LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 July 1941, Page 8

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

RUNANGA DEFEAT MARIST. BLACKBALL’S CLOSE CALL. Close games characterised yesterday’s Rugby League matches, when the Bradshaw Cup competition was resumed. Runanga surprised Marist, by a six-point victory at Wingham Park, and at Ngahere the home team fully extended Blackball, who won by four points. Favourable conditions were experienced for the matches, and with the grounds in good order, the football generally was fast and open. There was a good attendnace at Wingham Park, but not as large as usual for a MaristRunanga fixture. RUNANGA 18. MARIST 12. Although Runanga won their match at Wingham Park by six points, the result was in doubt until the final few minutes, and the second spell produced some bright football. At one stage, it seemed that Marist would win comfortably, but Runanga rallied and held a territorial advantage almost from the interval. Too much kicking by both teams -polled the first half, hut both improved then- football as the game progressed. Runanga owed their success to the better functioning of their backs, their handling and back-ing-up being superior to ihat of their opponents. There was little between the forwards, although Runanga’s hooking was cleaner. Masters, Scott, Links and Glynn (backs) and Glynn. Hart and Currie' (forwards) played well for the winners. Smith, Hann,: Mountford and Curnow (backs) andj Coll, Hagen and Pope (forwards) | showed up for Marist. The teams' were as follow:—

Runanga: Armstrong, Hinks, Masters, Anderson, Pattison, W. Glynn, Scott. Kyle, Merriman, King, R. Glynn, Hart, Currie. Marist: Pollock, Beban. Mann, Smith, Keating, Mountford, Curnow, Pope, Grogan, .Friend, Hagen, Fauth. Coll.

Runanga won the toss, but there was no advantage to be gained. The opening stages were even, and following a monotonous exchange of kicks Hinks put in a fine 40-yards run, selling a dummy to Smith, to score in the corner. Currie failed to convert. Runanga 3, Marist nil. The game brightened up considerably alter the first try, with some good back play. A miss-kick by Armstrong put Runanga in difficulties, and when they were penalised on the 25, Mann kicked a penalty goal, reducing Marist’s deficit to one point. With Runanga attacking strongly. Mountford cut through smartly, and ran 25 yards before transferring to Mann, on half-way. Mann was left with a clear field and used his pace to score under the posts, and convert. A few minutes later, the Marist backs again swung into action. Mountford and Mann preparing the way for Beban, who scored in a handy position. Mann again converted. Marist 12, Runanga 3. Marist were again attacking strongly when half-time was called.

Runanga altered their team tor the second half, Masters replacing Glynn as five-eighth and Currie going to'centre. After a period of even play, Masters, Pattison and Hart combined in a passing movement from the 25, for the last-mentioned to score in a handy position. W. Glynn converted. Marist 12, Runanga 8. ” Fast following by Merriman put Runanga in an attacking position and Scott initiated a 'bout of short passing among backs and forwards, which resulted in W. Glynn scoring, about half way out. R.'Glynn converted. Runanya 13, Marist 12. Fast play followed, with Runanga holding a slight territorial advantage. In a desperate effort to regain the lead for Marist, Beban was unsuccessful in an attempt at a penalty goal from 10 yards inside half-way. Runanga attacked again and from a ten-yard scrum the Runanga backs and Hart handled in a good movement for Anderson to score, about half-way out. R. Glynn converted. Runanga 18. Marist 12. Full time was called shortly after. ' - Mr J. Griffen was referee. BLACKBALL 21, NGAHERE 17.

At Ngahere yesterday, Blackball maintained their unbeaten record. I but they owed their win chiefly to the excellent kicking o£ Howden, who succeeded with six out of seven attempts, four of which were splendid efforts. Ngahere, served with tne greater share of the ball from the set scrums, gave theii' best display of the season. A. Gibson was the mainstay of the Ngahere backs with good support from Mulcare and Pascoe, while Lee, Balderstone and Gibson were the most prominent forwards. For Blackball, C. Mountford, Jamieson,

and Burns in the backs, and K. Mountford, Howden and R. Clark in the forwards, were most conspicuous. The teams were:

Blackball: Jim O’Donnell, Burns, Jamieson, Jack O’Donnell, Mountford, McNaughton, Ord, K. Mountford, Waters, R. Clark, Williams, J. Clark, Howden.

