PETONE SURPRISED

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 35, 10 August 1936, Page 14

PETONE SURPRISED

Keen and untiring play by their forwards and excellent handling which at times reached heights of brilliance on the part'Of .their backs enabled Marist Bros.' Old Boys to turn the tables on Petone in the game played on the Petone Oval. Two.tries and a field goal gave Marist a 12^point lead at the interval, and although Petone made desperate efforts in the second spell to equalise they found the task beyond them, and before the final whistle the visitors added two further tries in dashing style. Only once were Petone able to cross their opponents' line, the' remainder of their 12 points being contributed by; one field and one penalty- goal. ; Petone" owed their failure largely to the inclination of their backs towards individual rather than combined tactics,. and also' to their inability to obtain'the ball from the set scrummages and line-outs. Although rather drab at times, the game was not without its highlights, ■ and those who delighted with their sparkling play were Stiver and Kaua (Marist) and Pollock and Carter (Petone). . The teams were:— ' ■ . Marist Bros.' Old Boys.—Ericsson; Stiver, Spillane, McGreevy; Kaua, Langdon; Brown; Hargreaves, Ottoway. Blatch. Leahy, Meadows, Donoghue, Ropata. Tietjens. Petone.—Pollock; Thomas, Hudson, MeGurk; A. Edwards,' N.'. Edwards; O'HaJloran; Sundgren, Lambourn, Carr, Carter, Picard,rMartin, Abrinj, Cleland. " ..

The strong northerly made conditions unpleasant when Petone kicked off, and throughout the game both sides found much difficulty in controlling the elusive ball. Marist quickly opened their account when, after a strong forward: rush, Kaua broke through to score. He converted his own try with « fine kick. 5-0. Playing with plenty of fire and wisely keeping the ball at toe, the Marist forwards enjoyed a decided advantage, and although on one or two' occasions-the Petone vangaurd we're able "to "turn the tide, it was not long' before they were sent back to their own territory. .Hooking the'ball for Marist, Ottoway kept Brown well supplied. and:.the half was not slow to set his backs moving. The visitors collected, further' .points when Kaua, who'gave a really sparkling display, transferred to. Stiver for the^ winger to touch down at the corner flag. Marist continued- to- hold the advantage, and before the' interval Stiver; fielded a high kick,, and after . eluding several opponents "potted" a spectacular field goal, to give Marist a 12-point lead at half-tune. ~ ' ' Vrorri the kick-off. Marist' pressed hard." and Stiver, winning the race for the ball; smartly scored in the.corner. The Petone^ backs, who had- hitherto handled most ineffectively; now began to put'more.life into their play, and a heady. movement -was rounded off by N..Edwards, who scored in an easy nbsition- for :Pollock ,to convert. 15-5. Pollock brought the crowd to their feet when :he dashed along the side-line, only to be pushed into touch when he was almost across. At this stage ■Ericsson, Marists' full-back, was injured, and his place was taken by Stiver. Ouin filled the vacancy on th<? wing. Making use of their opportunities, the Marist fqrwards repeatedly stormed theTetone citad°l. and on two occasions Kaua and Tietj ens came close to scoring. Fielding the ball ]ust outside the.Petone ctuarter and on th° side-line. Pollock "pitted" a magnificent fleW goal for Petone. and with their deficit now lessened the hom n sWe mad° vali=nt attempts to ward off Hefeat. Donnghue. however, mcreasei Marist's total when he scored a wellearned try. and tbe final issue was now beyond doubt. "With two minutes left for play the P-*t>ne forwards swept towards the 'Vdrist line and a penalty piiable* "oflock to kink an easy goal Man* returned to the attack, but tti«-re was no further score, and the game ended in a win for Marist by 18 noints to 12. The referee was Mr. J. A. Wilson.