MARIST “PIPPED ON POST” BY H.S.O.B. RALLY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22941, 9 May 1949, Page 3

MARIST “PIPPED ON POST” BY H. 5.0.8. RALLY

After having a territorial advantage for most of the match and holding a slender lead of nine points to eight, Marist could be counted as being unlucky in the senior fixture on the Oval No. 2 ground against High School Old Boys, the latter team scoring on time to take an 11-9 decision. For H.Saj.B. S. Lunkin, T. Torrie and N. Kane scored a try each, R. Cowley converting one, and for Marist J. Cleary kicked three penalty goals. Though they fielded a smaller pack in comparison with their heavier opponents, the Marist forwards gave little away in determination and the will to work. Being continually pounded by the H. 5.0.8. vanguard, which was one of the deciding factors in the defeat last week of Old Boys, last season s championship winners, the Blue forwards, nevertheless, had to cede the honours during a good deal of the match. It was the superior pace of the H. 5.0.8. backs when the match was in its dying stages that enabled the Blue and Whites to start an excellent back move, ment for N. Kane to run more than 30 yards and score. The speedy H. 5.0.8. back line had up to that time been kept well in check by the effective tackling of the Marist backs. Prominent players who helped a successful pack of forwards in the Marist team were T. Donovon, the hooker, who gained more than his share of the ball, T. White and J. Cleary, and in the H. 5.0.8. pack C. Swan, C. McGrannachan, B. White and K. Bullivant were hard workers. Once under way the H. 5.0.8. backs proved that there are not many better com-, binations in the senior competitions at present.

Though he has only just acquired senior status, G. Thomson, the Marist full-back, showed that he is not far behind the more experienced players playing in his position in the competition.

The teams were: H. 5.0.8. (Blue and White).—G. Allen; S. Lunkin. N. Kane, T. Torrie; R . Cowley, T. Samuels; S. Lee; B. White; C. McGrannachan, I. Shaw, K. Bullivant, L. Gibson, C. Swan, N. Mills, W. Robinson. S. Lee was replaced by P. Jobson.

Marist (Blue).—G. Thompson; F. Dearness, B, Samuels, L. Parker; B. Sexton, S. Sullivan; W. Raggett; B. Donovan; J. Cleary, T. White, P. Carlin, B. Parker; N. Maybey, T. Donovan, J. Shaskey. J. Clark replaced N. Maybey in the first spell. Marist supporters had good cause for jubilation with the kicking of a fine penalty goal—4s yards out—by J. Cleary after three or four minutes of play. But H. 5.0.8. were not to be denied. Following a short kick through by R. Cowley deep in Marist territory the pacy three-quarter, S. Lunkin, gathered the ball and raced behind the goal posts for a try, which was converted by Cowley. From here hard forward exchanges marked play, (he Marist forwards carrying the game to within 15 yards of the H. 5.0.8. goal line. An infringement by the opposition gave Cleary another chance to put Marist in the lead which he did by kicking a further penalty goal.

Play ranged chiefly in H. 5.0.8. territory, but the ball was not coming out as cleanly as it might have and consequently few bright movements were seen by either sets of backs. Cleary’s “Hat Trick”

H. 5.0.8. were penalised and from the resultant kick Cleary achieved the “hat trick” in goals. The spell ended, Marist 9, H. 5.0.8. 5.

T. Torrie placed H. 5.0.8. within one point of their opponents when he ran for 15 yards to score a good try without a hand being laid on him. W. Raggett, the Blue half, who had been giving good service to his backs, almost scored for Marist when after breaking away with the ball near the H. 5.0.8. line was forced out into touch-in-goal. With a one-point deficit and the referee almost ready to declare no-side H. 5.0.8. backs spun the ball in an endeavour to open up play for their three-quarters, and succeeded when N. Kane secured the ball after a passing rush and raced over to score a beautiful try right on time, the game ending H. 5.0.8. 11, Marist 9. The referee was Mr. M. McLernon.