CELTS UNABLE TO HOLD H.S.O.B. IN FIRST MEETING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22947, 16 May 1949, Page 3

CELTS UNABLE TO HOLD H. 5.0.8. IN FIRST MEETING

With both sides striving to open up the play, the ball was tossed about in fine style when H. 5.0.8. beat Celtic seniors on the Gisborne Oval on Saturday by 17 points to 11. As the score indicates, it was a free-scorng match which kept the rival supporters on their toes to the final whistle. •

The Celts had almost full charge of the ball from the set scrums and many of the line-outs in the first quarter and the greater part of the second spell. Their back-line attacks fell down in the face of determined tackling by the defenders. The H. 5.0.8. hooker, N. Mills, beat his opponent, W. Brown, to the ball in the second quarter and that gave H. 5.0.8. a chance to get their backs in action. They performed well in attack as well as in defence. The teams were:—

H. 5.0.8. (blue and white). —G. Allen; S. Lunken, R. Cowley, T. Samuels; T. Torrie, B. Fitzpatrick (replaced by I. Bills); S. Lee; R. White; L. Gibson, C. McGrannachan. I. Shaw. W. Robinson (replaced by P. Jobson); B. Rogers, N. Mills, C. Swan.

Ccliic (green).—T. Woodford; J. Casey, E. Carrington, C. Carrington; W. Edwards, M. Nikora; T. Read; I. Munro; B. Duckworth, A. Wills, W. Cummings, H. Parker; H. Moore, W. Brown, H. Ngaira. Celtic were without the services of R. McKinley and W. Carrington, about to start their tour of Australia with the Maori All Blacks. Brown led the team on to the field and will remain team captain while Reg McKinley is away. His second-in-command is Edwards. H. 5.0.8. were without the services of N. Kane in the threequarter line. Fitzpatrick made his first outing in H. 5.0.8. senior colours. He gave a clear-cut performance' at first fiveeighth, similar to that expected of him when representing the second fifteen. A knock on the ankle made it necessary for him to retire at the interval. He was replaced by Bills, who spoke volumes for the strength of -the reserves carried by H. 5.0.8. Celtic attackers learned to respect his low tackling, one of H.5.0.8.’s strong points on the day. Goal Kicks Decide

Cowley took over Kane’s usual position of centre three-quarter and also was rock-like in defence. It was Cowley’s kicking that decided the day in H.5.0.8.’s favour. Each side scored two tries. Cowley converted one and kicked two penalty goals. Lee. the H. 5.0.8. half-back, proved he is still capable of quick thinking, notching one of the tries and snapping up a good field goal when the points were sorely needed.

Shaw, McGrannachan, White, Mills and L. Gibson were toilers in the H. 5.0.8. pack and were kept busy by the rugged Celts. Although the changed Celtic backline had many opportunities, its members lacked the required penetration. Too often they were crowded on to the sideline by the time they got under way and had insufficient space in which to work. A little valuation may have helped them. Read fed his backs conscientiously from the base of the scrum. Nikora and Edwards were handling well and E. Carrington seemed to have plenty of dash in the early stages. However, they were well marked and their opportunities were short-lived.

Brown was one of the best forwards on the paddock and was versatile in the tight and the loose. He was well supported by Moore, Cummings and Munro. There were the usual exchanges in the opening stages and then the Celts worked their way into H. 5.0.8. territory. The initial Celtic try was well merited. M. Nikora sidestepped two of his opponents and sent E. Carrington away 15yds. from the H. 5.0.8. line. Carrington made a slashing run and forced his way across to score with two defenders hanging on to him. J. Casey added the extra points. Celtic, 5; H. 5.0.8., nil. Evening of Scores H. 5.0.8. got themselves out of a sticky patch in the following encounter and soon after they had a chance at goal when the Celts infringed in a dangerous position. R. Cowley was successful with the kick. Celtic, 5; H. 5.0.8., 3. Celtic forwards up to this stage were holding the upper hand and feeding their backs well. Casey missed a further chance at goal and then the ball was kept in the forwards for a spell. Fitzpatrick was generally responsible in gaining ground for H. 5.0.8. and Cowley, following an infringement, missed the goal. H. 5.0.8. were warming up and there were several splendid passing rushes in which the play was opened up and the ball tossed about. After two such dashes Lunken and Fitzpatrick got going and gave the ball to Lee to cover the final distance. Cowley converted and put H. 5.0.8. in the lead for the first time. H. 5.0.8., 8; Celtic, 5. Cowley made another sortie into Celtic territory and his thrust was carried on by Shaw and Swan. They were trapped by Woodford and from an ensuing scrum Lee potted a quick field-goal.. H. 5.0.8. again went into an attack initiated by Fitzpatrick- Robinson took a hand in the advance to make an extra man. Cowley handed on to Gisborne who put in a stab kick to quickly retrieve the ball to score well out. The kick at goal failed. — H. 5.0.8. 14; Celtic, 5. “Soccer Kick’’ Paves Way With five minutes of the first half remaining to them, C. Carrington gave the ball a “soccer kick” in front of the stand to keep it in play. This caught the H. 5.0.- defence off guard and W. Brown made a dash for the near corner. He handed on to Moore who scored near the corner flag. The try was not converted, and the halftime score was: H. 5.0.8., 14; Celtic, 8. The Celts were getting the bulk of the ball from the scrums and lineouts after the change-over, but Edwards and E. Carrington were well botled up by their opposite numbers, Bills, who replaced Fitzpatrick, and Cowley. Play ranged over the length of the field swiftly and each side took a turn in the attack. An H. 5.0.8. infringement on the 25yds. line in front of the goal gave Casey another chance and he put the ball outside the posts. Casey had another turn five minutes later at a finer angle, and raised the touch judges’ flags.—H.S.O.B. 14; Celtic, 11. Working on a shorter margin, ILS. 0.8 started to force the pace. The Celts fought back doggedly and Browns hooking gave Celtic the advantage of the ball from the set scrums- The Greens used this advantage to good effect and play edged deep into H. 5.0.8. territory. Deadly low tackling kept the Celtic gains to a minimum and finally Lee got a good clearing kick away to relieve the pressure-, Taking a long shot at goal from a fairly fine angle, Cowley surprised himself and his supporters by the signal of goal allowed. With ‘five min'-, utes of play remaining at that stage, the score was.—H.S.O.B., 17; Celtic, H-5.0.8. wore again attacking in the final stages and the game finished wilhout any further change in the score. Mr. M. McLernon was the referee.