STORY OF THE MATCH

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 27 June 1935, Page 5

STORY OF THE MATCH

WELLINGTON SCORES EARLY ViSiTORS OFTEN PENALISED TARANAKI FORWARDS SUPERIOR. The teams lined out as follow: Wellington (black). —H. R. Pollock ; R. j. Ball, P. Baldwin, A. Hansen; J. XV. Fleming, H. T. Lilburne; F. J>. Kilby; J. McNeile; E. F. Barry, E. Reid, J. Builer, W. Peck; O. M. Ongiey, R,. Donnelly, F. Leahy. Taranaki (amber and black). —A. Collins ; J. Ford, J. Sullivan, L. Edwards; J. Galbraith, C. Brown; C. Gudgeon ; O. Brown; H. Gardner, R. Clarke, R. Young; R, O’Dowda; J, Armstrong, G, Fowler, F. Gargan.

Galbraith kicked off for Taranaki against the sun, the Wellington backs immediately opening out in a spectacular movement commenced by Baldwin, who transferred to Lilburne” The latter made a fast run along the sideline and on the twenty-live mark passed to Ball, who scored well out. Lilbnrhe failed to convert.—Wellington 3, Taranaki 0. .From the kick-off the Taranaki forwards, headed by Brown and Clarke, attacked, but Lilburne broke away with McNeile and Leahy in support, a forward pass saving a dangerous situation for Taranaki. Galbraith sent them back, and Leahy, McNeile, Ongley and Butler broke through from a *lihe-out, the ball going out to Ball, who was thrown out near the Taranaki comer flag. Collins cleared with a great kick, which found touch almost at half-way. Front the line-out the Taranaki forwards bustled play down to Wellington twenty-live line, where {Sullivan booted too hard, the ball going over the dead ball line. From a scrum on the twenty-live the Wellington backs broke through to half-way. They were firing the ball about in great style and another fine movement saw the whole line handle before Ball was tackled. From a scrum Taranaki were penalised for lifting. Lilburne attempted to goal, the ball dropping just under the bar. Ford dribbled through to Pollock, who picked up and found touch ten yards inside the Taranaki twenty-live. Play was held up owing to an injury to Hansen, who had to be replaced by Plank. The latter went in to centre, Baldwin going out to the wing. From a line-out Wellington backs gained possession, but a forward pass halted the breakaway and the Taranaki forwards carried play to beyond half-way, where a scrum infringement by Wellington gave Collins a .chance at goal. He made a good effort, the ball going just outside the uprights. Ford handled at the end of a Taranaki passing rush and in a great dash went over. Collins converted with a brilliant kick from the sideline.— Taranaki 5, Wellington 3. The ball went to Clarke from the kick-off. He failed to find touch, Pollock running up with his backs to start a movement which carried play into Taranaki territory. A scrum infringement saw Collins put Taranaki on the attack with a long kick. Gudgeon Tun round on the “blind,” but lost possession to Pollock. Offside play by a Taranaki forward then gave Pollock an opportunity to regain the lost territory. Barry and McNeile carried the movement on well to Taranaki’s twenty-five. Fowler broke through from a scrum and kicked down to Pollock, who marked to save an awkward situation. The Wellington hacks, with Lilburne prominent, took play downtieid. Clarke broke away to halfway, and from a scrum Gudgeon sent out to Brown, on to Galbraith, who side-stepped Lilburne beautifully and after a brilliant run sent on to Ford, -who went over wide out. Collins 1 ailed to convert.—Taranaki 8, Wellington 3. Midfield play followed. Taranaki forwards having slightly the best of the matter in the loose. Lilburne went round the “blind” side to hand on to Ball, who raced for the corner, shaking off Ford, but being held up by Collins. The Taranaki forwards, headed by Gargan, broke through, but were sent Ixack by Pollock. Lilburne whipped round the back and went over the

