MATCHES DESCRIBED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 38, 14 August 1939, Page 15

MATCHES DESCRIBED

WON ON TIME

NELSON SUCCESSFUL

The real thrill in the match oetween :iie Kelson touring side and the Wellington second division representatives, the main attraction at Athletic Park, was the way me visitors, after an uphill battle, woi. on time. Apart from that, there was little that was inspiring in the game., .The pace was on all the way, and there was any amount of keenness, out some how there was <■ lack of polish. Although Nelson snatched a Win out of the tire, so to speak, their success was not undeserved. They did the bulk of the attacking in the second half, the Wellington team making tew advances into Kelson territory. ; The Nelson players had the advantage of having played together. They received an early set-back when a brilliant cut-in by Davidson paved the way for a try against them, but .after that they settled down and before long, largely through the liveliness of their forwards, they showed that they could not be taken as easily as all. thai. Wellington, however, led 8-0 at half-time, but Wellington's performance vactUjß-Uy had been a disappointment. The'pack, for a start, was not altogether impressive, but the main fault was in the backs. There things did not go at all well. For some reason the back formation, as originally announced, was •litercU. C. Thomas, the cap- -, tain, was played on the k'ft wing instead of Shand beings-moved -into ,' tins' flatter/- -position. Davidson-did his job well 'at. first five-.elßhths, but Oreenal and Shand, outside him, did not fill the bill adequately, with the result that often the Welling ■ ton baclc-line was at sixes and sevens. Davidson's early cut-in led to Cave coring. The other points put. on by Wellington in the first spell came from a try scored l>> Potler and converted by the same player. Kelson got to work early in the second spell and launched attack after attack, but apart from keeping Wellington on tliu defensive for the greater part of the time they achieved no success until almost half the spell had gone Then, from a scrum, the blind side was worked, and Todd scored. Maintaining the pressure Kelson added to their score with a try by Stallard. Morris failed to convert, and thereby lost the opportunity of making the scoring even. But Nelson were not finished. With time nearly up they launched a splendid run by their backs. It was really the best bit of play of the game, aand it succeeded. Kotua, at first five-eighths, who had been a live wire, gave the movement a good start. Out the ball went along the line until it reached Langrope on the right wing. He took his pass in great style, and flashed across the line for a fine try. Although he had missed with easier shots, Morris, by converting, made Nelson's winning margin more decisive Kelson 11. Wellington S. The referee was Mr. T. G. Taylor.