GYMNASIUM FUNDS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 92, 20 April 1931, Page 12

GYMNASIUM FUNDS

MANY PLAYERS ON TRIAL

SORTING OUT PROCESS

Any amount, of keenness by the jiluyei's | but little sound, sjini-kling I'ootbiill whs Uic order in the Jlngby games pl;iyed on Saturday afternoon in aid oC clubs' gyniuasiiitn i'linds. But that was as expected; spectators were mindful Hint the season lias scarcely begun, and that a start has not yet been made with club competitions. They ■were tolerant, passing by mistakes and other things upon which later on they \vill perhaps plainly air their opinions. The matches had been postponed from the previous Saturday owing to bad weather, but on Saturday conditions were Erst rate. la addition to assisting the clubs' gymnasium funds the games gave coaches an excellent opportunity, of. which, incidentally, full advantage was taken, of trying put new players and juniors of last year in the running for- places in the senior teams. In most cases many changes were made at half-time, and in several of the matches it was plain that players probably will take quite an amount of sorting out. Three games were played at Athletic Park, one after the other, and so as to fit them in play in each was limited to about an hour. The old rivals, Poneke and Pctouc, met on the Petone Oval; Oriental played'Hutt on the Hutt Recreation Ground; and at .Eastbourne a game was played between Kastbounie and .Minimal. .Results were as follows: — University 8, Athletic S. Wellington 9, Old Boys 8. Berhampore 8, Jlarist 0. Poneke:2o, Petoue 11. Eastbourne IS, Miramar 9. Hutt 33,, Oriental 0. As advantage was taken of testing out players, and in some matches while radical alterations were made in one team, l'«w changes were made in the other, too much importance, of course, must not be attached to the scores. ATHLETIC v. UNIVERSITY. The controversy over the Bonior grades in which the club is directly concerned accounted for keen interest being taken in University's players, who with Athletic provided the h'rst match at Athletic Park. In both teams there wore newcomers and. younger players who were on trial. The work of neither team was over impressive. University had a light pack, but their backs went better than those of Athletic. One player among the University backs who was watched with special interest,1' was Hum, who was played as centre three-quarter in the iirst half and in the second spell, when Kamson came on as centre, was moved to wing threequarter. Hum, however, had few opportunities, and beyond making one or two snappy runs very little was seen of him. The Athletic forwards did quite well, such players as Watson, Berry, and Boyd catching the eye frequently. The backs were a young lot, but showed keenness. Athletic were first, to score, Dustin starting a movement in which the forwards subsequently joined. Watson, after the bounce of the ball had beaten the University wing three-quarter, N. Hislop, finished it off with a try, which Scotland converted. Mackay (University) made two unsuccessful attempts at goal from penalty kicks. Following a line out Mackenzie (University) tried a "dummy" pass, quite a favourite with him, and the Athletic backs allowed him to get away with it. Out in the open, though, Mackenzie was unable to move fast enougli, and his progress was promptly stopped by the Athletic wing three-quarter, Sullings. The University backs a little later got going, and Mackay experienced no difficulty in scoring. He was unable to convert. Athletic 5, University 3. In the first half of the second spell Athletic were almost continuously in University's half of the field, but after that the University team, which was almost another team from that which, played in the first spell, warmed up and shortly before time was called Deiderich scored and Ramson converted, making the final score: University 8, Athletic 5. The referee was Mr. G. B. Heley. WELLINGTON v. OLD BOYS. The second game at the Park was between Old Boys and Wellington, who started off at a fast clip and had a keen contest. The football, however, was not very bright, although in the first half the Wellington backs, Hay, Page, Riddell, S. H. Kuril, and Hutchison, were seen in two or three spasmodic attacking movements. One of the bright spots in the game occurred quite early, when the bij; Old Boys' lock, Emerson, after receiving the ball from Rushbrook, set off up the centre of the field. Emerson, however, could not step lively enough, and whoa bis pursuers closed in on him he threw out a wild pass. Kuru opened Wellington's scoring account ;with a fine penalty goal from well out, and before half-time two unconverted tries were added. The second try was the result of some good passing among the backs. The movement was started and finished by Hutchison. Old Boys, some of whose players in tho first spell received hard knocks, went much better in the second half. J. Lamason scored the team's eight points, kicking a penalty goal,and scoring and converting a try. The game ended: Wellington 9, Old Boys 8. Mr. G-. H; Hoare was the referee. BERHAMPORE v. MARIST. The Berhampore-Marist clash, which was tho final game at Athletic Park, possibly was the most entertaining of the three, but not because the football was any better. Berhampore fielded big, strapping forwards, whose shock tactics upset Marist. The handling of the ball by both teams was poor; in fact, at times it was so weali that the ball was made to appear the most elusive ball that had ever been brought on to the Park. After fifteen minutes of loose scrambling play a Berhampore player appeared to drive home a solid rush, but Marist were given a free kick. Almost immediately afterwards, however, the Berhampore forwards sent the ball out from a scrum; Brettis whipped right through the Marist backs and scored the best try of the afternoon. The kick at goal was unsuccessful. There was no further scoring in the first spell. In the second half Brettis scored another try, which Diamond converted, making the final score: Berhampore 8, Mnrist 0. The game was controlled by Mr. J. B. Benson.