HOSPITAL'S CLOSE CALL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 9, 11 July 1938, Page 7

HOSPITAL'S CLOSE CALL

Diamond almost stopped Hospital's belated come-back In the game at Porirua on Saturday, and the home team were just able to turn the balance. Both teams were unlucky, because the heavy, slippery ground made the ball very hard to play. * Hospital showed a burst of their old skill m the first six minutes of the game, when Lambert and Woods went away down the line. Woods finished the movement neatly with a wellplaced goal. Diamond improved as the ground began to be chopped up, and soon were giving the Hospital defence all it could manage. Almost on halftime, Gilchrist passed to Bennett, who evened accounts with a neat ,shot into the corner of the net.

Early in the second half, Lambert went down the line with the ball at his toe, and passed light across to Miles. Miles centred to Jeromson, who netted from close in. Immediately afterwards, a long pass gave the ball to the Diamond forwards, and Bennett again evened accounts. Diamond had it all their own way for some time, but the Hospital defence held. Then it was Hospital's turn, but it was not until very near the final whistle that a pass from Lambert gave Webster his opportunity to cross into goal. The final score was Hospital 3, Diamond 2.

Petone were the first to score in the second half, although the ball was touched in by a Marist back. Leslie headed from a struggle in the goalmouth, and the ball grazed one of the defenders. Shortly afterwards Marist equalised, Leonard connecting with a pass from the left wing. About halfway through the half White. Petone's outside-right, broke his collarbone.. It was anybody's game until the whistle. The game ended: Marist 2. Petcne 2.

The referee was Mr. J. Duncan,