line ; only for Ford to hold him up, the ball fading to the ground and being kicked over the dead line by Collins. Half-timo sounded immediately afterwards with the score.—Taranaki 8, Wellington 3. THE SECOND SPELL. From a line-out at half-way Clarke broke through to put Taranaki on the attack, but the Wellington backs secured, all handling before Baldwin was tackled by Collins in Taranaki’s twenty-five. Edwards kicked well downfield to Pollock, who kicked back to Collins, the latter finding touch just outside of Wellington’s twenty-five. Play went back to midfield, where Wellington were penalised. The Taranaki forwards followed up fast- and rucking play followed on the twenty-five line. From a serum Taranaki hooked. Gudgeon sending out to Brown, who drew the defence, handing on to Galbraith, to Sullivan, who missed, the ball going into touch. From the line out a scrum was ordered in which Taranaki were penalised, a free kick bringing relief for Wellington. McNeile and Barry followed up fast, but were sent back from half-way by Collins. A series of scrums in midfield ensued, ivilby finaiJj'- being penalised for not putting the ball into the serum. Collins with the kick found the lino at Wellington’s twenty-five. From the ime-out the Wellington backs and foT-l wards combined’ and broke through, j Plank gaining twenty-five yards in a dash along the line before handing on to Fleming, who passed out quickly to Lilburne, who went over. Pollock failed with the kick.—Taranaki 8, Wellington G.

Play was confined to midfield for a few minutes, a Wellington attack being frustrated by Galbraith, who kicked downfiekl and placed Taranaki in a fine attacking position. O. Brown broke through from the twenty-five, but Ford failed to accept the pass at the crucial moment. Each side was penalised for scrum breaches, a dropkick by Galbraith failing to rise. Armstrong saved a dangerous situation for Taranaki when Ball streaked down the sideline, the position, being relieved further with a line kick by Collins from a free kick. Clarke, Young and O’Dowda broke through from the lineout, but were sent back by Pollock, the hall finally going to Edwards, who took it ofF the feet of Butler to again find the line at midfield. Lilburne was prominent in endeavouring to break up attacks by the Taranaki forwards, but despite his efforts the amber and blacks were nearly over. Twice in rapid succession they actually crossed the line, but neither O. Brown nor Sullivan was quick enough to touch down. Finally, after a scramble in front of the Wellington goal, C. Brown picked rip from the loose and touched down near the posts. Collins missed all easy kick.—Taranaki 11, Wellington 6. The Taranaki forwards continued their bustling tactics from the kickoff, but Pollock ran up with the fiveeighths and, accompanied by Baldwin, went down to- the Taranaki twenty-five before being stopped by Collins. Taranaki broke away again, but Pollock again stepped into the breach and found the line well inside Taranaki territory. Sullivan got the ball from a high kick and ran down beyond halfway, where he punted over Pollock s head and Ford followed up fast, but Lilburne gained possession first. From a scrum Wellington cleared. Ball being thrown out of touch just outside tiie twenty-five flag. Collins at this stage retired injured, being replaced by “Mick” Sangster. Ball broke away from the line-out which restarted play, but was well taken b.v Sangster. The Wellington attack went across field, when it was broken up by Edwards. Midfield play followed, and from a. scrum the Wellington backs made strenuous efforts to break away, Sangster relieving with a good line’ kick. C. Brown a minute later was responsible for taking play to the Wellington twenty-five with a judicious line kick. McNeile and Plank instituted a spectacular run which transferred play to the Taranaki goal-line, where the home supporters had ;t few anxious moments. In a series of serums which resulted, the Wellington forwards for the first time actually dominated play and they gave the ball to the backs, Baldwin running round to score behind the posts. A conversion, from the easiest of positions, seemed certain, and Wellington had every prospect of making the match a draw. Lilburne took the kick, but the ball sailed wide of the uprights, time sounding with the score.—Taranaki 11, Wellington 9. Mr A. E, Sprfitt refereed.