RANFURLY SHIELD

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 75, 26 September 1938, Page 17

RANFURLY SHIELD

RETAINED BY SOUTHLAND

ASHBURTON WERE UNLUCKY

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) INVERCABGILL, September 24. Southland successfully defended the Ranfurly Shield against Ashburton today. Playing conditions were ideal, with a bright sun, fast ground, and just a little wind. The game ended sensationally, Ashhurton taking the lead two minutes before time and Southland scoring the winning points right at the bell. Southland won by 20 points to 16. Mr. W. O. Ward was the referee. Southland opened the scoring when Herron touched down in a scramble on the line following several breaks by Southland. Wesney failed to goal. Southland 3, Ashburton 0. Saxton was getting a feast of the ball from the Southland forwards, and the backs were opening up play at evei'y opportunity. Herron scored his second try after a run of fifteen yards. Wesney failed with the kick. Southland 6, Ashburton 0. The Southland forwards dominated play but the backs were not handling well and many scoring ; opportunities were lost.

Ashburton scored after a great movement in which the backs and forwards handled and outplayed Southland, Brooker going over. Behras failed to convert. Southland 6,. Ashburton 3. Ashburton played with great dash for the remainder of the spell and on two occasions deserved to score. R. Lilley charged down a kick by Sutherland and beat J. Purdue (full-back) for possession. Fulton raced away clear to the posts, where he was collared from behind by Mahony. Lilley appeared to score, but the referee ruled otherwise. The crowd's sympathies were with Ashburton and the referee was roundly booed for his action in not awarding a try. . Shortly afterwards a passing rush by the Ashburton backs had the Southland defence outwitted, but Bradley lost the ball right on the line. Apart from these breaks Southland had much the better of the exchanges but played without finish. ASHBURTON REOPEN BRISKLY. In the second spell Ashburton opened strongly and for five minutes had Southland busily defending. Bradley and Burgess potted unsuccessfully, but Behrns kicked a penalty and equalised the scores amid great enthusiasm. It was clear the crowd appreciated Ashburton's bad luck of ,tne first spell. The Southland backs got going and Mahony lost a try right at the corner. Then Sutherland cut the defence in two, but stumbled as he went for the line. Ashburton was penalised when O'Donoghue stood ahead of the line of the scrum and Grace kicked an easy goal. Metcalfe scored for Southland after a scramble at the corner. It was a doubtful try, three. Ashburton men holding him as he went over. No goal was kicked. Southland 12, Ashburton 6. Herron. kicked a penalty goal, and no sooner had he done so than R. Lilley scored the best try of the game. He cut in on the Southland passing and ran over under the posts. Behrns converted. Southland 15, Ashburton ' The play of the last five minutes was exciting. , First Southland and then Ashburton made great attempts to score. With two minutes to play, Ashburton turned the tables and R. LiUey made the opening which left the defence standing. He gave Bradley a clear run in. Behrns converted and gave Ashburton a lead of , 16 points to 15. The enthusiasm of the crowd was unbounded. 1 The last two minutes were sensational. The Southland forwards made strenuous endeavours to get over, but were unable to do so until the last seconds of the game. Two scrums were formed on Ashburton's line. Ashburton forced from the first, but the referee awarded another, and as soon as the ball came out Graham dived over and scored, an almost similar try to the one scored against Otagp. The crowd by this time had surged round the touch and goal lines and the referee twice had to stop play to get the crowd back. Herron converted Jhe try and the game ended: Southland 20. Ashburton 16. The crowd surged on to the playing area as the teams filed off and much booing was directed at the referee, who was escorted off by a policeman. The consensus of opinion was that Ashburton was unlucky to lose on the day.