MARIST UNLUCKY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22657, 7 June 1948, Page 3

MARIST UNLUCKY

HARD SECOND HALF

UNION HOLD MARGIN Principal interest in the senior match between Marist and Union was the sustained onslaught with which Marist endeavoured to overcome an early deficit, and the shade of ill-luck which dogged their efforts time and again when they seemed likely to take the lead. The game ended 11-9 in favour of Union, who put up a solid defence after they had obtained a lead, and managed to hold back the consistent pressure of their opponents. The game suffered from the usual lapses of form noted when teams play oil' the main ground, and neither Marist nor Union was up to the best pitch of the season to date. Union played a characteristic game, using a solid, rugger set of forwards to break up the ] back movements which Marist tried all I the time to get going, and covering well I when their own defence seemed to be lin trouble. The bustling style of the I Union team-as a whole was upsetting to their opposition most of the time, and there was never any notable let-down in their pace throughout the game. Tendency To Drift In the Marist team there were some obvious faults, and one of them was a tendency for forwards to drift back slowly when the game went past them. The backs were more determined in their general play, and actually only let one try through; but their defence was substantially better than their attack during the first half. Union owed its lead to a try by K. Pewhairangi and two penalty goals and one conversion by J. Pewhairangi; while for Marist Shaskey and Kearney scored tries, both unconverted, and Cleary kicked a good penalty goal. The last-named player was again the sparkplug of his side, and had to carry more than his share of the forward work, though he was well supported by T. Donovan and R. Rigney in the pack; while behind the scrum Kearney at half-back, Nelson at first five-eighths and Gerrard at fullback seemed the most consistent of the Marist players. Nelson was new to his position, but made a good showing there. The Pewhairangi brothers were always prominent in the Union pack, with J. Tuhoe also working well in the tight. TangahUe in the halfback position was fair and Nepc, next to him, was a sound defender and spoiler. Gear, on the left wing, was better in defence than in attack, and his tackling was one of the factors that broke down the Marist efforts at- a late recovery. Mr. S. Ritchie was the referee.