SECOND DIVISION

Evening Post, Issue 11, 13 July 1936, Page 14

SECOND DIVISION

ATHLETIC V. PIRATES

The opening stages of the AthleticPirates match at Wakefield Park on Saturday were mainly fought out in midfield. Athletic were the first to open the scoring, when Pelham.sent Badland away to score between the posts after a forward tussle on the Pirates twenty-five-yard line. Smith convened. Athletic again took up the attack, and Pelham beat the Pirates defence and scored after a brief scramble on the Pirates goal-line. Pirates then rushed play into Athletic territory, where they gained their first score when Bailey kicked a good penalty. Half-time came shortly afterwards with Pirates making a determined onslaught on the Athletic defence. The scores were: Athletic 8 Pirates.3. ,

Taking up the attack rapidly at the commencement of the second spell, Athletic forced the play down to the Pirates goal-line. A try looked certain when an Athletic player crossed^ the Pirates goal-line, but he dropped the ball in an effort to score beneath the posts. Shortly afterwards, however, Felham scored. Athletic 11, Pirates 3. Athletic again came through fast, and Pelham scored again. Smith converted. Athletic 16, Pirates 3. Pirates tried hard to force the play upfleld, but the Athletic attack was too strong and they crossed the line once more and Smith scored the final try of the match. The game terminated shortly afterwards without further incident, the final scores being: Athletic 19 Pirates 3 university'sTdecisive Win Good play among backs" and forwards, combined with an ability to take full advantage df the opportunities given them through Miramar's lack of cohesion, enabled 'Varsity to gain a victory by 26 points to 6 at the Polo Grounds. The teams were: University.—W. Tricklebank; F. Fitzgerald, M. O. Ekdahl, T. Larkin; R. Reid,. R. Wild; G. G. Rae; B. Jackson, R. Burke, W. Cunliffe, R. Russell, L. Desborough, E. Blacker, G. Gibbons, W. Thurston. Miramar.—C. Mulholland; J. Parfitt, H. Baird, P. Aldous; J. Greenall, J. Dawson; N. Simonsen; A. James, T. Lowery, J. Minnick, T. Troy, J. Smith, G. Blackwell. J. Codyre, W. Dalley. Miramar, who were without the services of Wemberg, Cooke,; and Batchelor, launched an attack on University from the onset, and for a time it appeared as if University would have points scored against them. However, the attackers were not playing as a combined team, and as a result several golden opportunities were lost. Halfway through the spell University, with their heavier forwards and nippier backs, gained the upper hand and held it. A feature of the University tactics Was the exploitation of the dribbling rush. On one occasion defence was turned into attack when ttie forwards broke away with the ball at their toes and when on the line Wild snanped up and scored a neat try, which Rae converted. Shortly afterwards the University backs gained a try as the result of a fine passing movement, Ekdahl scoring. Close on half-time, Reid scored for University, and Rae converted, making the total University 13. Miramar 0. University continued to dominate play in the second spell, although Miramar rallied to some extent towards the end and scored two tries. Their kicking was poor, and easy chances from Penalties were missed. 'Varsity were superior in scrum and line-out. The score at full time was: University 26, Mirarnar 6.' For the winners Burke. •Russell and Reid scored tries, two of -which Rae converted. Greenall and Dplley scored tries for Miramsr. The referee was Mr. A. R. Morris. . WELLINGTON WIN A rather fresh northerly breeze interfered with the play in the Wel-lington-Oriental match played at Hataitai. Wellington won on their merits by 17 points to 11. The teams were:—. Wellington.—Barron; Barton, Compton, Bibby; Dixon, Davidson; Crisp; Edwards, McKinley, Hingston, Weir, Fish, Jones, Cathie, Taylor. Oriental.—Coxon; Hale, Wood, Fulford; Davies, Sydall; Murdoch; Daw-

son, Searle, Rankin, Baynes, Sullivan, Kemp, Sinclair, Harris.

Wellington had the benefit of the breeze in the first spell and made good use of it. From the kick-off Oriental were on the defence, and, with the Wellington combination working well, it was only a matter of time for ■ Wellington to begin scoring. Bibby opened Wellington's account after a move by Dixon and Compton enabled the newcomer to sprint about fifty yards to go over for an unconverted try. Wellington 3, Oriental 0. A few minutes later, Bibby scored again for Taylor to convert. Wellington 8 Oriental 0. A dribble .by Taylor opened up a move for Barton to finish off with an unconverted try. Wellington 11, Oriental 0. . Oriental missed two penalties, and then lost Wood, who was replaced by Webster. A rush by Wellington took the ball to the opposing line, where Bibby received from a_ scrum to score his third try. Wellington 14, Oriental 0. Another rush ended in Fish going over for an unconverted try, and the spell ended with Wellington 17, Oriental 0.

The second spell saw Oriental have most of the play, but their combination was not effective, and some excellent chances of scoring were lost through inefficient backing up. The spell was well on before Fulford opened the scoring after Hale had made a good sprint and in-passed for Fulford to score an unconverted try. Wellington 17, Oriental 3. High kicking proved successful when a ball bounced badly for Barron and a rush was carried on for Rankin to score. Hale converted. Wellington 17, Oriental 8. Oriental scored again just before the close when Coxon slipped through an opening for a try which Hale failed to convert. Time was called with the score

Wellington Oriental Mr. T. Taylor .was referee.