JUNIOR REPS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 211, 20 August 1931, Page 3

JUNIOR REPS.

HASTINGS DEFEAT NAPIER. EVEN SCORING. The curtain-raiser was a match between the junior representatives of Hastings and Napier. Following a quiet opening the Napier backs broke away, but Collinge intercepted to place Hastings on the attack. There was a prolonged struggle among the forwards until Renouf followed up a kick through to hurl himself on the bouncing ball for a try. He added the extra points with a good kick.— Hastings 5, Napier 0. Napier promptly took up the attack and loose play ensued for a time. Kenny broke away to gather in a bouncing ball and race over unopposed. O 'Brien raised the flags to even up the scores. —Napier 5, Hastings 5.

Good fast play ensued for a time, the Hastings backs showing better form. Each side missed points through failure to goal from free kicks, and then K. West gathered in the ball from the loose to jnzz his way through the visitors and score a great try, which he converted.— Hastings 10, Napier 5.

Within a few minutes Hastings were pressing hotly again. Renouf snapped up the ball from the ruck and stepped through the defence to pass to West, who returned the ball for Renouf to cross between the posts. West added the extra points, making the half-time score read:— Hastings 15 Napier 5 Within a couple of minutes after the interval Napier -ere on the attack and were awarded a free kick. O ’Brien succeeded in his kick at goal, making the scores:--Napier 8, Hastings 15. Napier continued to exert pressure and Napier had to work hard to clear. The defence was again penalised, and O’Brien took a shot at the posts. The effort fell short, but the Napier forwards followed up to press hotly. A fumble of a kick through allowed Clayton to follow up and beat the defence for the touch-down near the posts. O’Brien had no difficulty in converting,—Napier 13, Hastings 15.

The Napier forwards were putting plenty of dash into their play, and though Hastings occasionally attacked the play generally was confined to the home team's territory. O’Brien took a long shot at goal, the effort falling short. A few minutes later he had another attempt, and this time he just failed to place the visitors ahead. Fast following up of the drop-out saw the Hastings forwards start West and Hannigan on the move. West raced to the visitors’ quarterway before passing out to Hannigan, who brushed past a defender to score a sensational try near the corner. — West’s 'kick failed.—Hastings 18, Napier 13. Napier lost no time in returning to the attack, the forwards and backs in turn endeavouring to break through Determined tackling kept them at bay until a sensational break saw three Napier forwards smash the defence, a try being awarded near the corner. O’Brien failed to raise the flags on the call of time, leaving tie scores reading:— Hastings 18 Napier 16 Mr. D. Graham refereed.