FAST AND EVEN

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 175, 9 July 1932, Page 4 (Supplement)

FAST AND EVEN

SPECTACULAR PLAY TWO 0.8. TEAMS BATTLE HIGH SCHOOL WINS, MARGIN OF SEVEN POINTS. Napier H. 5.0.8, this afternoon defeated Tec. 0.8. by 10 points to 3 in one of the best and fastest games seen for a long time in Napier. Both teams were out to win on account of the fact that upon its result rested to a very great extent the senior championship.

The game was fast and even throughout, H. 5.0.8. having a definite advantage in the first spell, but after the change-over tho Greys battled away gamely and wore always dangerous, although their opponents came away on occasions with spectacular play which enabled them to add further to their total. Tho result was in doubt until five minutes before the final whistle and consequently eyei.nmn-t ran high amongst the largest crowd of spectators for a club game this season.

The teams were as follows:— Technical Old Boys.—Hossittor, 1. Evans, Setford, McKenzie, T. Evans, E. Evans, Elliott, Riddell, Campbell, O’Brien, Muskett, Champion, Wright, Dalton, Skittrupp.

Napier H. 5.0.8. —Neal. Ross, Appleby, Smith, Evans, Bradley, Lambie, Miller, Rolls, Turner, Reaney, Garrett, Flowers, Drummond Crawford-Smith.

The first to show action were the Whites, their forwards, led by Reaney, sweeping down to the twenty-five, where Rossitter was caught in possession. They were sent back to halfway, however, by a free kick, and alter the line-out Elliott made a short burst. After some loose play Elliott sent his backs away, the ball'going out to Setford, where an infringement occurred, Bradley clearing from the scrum with a line kick. The Grey backs handled, but lost the ball, and as the White forwards were breaking through, T. Evans cleared.

The Whites came back again to the attack. Lambie Bradley, Evans, Appleby and Smith handling, the latter being well marked, which forced him to pass back to Appleby. The ball went astray, but Evans secured it and essayed a field goal from near the posts, but without success. Rossiter was caught in possession by Flowers, but the Grey forwards, with O’Brien and Riddell in the van, brought the play to the twentyfive, where they were sent back by a free kick taken by Reaney. He could not find tho line, and E. Evans and then Rossiter returned the game to the

White twenty-five. Here Elliott, E. Evans, T. Evans and Setford handled, for tho latter to drop his pass. Smith picked it up and he and Turner carried on to half-way. Here Bradley made a good solo run to the twenty-five, where the Whites were given a free kick, which Boss was unable to make uso of. Line kicks by the Whites kept them on the offensive, but they were driven back when Dalton and Riddlell were involved in a forward rush. The Grey backs then swung into action, but a bad pass by Setford to McKenzie allowed Boss to kick out. Skittrupp, Dalton, ad Campbell bustled the White backs, but Neal cleared. Hard work by the forwards in the White twentylive until Heaney broke array from a set serum, and then from a line-out Appleby, after he had received the ball from Lambie, Bradley and Evans, made a splendid run before passing to Ross, who was soundly tackled by Setford when near the line. A scrum resulted, and Lambie flashed around the blind side to score in the corner. Hoss converted with a good kick. Napier H. 5.0.8 5 Technical 0.8 0 H. 5.0.8. kept up the pressure, and soon after the kick-off Ross had an attempt at a penalty goal, but found tlie ball too heavy. The White backs participated in a passing bout, which ended when Appleby knocked-on, and then Evans lined at half-way. A free kick gave O’Brien a chance for a penalty goal, but the distance was too great. Reaney caught McKenzie in possession and Rolls kicked high to Setford, who was caught in possession, but an infringement stopped the rush. Technical 0.8. went to the attack when Elliott secured from a scrum for E. Evans, T. Evans, Setford and McKenzie to take pfay to the twenty-five, where their forwards gave the \\ hit.es a busy tinie defending until Lambie found the line. The Greys were awarded a free kick in a handy position, T. EVans.not being able to make use of it. Several scrums took place near the White goal, where the Grey backs endeavoured to break through only to find a solid defence. E. Evans took another penalty kick, but it did not have enough distance to give his side the three points. Half-time came without any alteration to the scores. SECOND HALF. Not long after a period of even play at the commencement of the second spell O’Brien had another unsuccessful attempt at a penalty goal. E. Evans made a similar effort from closer in, meeting with the same result. Bradley accepted the ball as it fell inside the posts and gave a weak kick back to E. Evans who passed to McKenzie. The latter short punted and Neal missed it and in the dive behind the line for the ball Setford was awarded a try, E. Evans failing to add the extra points. Napier H. 5.0.8 5 Technical 0.8. 3

The Greys continued the offensive, Elliott working the blind side to E. Evans and McKenzie, but Roes was able to kick out and a moment after Lambic brought relief with a line-kick. A free-kick to the Whites enabled Reaney to line past half-way, only to be ■sent back by another free-kick by E. Evans, who again put his side on the attack after they had been driven out by the White forwards. Here O’Brien had his seventh kick at goal and again met with the same result. The Whites came back to Technical 0.8. territory where Crawford-Smith broke away and passed to Turner, to Flowers to Bradley, to Evans, to Appleby, who held in too long before passing to Smith after he had cut in well. A free-kick was given for tackling Smith without the ball, but Ross found the distance too great. Even play followed in which the Grej-s had a slight advantage. Setford had to leave the field injured. Johnson taking his place. The Whites changed the centre of play sensationally. Evans intercepted a pass in a Grey back movement, passing to Appleby, who cut through and “dummied’’ a Grey back before passing in to Turner, who missed his pass. He carried the ball on with the help of several Whites who had come up, the ball going out in the corner. From here Lambie, Bradley and Evans handled, the latter going’ across for a try beside the posts. Ross converted. Napier H. 5.0.8 10 Technical 0.8. 3 On resuming, Appleby picked the ball up in loose play, giving Smith the chance to make a strong run down the line until he was tackled near the line. The game quietened down for a few minutes ill neutral territory. The Grey backs were not long in brightening play up, and they came away with a great rush to the White line, where Appleby cleared with a good kick and Rolls, who followed up fast, prevented McKenzie from returning. There was no further score in the game, which therefore resulted: Napier H. 5.0.8 10 Tech. Old Boys >■<>.. 3 Mr. E. D. Berry refereed.