LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Grey River Argus, 14 August 1944, Page 6

LEAGUE FOOTBALL

Blackball’s Narrow Win NGAHERE BEATS M'ARIST There was a good attendance at Runanga yesterdav, when the two leading teams, Runanga and Blackball, played their second match of the season. The game was a close one and Blackball won by ten points to six. Conditions were excellent though the field was slightly muddy and as a result the play was first class At Wingham Park, Ngahere defeated Marist by 23 points to 15. NGAHERE 24—MARIST 45 Players in the game between Maris and Ngahere seemed to have no enthusiasm in their task, and the game lacked fire. It livened up towards the end' of the second spell, when Marist scored a couple of good tries, and the game did not appear so much a' walk-over. The attendance was not large. The Marist forwards worked well, but the failure of the team as a whole to tackle low, gave Ngahere backs a great opportunity for penetration. The best of them were K. Coll, Watson, Wallace and Mundy, while in the backs Teen and Malone were prominent. A. and J. Gibson played a fine game in the Ngahere backs and were quick to take advantage of any blunder of the opposing side. Dunn and Campbell played well in the pack. The handling of neither side was good nor was their passing any better.

The teams were:— Marist: — W. Mann, F. Mulcare, L. Dunn, P. Malone, N. Hopkins, M. Teen, J. Teen, D. Watson, W. Mundy, P. Coll, D. Wallace, T. Scott, K. Coll. Ngahere:—K. Elmers, J. Cooper, H. Parker, J. Gibson, A. Gibson, F. Pascoe, A. Smith. A. Dunn, A. Mulcare, Clark, Balderstone, Campbell, Howden.

The early stages of the game were marked by indiscriminate kicking, with Ngahere holding a territorial advantage. Both teams threw the ball about, but poor passes, and poorer handling countered these attempts to open the game. A Gibson was nearly over, but was forced out in the corner. From the following scrum,, Ngahere hooked and Smith sold a dummy to score well out. Howden failed to convert. Ngahere 3 —Marist 0. K. Coll kicked through and TP. Coll picked up to send on to Wallace who made a break down the centre of the field, but he was stopped not far from the line. Mulcare made a couple of dashes down the sideline, hut the, tackling was solid. N. Hopkins retired, being replaced bv. B. Rochford. Parker fielded a kick by Mulcare and ran infield preparatory to passing to his forwards, when Watson snatched the ball from him and made for the line, before the opposition was aware of the move. He touched down in a handy position and F. Coll added the extras. Marist s—Ngahere5—Ngahere 3. Plav swept from one side of the field to the other as Ngahere advanced with a series of back movements, and Gibson and Smith made about 25 yards with a good rush, but Gibson was thrust out in the corner. From the ensuing scrum the ball came to Parker, who forced his way ovei’ about half way between the posts and the sideline. Howden failed to convert. Ngahere 6—Marist 5. Half time arrived with Ngahere still on attack and the score unaltered. Marist was the first attacker in the second spell, several well engineered' back movement bringing them close to the line on several occasions. Once Marist burst through from scrum, but Ngahere forced. With an overlap of about three men, Ngahere’s next try) was an easy one. J. Gibson received on the sideline and ran round the posts to touch down. Howden converted. Ngahere 11— Marist 5. Marist had an opportunity when Wallace broke through, but he threw a poor pass, and the chance was lost, A. Gibson burst through again, his fend foiling would-be tacklers and none displayed an inclination to tackle low. He drew the full back and sent on to Smith who with J. Gibson in support had a' clear field, but Gibson fumbled his pass and the movement was spoiled. Pascoe sold a dummy and left an opening for J. .Gibson who again ran around to score in a handy position, but Howden failed to convert. Ngahere 14 —Marist 5. A. Gibson beat Malone, and sent on to J. Gibson who sent up a centreing kick. Mulcare overran it and Smith picked up to score the easiest of tries under the posts. Howden converted. Ngahere 19— Marist 5. J. Gibson raced over a minute later, but was recalled for an infringement. J. Gibson to score his third try had to beat about four men in his run for the line and he rounded off a good effort in the corner. Clark goaled with an excellent

kick. Ngahere 24—Marist 5. Just after the kick off, Wallace who had been consistently following up, was rewarded when he kicked through and beat the opposition in a dive for the ball. P. Coll goaied. Ngahere 24—Marist 10. Marist did not allow Ngahere any respite but kept up the attack. M. Teen received after most of the backs had handled to race over in the corner. P. Coll converted with a grand kick. Ngahere 24— Marist 15. Marist began to put more energy in their play, which became interesting. Teen, Dunn and K. Coll made a great effort to score, but Coll was bundled over in the corner and Ngahere forced. Play was about midfield when the final whistle went with the score, Ngahere 24—Marist —l5. Referee: Mr. T. F. McKenzie. BLACKBALL 10—RUNANGA 6 A very interesting game saw Blackball defeat Runanga after a game in which the lack of penentration by the Runanga backs who got more than their share of the ball from the scrums, and the solid tackling of the Blackball players were deciding factors. Runanga hooked from most of the scrums and the backs got good service. However, their orthodox passing carried the ball only across the field and they gained very little ground. All the work was left to the wingers who with little room in which to work were promptly downed by the Blackball side. A feature of the game was the unusual amount ot penalties about thirty, which were awarded against Blackball while Runanga apparently gave an almost perfect interpretation of the rules, and were penalised on only two occasions. C. M.ountford, and J. O’Donnell were the best of the Blackball backs, with Mcßride, Williams and Kirk showing up in the fordwards. K. Martini, J. Forrest and J. Soster were the most prominent Runa'nga backs, while in the pack, J'. Newton, Stevens and Dalziel shone.

Runanga who played into the sun during the first half gained early, advantage when Newton kicked a penalty from in front of the posts. Both sides threw the ball about well but solid tacking prevented gaps in either side. Eventually after several backs handled O’Donnell sent infield to Ord who went over under the posts. Mountford converted. A fine individual effort by Mountford resulted in Blackball’s second try. He received in his own half, broke through a couple of would be tacklers, and beat the full back, Soster, to touch down under the posts for an excellent try which he converted, to make the half-time score, Blackball 10 —Runanga 2.

Early in the second spell, Newton increased Runanga’s tally with an easy penalty. When Martini kicked though Blackball was hard pressed, and J. Forrest was forced out in the corner. Blackball forwards came through with the ball and went right down to the Runanga line, where a penalty kick relieved. Aftei’ two unsuccessful attempts, Newton added two more points to his side’s score. An interchange of passing between Furnell and Martini took play down to Blackballs line where a tense situation was relieved by Mountford and Mcßride. Another penalty to Runanga shortly before time, saw Newton elect to kick for the corner instead of for the goal but Jamieson relieved. Blackball was attacking when full time sounded with the score Blackball 10—Runanga 6 Referee; Mr. J'. Griffen. LOWER GRADES Marist juniors in a game at Brunner, defeated the home team by 19 points to 8. Blackball beat Runanga by 16 points to 3. Fourth grade matches resulted Blackball 13—Marist 6; Runanga 22 Brunner 4.