LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

Grey River Argus, 21 June 1926, Page 6

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

RUNANGA I (24) V. GREY I (11). I The above game was played at Omoto yesterday, before a fair sprinkling of spectators. The ground was in good order for football. Neither club was represented by its strongest team. Tallentyre, Garvey aud Griffiths being absent from the Runanga pack, whilst Grey fielded several lower-grade players. The game was in progress about ten minutes before ’the first score came, after a bout of passing among the Runanga backs, Brown eventually racing over. Purnell failed to add the major points. Runanga 3, Grey 0. Even play followed for a good while, until Johnson worked the blind side for Grey, and passed to Loes, and the latter in turn passed to Frame, who dived over. The same player failed to goal. Three all. Runanga carried play to the other end, chiefly by good following, up among the forwards, and from a penalty for offside play, Armstrong landed a fine goal from well outside tho 25. Runanga 5; Grey 3. More passing by the Runanga backs carried play well up the field and from a scrum, Purnell, Stevens and Brown indulged in passing, the latter getting his second try under the posts, which Purnell goalcd. Runanga 10, Grey 3.

A lot of uneventful play followed till half time sounded with play in the centre of the field. On resuming Runanga made tho pace a cracker, and ran up points very quickly. Finn, who had gone up on the wing, was responsible for the next score, after a good run by Brown, who sent him a nice pass, enabling him to score under the posts. Purnell goalcd and Runanga led. 15 —3. Leach was prominent for Grey shortly after in a good forwltrd movement, Petrie and Frame- joining in. Runanga backs stemmed the rush,| however, and, carrying play back, V Armstrong scored in the corner. Hands failed to increase the score. Runanga were having all tho better of the play, and despite one or two individual efforts on the part of the Grey team, they returned to the attack again, and Hall followed up a mistake by a Grey back and scored under the posts. Sherwood failed in his attempt at goal. Runanga 21, Grey 3. Johnson, who was playing a good game for Grey, kicked over the full back’s head, and, following through, scored Grey’s second try. Twohill converted. Runanga 31, Grey 8. The kick out was taken by Runanga to Grey territory, and from a fine passing bout among the Runanga backs, Cust got over, the kick at goal being fruitless. Some of the Grey players were putting up a good fight, Frame especially showing out, ind play was transferred to the Runanga 25, where a scrum ensued, and Johnson was instrumental in starting a movement, from which Fisher eventually inpassed to Johnson, who dived .ver. Twohill .missed the kick, al- - an easy one. Runanga 24, Grev 11.

Even play followed for a while, neither side- gaining any ground, and when full time sounded, there was no addition to the score, the game ending in Runanga’s favour by 24 to 11. Mr C. Hall had charge of the whistle. For the winners, Finn, Cust and Brown in the backs, and O’Brien an- 1 Armstrong and Hands in the forwards were outstanding, whilst for Grey, Griffen, John so- -nd Cr.rrie (backs), and Petrie, Frame and Leach in the forwards were most noticeable.

BT.AC^ —'A T T. V. MA' TC T (o) Playing at Blackball yesterday, the homo team scored a decisive victory over Marist in a good game by the above margin. Tries were scored for Blackball by Gilroy (2), Neilson, Dando, and Haistie, whilst Dando White, and Gilroy converted a try each.

GREYMOUTH IL (10) v. BI ACKBALT. 11. (7). This game, between the two unbeaten cams of the junior competition, to ).k lace at the “Rec” on Saturday. G’cy probably just deserved to win, for, after a very even first spell, the home team held the visitors in the second half, and scored the winning try when playing uphill. Blackball were the heavier team and secured the ball from the majority of the scrums. Adam dark was in good form at first fiv eeighth, bul Mac. Smith, at second, dropped a lot of passes. These inside backs of Blackball would have served their team better had they tried to burst through more often, instead of aerossthe line passing to their wings, who were beaten for pace. Rimmer was hurt midway through the first spell, and changed places with Me Donald at fullback. Gray. Kidd and Lewis shone out. in the Blackball forwards, while McDonald as usual supplied his backs with plenty of the ball. For the Grey team, Johnson, at half, was the outstanding back on tho ground, his display behind a beaten pack being remarkably good. He outclassed the opposing b.alf in every phase of the ghme. O’Leary also played a. fine game at first five-eighth, dummying his way through the opposition very cleverly. Had he had support these movements, the score for his team would . have been increased. Sexton played his usual safe game, but would have been still better had he played closer up to O'Leary. The winning try, scored by Sexton, was a tine concerted effort. The way in which the scorer accepted a pass, grass high, would have done credit to any player. Andy Lees was off colour, and has seldom played such a poor game. Had he, backed up he must have got a couple of tries. The other backs all played w >ll. Mr V. Armstrong was the referee but one cannot say it was one of his , best displays, the game being to a certain extent gpoilt by too much whistle, whilst the almost total disregard of the advantage rule was very noticeable. This rule is about tho most valuable rule that the game possesses to speed up the play, yet all our officials in charge on the Coast honour it, more in the breach than in the observance. - THE GAME. Grey won the toss, Blackball starting uphill and attacking immediately. Grey relieved by a passing rush, Kerr intercepting and returning to Grey terri-

