FOOTBALL

Hokitika Guardian, 1 May 1939, Page 2

FOOTBALL

SATURDAY’S GAMES.

The weather was again perfect for football on Saturday afternoon,, if rather warm for hard play, and this

made waiit of condition more noticeable among some players. On Cass

Square the senior match Kiwi v. Celtic was an even one in the first half, but in the second half, after one brief flash at the start of play, when they made their only score, Celtic crumbled fiadlv and Kiwi ran up a succession of points, mainly due to R. Roberts’ brilliance, who crossed the line three times during the afternoon, once as the result of a fine solo following up effort and the others from combined hack elf arts. The junior game on Cass Square proved somewhat one sided also, at least as scoring went. Results:— Senior. Stars 12, Blaketown 9. United 5, Excelsior 5. ‘ Kiwi 24, Celtic 3, KIWI Y. CELTIC. This senior game resulted in a win for Kiwi by 24 points (5 tries, 3 converted, and a penalty goal), to 3 points (a try). The play was even in the first half; the Celtic forwards, having the better of the play, and they worried the opposing backs, whose efforts were nullified hv hard tackling by their opponents and weak handling and worse passing of a wild nature. The play went up and down the field, the scene changing rapidly. After half an hour’s play, a high kick from the 25 into the centre of the field, was followed up in characteristic style by Roberts, who beat the Celtic full-back for the bounce, and taking it on tlie run took tue hall cleanly, and was through under the posts for a fine try. Cooper converted, and the score was s—o5 —0 at half-time. Soon after the re-start Celtic backs got going from a scrum at mid-field, and with a fine passing run in which nearly all the hacks handled, McGin- ' ley went over to score a try, well out. The kick at goal was a poor one. Kiwis at once attacked, and the Celtic forwards appeared to tire, allowing the Kiwi backs to make the play, and it was not long before a score came.

' There was one dazzling bit of play worthy of mention. Kiwi hacks had carried the ball from half-way to the goal line, when a bad pass allowed a Celtic back to intercept and a rush brought hack play past the centre line where the rush was stopped by Moffit, who carried the ball back to inside the 25 where lie passed to Roberts, who went over, brushing aside a tackle, to score a good try. During this spell Kiwi scored four tries Roberts (2), Grenfell and F. West crossing, while Cooper converted one and kicked a penalty goal, and Roberts converted one. Dr, Harrison was referee, STARS V. BLAKETOWN. Stars won bv 12 points to 9, but on the run of the play Blaketown were extremely unlucky to lose. Mishandling, bad passing, with a host of instances of delayed passing, were frequent faults exhibited on both sides, but- more so on the part of Stars. For Stars, L. Wilson tries, .and Watson kicked two penalty goals. For Blaketown, Samuels and Goodall scored tries, the latter also kicking a penalty goal. EXCELSIOR V. UNITED. Excelsiors made their first appearance of the season when they drew 5-all with United at Rugby Park on Saturday. Excelsiors lasted better than the home side, and were a trifle unlucky in not adding to their tally in the closing stages of play. It was a good, hard, even game amongst a well matched set of forwards. The only score in the first spell went to United, .1, Ratlibun getting over for a good try for United in a handy position. D. Dewar converted. In the second spell, Johnson scored a good try for Excelsiors, and H. Tainui evened the score by converting. In the junior grade, Kiwis met Ex- ' celsiors on Cass Square and secured an easy win by 31 points to 10. Ross juniors won by default from Arahura and in the third grade fixture Excelsiors defaulted to School. THIRD GRADE. KIWI v. PIRATES. Playing at Woodstock on Saturday Kiwi third grades defeated Pirate third grades by 21 points to 16. Scorers for Kiwi were:—Mitchell, one converted I try; Davidson, three tries, two of which were converted; Ellis, one unconverted try. For Pirates, Agnew and Madg- ( wick kicked a field goal each; Wells an unconverted try and G, Stoop a eon- j verted try.