SENIORS,

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 21 May 1923, Page 8

SENIORS,

ELTHAM (3) v. PATEA (3)

A KEEN CONTEST

Eltham met Patea on the latter's ground, and as the result of a maton ! that was fought out keenly to the "no side" call an interesting draw resulted. I The ground was wet and the ball very i hard to handle, but nevertheless the match was full of incident throughout. Patea attacked at the outset as the result of a good forward rush, and Eltham forced. Shortly after the kick out Eltham were again on the defensive, and McSweeney at full showed fine defensive powers and saved his side on several occasions. Keeping up the pressure, the Patea forwards rushed down •to the line and Fred McKenna securing dashed across. Ngapaki made a fine attempt to convert, the ball just missing. Patea 3, Eltham 0. Then Eltham set up a hot attack. Stanners and McLean being prominent in a fine move. From a ■ mark they just failed to S'"ore. Patea rallied, and down the field came Hurley in a fine run. McSweeney took 1 him, and saved in a tight place. Patea continue*! to press, and narrowly missed scoring twice in quick succession. Eltham relieved, McLean being responsible for capital defence, and with Head and Stanners moved play to halfway. Head's kicking was responsible for gaining much ground on several occasions. Away up field went Eltham, headed by Stanners and McCracken, till Patea came back in a rush in which McMahon and Wills showed fine attacking powers. McLean saved, and set his side on the attack, and play went up and down field until half-time was called. On resuming, Eltham made a fine dash, and McLean with a useful kick put his side in a good position. Patea came back, and in a good dribbling rush the forwards went over the line, and Eltham had to force. Coming out with fine vim, Eltham rushed right up field, and were almost across, Patea'a defence being taxed to the utnxmt. Ngapaki saved with a great kick, and following up Thompson made a dashing run, which kept Eltham backs on the defence. Eltham retaliated, and McMahon,and Hurley showed great defence in repelling a hot attack. Then Hurley came down field in great style, and almost got over at the corner, and Eltham were forced down. From the kick-off McLean secured, and with, a - fine kick put his side on the attack, but Patea came back in a loose rush, Hurley and McKenna in the lead. Eltham's defence was sound, and they repelled the attack. Shortly after in a fine dash McKenna went over, but the ball was called back. Then Eltham rallied, and their forwards, working in great style and with fine dash, got right down on Patea's line. McKenna relieved, but back came Eltham, McCracken heading a great rush, and they just failed to score. Patea again relieved, and play went to half-way, where it remained until McLean got in a great run and kicked down field. Page backed him up, and a free kick gave Eltham a good chance to equalise the scores. The kick failed, and Thompson marked and lined well up. Page, McLean, and Head set up a fine attacking run, and Patea had to force. Eltham had Patea penned on the line, and only capital defence kept them out. Then McCracken, Hammersley, and ! Covkill in a wonderful dash swept down field, and Stanners backing up welj secured and crossed the line. The kick failed. Patea 3, Eltham 3. Patea rushed up the kick-off, and play was in . neutral territory till Eltham came down in a fine dribbling rush. They continued to attack to the finish, and a few minutes after, the ball going out, no side was called without further score.

Mr. H. Whittington was referee

HAWERA (8) y. OPUNAKE (0)

The match between Hawera and Opunake, which was played, at Opunake on Saturday, provided an essentially forward game. Several of the Opunake team, including the captain (Lusk) were on the sick list, and it was late in the afternoon when the greens were able to get a team together. Weather conditions were also unfavourable, so that it was not surprising that play was not up to senior standard. Opunake kicked off, and the players had not been in action long before Julian kicked into touch about 10 yards from Opunake's line, and King forced. Hawera again attacked, and the Opunake full-back, in an attempt to save the situation, kicked the ball into Wylie. The ball rebounded across the line, and Doherty, who dived on to it in a, mud puddle, forced. Opunake rallied, and W. Hohaia got away, but failed through lack of support. Opunake forwards again pressed, and with Macßeynolds in the van they found the line in a good

position. Hawera did good work on ; fiiie defensive, and tneir forwards I brought the bail down the field, with tiic result that the Opunake full-back, Tuawhaka, was called upon to save the position on several occasions. Tuawhaka proved himself equal to the task, and he showed good, judgment in his kick- ■ ing. When play was hovering in mid- ' 'field the Hawera half got the ball from ! the loose, and inaugurated a passing rush amongst his backs. Good passing brought the ball close to Opunake's goal, but the pass out to the Hawera wing three-quarter was intercepted, and in the subsequent play Macßeynolds marked and relieved the position. Hawera were soon pressing again, and Si forward rush brought the ball over the line. West and King raced for it, hvX the Hawera man was first, and scored. G. Wills' kick failed. Hawera 3, Opunake 0. The_ Opunake forwards again attacked, biit they could not pierce the visitors' defence. Loose play close to Opunake's line looked dangerous when West sb,ot out after the ball. King, however,"" saved. Julian, on the wing, covered a gocd deal of ground at a fast pace, but twice he was forced out. Half-time was called without any further alteration.

The beginning of the next half was not marked by either side obtaining any material advantage. The Opunake pack were the first to show up, and kept Hawera on the defensive. The ball came from the forwards and passed through, the hands of a number of Opunake backs until it came to F. Hohaia, who put in a good run, but was for~ed out. Hawera retaliated, and a forward rush saw the ball over Opunake's line. West and another Hawera player raced after it, while F. Hohaia made to save the position by forcing. West was first on to the ball, and by converting his try brought Hawera's points up to eight. When West scored there v\as some demonstration from the onlookers, who considered that F. Hohaia was obstrnotel when trying to save the position. Onmiake mnde their last dash towards the Hawera line, and when matters locked dangerous for the visitors Hawera were penalised. W. Hohaia made a. good but unsuccessful atteraot to kick a goal. The game finished shortly after without any alteration in the score. Mr. A. H. Guy was referee.