Ngahere: Elmers, N. Gibson, A. Gibson, Mulcare, Moth, Pascoe, Kennedy, Balderstone, Moore, Lee, J. Gibson, Hogarth, Gillman. After a period of even play Ngahere went to the Blackball 25, where J. Gibson passed to Moth, to Balderstone, for the latter to run round behind the posts. Lee converted. Ngahere 5, Blackball 0. Shortly after, offside by Ngahere enabled Howden to goal from well out. Ngahere 5, Blackball 2. A. Gibson was conspicuous in Ngahere’s attack on Blackball’s line, but C. Mountford cleared. After Lee had failed with a penalty, A. Gibson fielded the clearing kick and made a nice run before sending on to Mulcare, who scored in the corner. Lee failed with the kick. Ngahere 8, Blackball 2. When a Ngahere back movement broke down at half-way, C. Mountford snapped up and ran for the corner before passing to O’Donnell, who scored wide out. Howden converted with a good kick. Ngahere 8, Blackball 7. From a scrum on the Ngahere 25, the Blackball backs handled and Jamieson sold a dummy, shot through, and dived over in the corner. Howden again converted with a splendid kick. Blackball 12, Ngahere 8. Blackball immediately came back in a swift passing rush, but Burns’ kick over the full-back’s head went over the dead-ball line. Pascoe with a welljudged kick put Ngahere close to the Blackball line. From the scrum, ; Ngahere forwards broke through, land Hogarth picked up and scored lin a handy position. Balderstone’s kick went outside, and half-time sounded with the scores: Blackball 12, Ngahere 11. On the resumption, Blackball pressed Ngahere hard and compelled Ngahere to force down twice in succession. Eventually short passing among the forwards resulted in K. Mountford Poing over in the corner. Howden failed to convert. Blackball 15, Ngahere 11. Ngahere had a brief turn on attack and the best try of the game resulted. Securing outside the Blackball 25 the Ngahere backs handled, and Mulcare, receiving at top speed, ran between two men to go over wide out. Balderstone failed to convert. Blackball 15, Ngahere 14. When A. Gibson was offside near his own 25, Howden kicked a penalty. Blackball 17, Ngahere 14. Lee was prominent at the head of a Ngahere rush to the Blackball line, but Burns saved by kicking over the dead-ball line. A cross kick by Pascoe went over the Blackball line. The bounce beat Mountford, and N. Gibson came up fast to touch down. Lee missed with the kick. Blackball 17, Ngahere 17. J. Gibson, in stopping a Blackball rush near his own > line, had his knee injured and left the field. Kennedy was penalised on his own 25 and Howden goaled. Blackball 19, Ngahere 17. Blackball continued to press ana Howden kicked his sixth goal, full time sounding shortly afterwards with the scores: Blackball 21, Ngahere 17. Mr L. Kinsella was referee. i

LOWER GRADES. In the junior grade, Marist defeated Runanga; at Runanga, by 10 points to three. Rapahoe and Kumara juniors drew at Rapahoe, each scoring 10 points. Brunner juniors defeated Blackball, at Taylorville, by 15 points to 10. . Playing the curtain-raiser at Wingham Park, Marist fourths defeated Runanga by 15 points to five, alter a fast, even game. Tries were scored for the winners by V. Meates (2) and O’Neill, O’Callaghan converting two and also kicking a penalty. Forrest scored for Runanga and Shackley converted. Mr H. Bassett was refcree. At Kumara, Blackball fourth graders defeated Kumara by 25 points to eight. , . In a sixth grade game at Wingham Park, on Saturday, Marist A defeated Runanga by 10 points to eight. I

IN OTHER CENTRES CHRISTCHURCH, July 12. Sydenham 13, Waimairi 10. RakaiaHornby 13, Riccarton 7. Linwood 13, 1 Woolston 11. _ _ . . AUCKLAND, July 13. ’ At Rugby League on Saturday J Auckland defeated South 'Auckland 1 by 25 to 14 WELLINGTON, July 12. ■ Miramar 31, Petone East 0; Petone ' South 21, Eastern Suburbs 0. :