tory. From the next Grey attack, Blackball were penalised, O’Leary landing a great goal from near touch nt the twenty-five. Blackball atttacked from the re-start, and were granted a penalty in front for a breach of the play-the-ball rule, Kinsella evening the scores by an easy kick. Grey were not long before adding to their score. The Blackball backs, when pressed in their own quarters, attempted to relieve by passing back to the full-back. McDonald missed the pass and J. Gordon snapped up the leather and ran over unopposed under the bar. O’Leary converted. Blackball pressed from the resumption, pinning Grey in the corner. From the third scrum, Clarke cut through, and though tackled by two men, had strengeh enough to push his way over near the posts. Kinsella again evened the scores. Half time was called with the scores: Blackball 7, Grey 7.

From the restart, Blackball attacked, Adam Clark and Mac Smith being prominent. Andy Lors relieved with a good run up the side-line. Blackball were awarded a penalty for off-side, Mac Smith gaining a lot of ground with the line kick. Passing from Johnson and O’Leary to Sexton, saw the latter put in a gcod kick, Rimmer finding the line at half-way. From the next scrum. Grey hooked the ball. O’Leary cut through and gave to Sexton, who gathered in a low pass and sent on to Mason, who also made ground before in passing to Sexton, for the latter to score the best try of the' game. O’Leary’s kick just failed to add the major points. Blackball pressed on the resumption. Clark had a shot from a penalty, but missed a difficult kick. The pressure was applied for a spell, but the passing was too much across-

the-ground variety. On one occasion Clarke handled the ball three times in one passing rush, and not a yard w’as gained. Greymouth relieved by means of a penalty. From a forward rush P Gordon got offside, and from the free kick Lees fumbled the ball, almost losing the game for his side. Blackball set up another rush, Kerr being well tackled by Mason. This was about Blackball’s last effort. Their forwards seemed to tire, and the Grey team, particularly Johnson, put in some fine back play. From an attack near the line. Johnson made an opening, but hung on too long, and Sexton was well marked before receiving the ball. J. Mason went over after a good concerted movement by the backs, but was adjudged out of touch in .goal. Time was called shortly after, leaving the scores: Greymouth 10, Blackball 7.

NELSON CREEK 12 v. BLACKBALL E 6. In the junior game between Nelson Creek and Blackball B at Blackball, Nelson Creek won by 12 points to 6. RUNANGA II (7) v. BRUNNER II (3) This game was played at Dunollie yesterday, anil resulted in a win for Runanga. by 7 to 3. T. Currie scored for Runanga, J. O’Neil kicking two goals, whilst Le Vert scored for Bi 'U nn er. MARIST 111 (19) v. ATHLETIC (0). Playing at Omoto yesterday, the Marist Thirds put it all over Athletics, being too strong in the back division, in which department the greens showed some fine play. Tries were scored chiefly from good combined play, bv Ryall (2), M. Brown, t. Brown and Collier, whilst Kiely converted one and Collier one. For the winners, Kiely (half), and Collier, Brown and Ryall (three-quarters), were the best backs. Anisy showed out in the forwards. In the Athletic team, Gilbert was the outstanding back, and Rooney the best forward. Mr W. Hopkins controlled this game in a satisfactory manner.

COMBINED TEAM WIN. CANTERBURY BEATEN BY 31 TO 28 (Special to “Argus”). CHRISTCHURCH, June 20. Yesterday’s trial League match between the combined West Coast-Otago team and the Canterbury representatives, in connection with the selection of the New Zealand team for England, attracted a large crowd, and proved fast and interesting. The Canterbury men had the better of the first half, but in the second good play by the opposing pack more than evened up matters. The West Coasters all shone out, scoring a good share of the points The final scores were: Combined Team 31; Canterbury 28. Mountt, besides/ a try, kicked several goals, and Doogan got a try, while Wright and Tallentyre played fine forward games. SOUTH ISLAND TEAM. After the match the South Islan 1 team was selected, three of the Coasters being included. Tt is as follows:— ' Canterbury men: Falgar, Brittenden, Sanders, Wilson-Hall, Peterson, Henry, Mason, O’Connor and Mundy. West Coast men: Mouatt, Wright and Tallentyre. Otago ni(*n: Eckoff, Vorrath and Hickey. The Inter-Island match will be played at Auckland on July 3rd.