly ended when a penalty goal by Kittleby reduced the leeway Eastbourne, and an unconverted try by Barnett, who finished off a typical 'tacks and forwards passing movement, gave the challengers a 6-3 lead at half - , time. . • ■ -'' ," . . ■ •"■■'. Murray and Packer-came out with the c '■ Eastbourne team for the second spell, but ' ' play had scarcely .started -before phester- . man was compelled to retire temporarily as the result of an injury.' Packer went'to first, five-eighths, and Kittleby dropped ; back to full-back. There was no slacken;'ing off in the pace, with Petone doing ; Jinost of the attacking.' About ten minutes ' after thes resumption the Petone backs :'■ gained possession, and , a brilliant cut through, by'Huxtable resulted ill his .. piercing the defence for a try near the "'-■ postal Coman'< converted. 10-6. .Coman, .. Huxfeble, and.Dunnett |;hen,made a thrust ;on the blind side of a scrum, .but Coman : was'thrown into [touch in goal. Petone continued to hold'the upper hand despite 1 Rigorous'efforts on: ,the part of Eastbourne ■'■.'■ to improve their'own'position.: Another 'bolo'run"by'Huxtable, who again cut a J:, holftiin ,the opposing backs, saw him lose possession when nearly over. During tight play under the Eastbourne posts, Petone were awarded a penalty, and Eastbourne apparently expected the obvious— ■■ ■" an attempt at a goal. Instead, Reid '••■ walked close np to the mark, gave a short kick, and regained possession to force his way. over for the type of try usually associated with the name of Jack Shearer. Eastbourne were caught napping badly, ."•■ and Coman completed the.manoeuvre. by : converting. 15-6. ■ Within a minute 'or so Eastbourne had again reduced the leeway to four points. The forwards put in a sweeping rush, and from a scrum near tha line Martin went over for a try,, which Sittleby converted. 15-11. For the remainder of the game Eastbourne were . definitely the aggressors, but Petone, added to the interest of the proceedings by staging some further attacks. The pace at which the game was contested made mistakes frequent, but it was generally the unexpected that happened, and the issue was still open. Coman and Pickard failed to improve Petone's score from penalties in fairly handy positions, and it was left for the Greens to add the last score of the day. Eastbourne were pressing hard, and at length from a scramble on the line Gibbons got across at a point favourable for the conversion. Kittleby took the kick; but, as indicated,above, his effort struck the upright, and was deflected outside. In the last few minutes Eastbourne strove hard to pull the game out of the,.fire, but they were unsuccessful, and the final whistle blew with Petone the •winners of the National Mutual Cup for the second year in succession, the score being: Petone 15, Eastbourne 14. Mr.R. J. Paton was the referee.